Are you interested in a car but don’t want to drive to a showroom? No worries—Hyundai Motor America has you covered.
The Fountain Valley-based automaker unveiled “Hyundai Showroom Live” on its website this month. The online showroom allows consumers to video chat in real-time with a product specialist.
The car company said it’s the first automaker in the U.S. to introduce the customer-facing, interactive feature.
Consumers interested in Hyundai models can speak with a product specialist as though they were chatting on the showroom floor.
The live video chat occurs every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon. Each session lasts one hour with a 30 minute break in between sessions and a different Hyundai model will be featured each day.
Visitors submit questions through a chat window on Hyundai’s website and the product specialist will respond to questions while discussing features of the vehicle highlighted during the session.
Hyundai’s agency of record Innocean USA in Huntington Beach worked with video chat provider Whisbi to create the program and manage the on-set production.
Chief Marketing Officer Dean Evans said it’s another example of the automaker’s effort to improve the car buying experience.
“Customers are shopping fewer brands and completing most of their research online, so this tool is an opportunity for them to learn more about our vehicles from the comfort of their home,” he said in a statement. “And when they decide to move forward in the buying process, a simpler and more modern car buying experience will be waiting for them through Shopper Assurance.”
Shopper Assurance is a separate Hyundai program that allows buyers to receive online pricing, schedule test drives, and streamline purchasing—while offering a three-day exchange policy.
Power Booster
Marketing and analytics firm J.D. Power in Costa Mesa is best known for its work in the automotive industry—just listen to nearly every car commercial touting J.D. Power rankings.
The consumer insight company is looking to make the same type of presence online with its J.D. Power Website Certification Program.
The program recognizes companies that “provide exceptional online experiences” and was introduced this month with the announcement of Bank of America Corp. (Nasdaq: BAC) as the first organization to receive the certification.
A quick visit to Bank of America’s website and a banner appears on-screen telling visitors “Certified by J.D. Power for providing ‘An Outstanding Mobile Banking Experience.’”
Qualifying companies must rank among the top performers in J.D. Power North America Website Satisfaction Index, which ranks companies based on overall customer satisfaction of their online experience.
They must then pass an evaluation of more than 500 online experience and operational best practices conducted by J.D. Power and Centric Digital, a New York-based provider of digital intelligence and management solutions. The best practices include navigation design, usability, digital process and governance, as well as user interface design and on-site search.
Bank of America’s Head of Advanced Solutions and Digital Banking David Tyrie said his company has 36 million digital clients.
The certification can be marketed by brands for 12 months across its online and in-store displays. The brand will be promoted on J.D. Power’s website.
Luxury Goods
Goodwill of Orange County is also handing out its own approval rating.
The nonprofit organization said last week it has implemented new software that will authenticate luxury handbags sold on its e-commerce site, shopgoodwill.com.
It’s also used by 125 Goodwill agencies selling luxury items online in the U.S.
The technology is powered by New York-based Entrupy Inc., billed as a company offering the first on-demand authentication solution for handbags. It pulls data points from real and fake goods from brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi, Celine, Hermès, Dior, Saint Laurent, and Goyard.
Goodwill OC employees will use a proprietary scanner and mobile app to verify each luxury good before listing it on the website.
Ryan Smith, senior director of online operations at shopgoodwill.com, said in a statement the organization has benefited from the community’s donation of high-end items and the new technology will help ease shopper skepticism while “maximizing the full value” of the donor’s generosity.
Shopgoodwill.com was one of the first nonprofit auction sites when it started in 1999. It sells a wide range of products from Legos, jewelry to books, with a typical opening bid of $4.99.
Last year, the site was named the second-best auction website after online auctioneer eBay by technology site Lifewire.
Annual sales are more than $550 million on the website.
