While technology has helped move many industries into the 21st century, the process of selling cars is still fairly antiquated. It still involves lots of paperwork, walking from the showroom to the far flung corners of the lot and back to check inventory and the like, and all sorts of other duties that could very easily streamlined with modern electronics. The American arm of Mercedes-Benz appears to have realized this, and is now rolling out a program called MB Advantage.
Put simply, MB Advantage, which will be tested at 40 dealers initially, will put Apple iPads loaded with a special app in the hands of Mercedes-Benz sales associates. The app will allow them to check the latest lease and finance offers, as well as streamline the processes of credit applications and returning leased vehicles. Customers can already make lease and loan payments to Mercedes-Benz Finanical via their mobile phones, and have done so to the tune of more than $5 million so far.
What does this mean for customers? Hopefully fewer forms to fill out and less time spent in the financing office, which translates to less time spent at the dealership. What does it mean for the salespeople? Less trudging from the office to the lot and back, not having to leave the customer alone while doing the aforementioned trudging, and having more time to spend with other customers. Sounds like so much of a win-win that it probably won’t be long before other companies – even those outside the car biz – start aping it en masse.
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