Innovations
Innovations
Visiting the virtual showroom
Israeli start-up Matter Software has developed a unique online platform for ŠKODA car dealers
↑ The showroom of the Customer Centre in Mladá Boleslav already has a virtual appearance.
ast June, the team of Israeli developers won the COVID Mobility Race hackathon organised by ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab with their concept of a new online platform for the carmaker’s customers. Next, they prepared to introduce technology connecting the real world with the virtual environment in the pilot project phase. It will be possible to try this solution at www.skoda‑auto.cz in the coming days.
At a time when the measures against the spread of COVID-19 are significantly limiting car sales, virtual showrooms will let customers visit the dealerships and view the cars on offer 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without any restrictions. If they wish, clients can leave their contact details. Then they will be approached with the possibility of inspecting a specific car model. The customer can view the cars from all available angles, including the interior and the luggage compartment. They can also utilise a number of interactive features, including videos and audio recordings. In this way, the virtual showroom brings added value to authorised dealers even when the anti-coronavirus measures are no longer implemented, as they can put all sales information and digital tools in one place. This approach will help them to reach a younger generation of customers.
The system has a modular character, and the individual dealerships or importers, who will create their common platform for the local dealers on the market, can choose the scope of digital features according to their needs. The online car configurator or a test drive reservation, for example, can be integrated into the virtual showroom as well. The ŠKODA brand’s Israeli importer, Champion Motors, has already successfully launched the pilot project.
“The great benefit of the virtual showroom is that the ŠKODA dealers can stay in touch with their customers even during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, we’re broadening our horizons regarding our digital car sales, which will become more and more important in the future”, says Dana Plath, head of the VB – Business Development department.
“The unique thing about this project is that it is a platform as a service, where on one platform the customer gets access to all relevant information that they previously had to search for on various digital channels. The main benefit will be the data on customer behaviour and preferences that we obtain thanks to this platform. Data analytics and the subsequent prediction of customer behaviour in the digital environment are the biggest benefit of this technology from Israel”, says Jarmila Plachá, head of ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab. ED