Over the past few years, we have seen huge changes in the way that people buy cars, and as a result of this, some change in the way we sell cars. It’s a digital age. Most consumers are online and make full use of the information available to them.
Research has shown us that in all aspects of retail, the buyer is investing in a lot of online research before any purchase. This is particularly true for the car industry and we find that our customers have a deep knowledge of a car prior to any test drive. It makes our job much simpler and all the more interesting as we debate the best aspects of one car over another. It has also changed our physical way of selling. The traditional tyre-kicking client is a thing of the past. We need a digital dealership, an online forecourt complete with full car specs, 360 degree imagery and every vital piece of information available to inform the buyer. The trend is to research online and then to buy. This cannot be done, if you are not online.
A good website has never been more vital than during this ongoing Covid-19 pandemic which restricts people’s movements and affords them more time to browse at home. At Peter Hanley Motors, we have been investing in our online presence for that past number of years.
The Celtic Tiger years saw huge pressure on Irish Car dealers from Irish Franchise dealerships to build large showrooms at massive expense. The goal posts have changed since then and the trend to search online means that investment in your website and its capabilities make sound business sense. At Peter Hanley Motors, in conjunction with friends at DmacMedia Ltd and Image Console, we have spent considerable time and effort on the website to ensure that firstly, the cars are presented in the best possible way. This means using professional HD imagery which we consider to be an integral part of the Peter Hanley Motor dealer branding. A potential buyer wants a detailed overview of a car, access to an online, and downloadable, Motor Check car history report and great imagery of the interior and exterior of the car. We have the unique and extremely popular 360 degree spin of the motor, both inside and out, which allows an online shopper to get a full ‘feel’ of the car in question. A YouTube video presentation of our cars give even further insight and we can send a ‘customer video’ by email or sms, detailing any specific aspect of the car of interest. There is an online chat facility if anyone has questions. All of this does not replace the personal face to face (or the Covid -19 phone or video call) but it allows the buyer to be fully informed before they take the next step to owning the car of their dreams.
Financing your car online is an easy process. The Finance calculator on our website allows for budgeting at home and finding the car for your budget. At Peter Hanley Motors, you can apply for finance through our website and have an emailed decision within one hour. The ‘Docu sign technology’ has always been convenient as it allows for efficient processing of the financing through the smartphone, laptop or desktop. What we set up as a convenience has now become a godsend as this system avoids trips to the bank, appointments and queuing, which have all become fraught with difficulties during the pandemic lockdown. And so, we are also delighted that we have the capability for reserving a car, paying a deposit or placing a full payment through our 100% secure Stripe Payment online facility. Many of our clients are familiar with booking car services online and paying invoices through the website and can attest to the comfort, simplicity and the security.
When all is said and done, we at Peter Hanley Motors are a family business. For us, there is no substitute to the face to face interaction. Our investment in the online showroom was always seen as a way of presenting the forecourt in an accessible and easy way for our customers, but a precursor to that important conversation that matches a buyer and a car in a happy marriage of pleasant motoring. That has not changed. The world has changed temporarily and with that, we are very grateful for having a stylish, functional and easy to use online showroom. Our online showroom is open 24/7. We are here to deal with all breakdowns and enquiries, just pick up the phone or send a message. Take the time to browse our selection of cars and perhaps plan your next purchase from the comfort of your own home, in the comfort of our online showroom.
Wishing all our customers and friends all the best and good health in this difficult time. We look forward to seeing you all again soon.
David Hanley
Peter Hanley Motors is a registered
member of The Society of the Irish
Motor Industry
