The process of buying a car has undergone a radical transformation as automakers have embraced online sales, while startups have challenged the traditional dealership model.
Further changes are expected and Salesforce is looking to lead the way with artificial intelligence. AI has been in the news a lot lately and it promises to change virtually every aspect of our lives.
This includes buying a car as the technology giant’s Automotive Cloud will soon leverage “Einstein GPT and conversational AI to help automotive companies engage customers in hyper-personalized ways, and do things like recommend best next-steps and new products and services based on a customer’s unique needs.” In particular, when Einstein GPT was announced earlier this month, the company noted a sales version could help with composing emails, scheduling meetings, and preparing for the next customer interaction.
More: GM May Introduce ChatGPT AI Assistant Into Its Vehicles
While that’s a ways off, Conversica already offers a “pre-built generative AI integration” on Saleforce’s AppExchange marketplace. It’s a digital assistant that can have “authentic conversations” with customers and eventually turn them into buyers.
There are a number of different ways to integrate AI and one scenario could see automakers or dealers using a digital assistant to engage with customers and learn more about their needs. The assistant could then suggest vehicles that would be a good fit for them, before directing them to buy the vehicle online or get in touch with a salesperson.
That’s just one possibility, but Salesforce noted 99% of customers are dissatisfied with the traditional car buying experience. They’re not the only ones as “less than one in five auto companies believe their digital storefronts are engaging, mobile-friendly, and provide accurate inventory data.”
Salesforce aims to help with the latter thanks to Automotive Cloud Intelligence. It promises to use Einstein AI and CRM Analytics to provide “real-time intelligence and actionable insights across the auto ecosystem – like vehicle inventory and dealer performance – to make faster, more informed decisions and improve profitability with features like parts forecasting, lead scoring and inventory analysis.” Dealers can also look forward to a Scheduler for Automotive, which promises to streamline setting up service appointments and test drives.
