Our client asked us to reimagine the future of the dealership experience to create a highly personalized, customer-focused experience. Buying a car is a highly personal experience that also relies on the service and expertise of the dealer and their staff. Our strategy centered on giving customers intuitive, natural control over their shopping experience by way of a suite of interactive touchpoints connected by an NFC network and emerging, sensor-driven technologies. I sought to connect our customers’ desire to customize their purchase choices with highly personalized customer service from the dealership staff. The result was a deeply empowering and innovative approach to shopping.

The 7,000 square foot environment featured eight interactive touchpoints that enabled consumers to explore the dealer inventory, customize their car, and discover the breadth of automotive technology that distinguishes each vehicle.

The cornerstone of the experience was a bespoke RFID network that powered each exhibit with individualized content and functionality. Customers entered the dealership and either “checked in” via a mobile app or picked up a physical fob to carry with them as they shopped. At each touchpoint, the app or the fob saved all the customer’s shopping choices to a personalized report that was delivered via email at the end of the visit.

As customers moved throughout the dealership, the RFID network delivered live analytics and shopping data to the dealership staff who used that information to provide tailor-made support: greeting the customer by name, referring to exact car they were shopping for, and even calling up the right model car for a test drive so that it was ready and waiting without the shopper needing to ask for help.