2:32 pm, July 9, 2020
BMW Group UK has launched a digital car locator that gives customers real-time access to new stock across its entire dealer network.
First they choose the BMW or Mini they’re interested in, then they set their budget – which can be either monthly or for on the road. After that, they give their postcode, which lets them choose a dealer from the nearest five. Handover is typically available within a fortnight.
The customer then sends a contact inquiry to the chosen retailer or pays a £500 reservation deposit. If they reserve their car online, the selected dealer contacts them to discuss the next step.
Up to three vehicles can be selected and compared in detail.
If a customer opts for monthly payments, integration with BMW Financial Services means they can adjust their finance product, deposit contribution, contract duration and/or mileage terms to suit.
It comes as the group says online car reservations soared by 130 per cent in May on April’s figure, with the trend continuing into June.
Chris Brownridge, sales director for BMW Group UK, said: ‘In what is clearly going to be a challenging year for automotive retail, it is more important than ever that we provide customers with the right tools to research their next vehicle from home.
‘The new BMW and Mini vehicle locators deliver more choice for our customers with powerful search tools and seamless integration into our national and retailer websites, providing a full end-to-end customer experience.
‘The investment in this technology also supports our retail partners by promoting all their current stock to potential customers digitally for the first time.’
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