By most accounts, visiting a car dealership is rarely an overly pleasant customer experience. But Volvo Car UK is aspiring to change this through an innovative makeover initiative. Set on the heals of the release of the new XC90, Volvo is launching two new programs, Volvo Personal Service (VPS) and Volvo Retail Experience (VRE), which purport to enhance customer engagement by increasing the transparency and trust between dealer, technicians, and consumers.
Volvo’s VPS promises to significantly improve customer experiences by increasing both efficiency and the level of personalized services offered. In an effort to respect the time of busy people, Volvo will provide a dedicated and personal service technician to those who need auto repairs. Titled PSTs, these Volvo employees will become the main concierge through which a customer will maintain contact with the dealership. This will add levels of trust as owners build personal relationships with the people directly responsible for their car.
To add more speed to the repair and maintenance process, VPS will also start repairing cars in groups, and not one at a time. In theory, this should effectively double the number of cars technicians and mechanics can repair in the same amount of time.
“Delivering the Personal Service programme isn’t simply the implementation of another ‘initiative’, it’s about delivering a complete, and uniquely Volvo, aftersales customer experience,” said David Baddeley, VCUK Customer Service Director. “Keeping pace with new car technology, engineering and design, while integrating operations and aligning departments, developed a need for a change in how things are done and Volvo has tackled this head on with VPS.”
Another aspect of Volvo’s retailing renovation is VRE, which will change the look and feel of dealerships to echo designs inspired by Scandinavian architecture. Promising a “cool on the outside and warm on the inside” feel, VRE will feature expansive interiors that will actually give customers a glimpse behind the scenes. Through the integration of open, transparent, and holistic spaces, showrooms will let customers view all the action happening in the shop as cars are repaired.
“VRE has been designed to tackle the challenge of bridging the gap between an ever-improving market sector and the current Volvo dealership customer experience,” said Phil Hand, Head of Network Development for Volvo Car UK. “Workshops are integral to the customer experience, so being able to see in and out of the ‘window’ between the dealership spaces becomes a symbol of trust between Volvo and our customers.”
This new environment also promises to offer a relaxing and inviting atmosphere.
“We have already witnessed a change in customer attitudes when they visit the dealership by being able to relax more in our comfortable ‘living room’ area whilst they can see their vehicle in the workshop,” said Hand.