CINCINNATI, Ohio — If you’re looking to buy a car right now, you may have noticed all the new changes many dealerships have implemented to keep customers and their staff safe.
- By just filling out information online, you can purchase a car without even stepping foot inside a dealership
- Customers finding it challenging to purchase a car they've never been in
- Dealers are going above and beyond for customers
Business owner Jason Harris got the chance to experience that first-hand when he bought a new truck last week.
“It was a surreal experience because you’re not as close to people as you normally would be,” said Harris. “You’re not shaking hands, you’re not doing that sort of thing.”
Despite the safety measures, he says the logistics of his purchase were about as normal as possible. But he also recognizes that there are several pros and cons to purchasing a car right now.
“From an economic standpoint, I would wait until prices deflate a little bit, but I guess it depends on how you buy,” said Harris. “Now is a good time, with interest rates as low as they are.”
Over the past couple of months, dealerships across the state have been working on ways in which to best accommodate their customers during this time. One of those ways is through online car sales. By just filling out some information online, you can purchase a car without even stepping foot inside a dealership.
“You get your payment, down payment, you can work it all the way through to evaluating your trade and get your final numbers,” said Penny Diersing, the Walt Sweeny digital marketing strategist manager. “Basically if you agree to that, we can bring the car to you.”
This method may be more convenient and safe for customers, but it does make it a little more challenging for sales representatives who are used to interacting with their customers.
“You didn’t get a chance to shake their hand, you couldn’t meet or greet and establish common ground, walk around and get in the car, so they’re learning a lot of new stuff,” said Diersing.
And car sales representatives aren’t the only ones faced with challenges. Many customers have found it challenging to purchase cars they’ve never been in.
“The true experience is when you get in that car and you start driving it,” said Diersing. “It’s like this doesn’t have the legroom I thought it was going to have or I don’t like where these cup holders are.”
But even though customers can’t physically be there, dealerships are going above and beyond to help with that.
“Take the customer out, put them in the car, turn it on so they can hear the engine, and take the mobile device and move it all around to make them feel that they’re in it as much as possible,” she said.
If you really would just prefer to purchase your car in person you still can. You just have to schedule an appointment with a sales representative. During your appointment you’ll still have the opportunity to test drive the car. Many dealerships are using disposable steering wheel covers to keep customers safe.
Purchasing cars in person has been the norm for so long, but Diersing believes the online method may be the way of the future.
“We’re going to take this opportunity to get good at this, because I think that this is changing the way people are going to buy cars,” she said.