Just found this thread on the blog side of DealerRefresh. It's buried over there so wanted to bring it back from the dead over here. Great insight and opinions but wanted to bring another point of view that seems to be missing.
Mobile Websites or Dealership Mobile Apps - Which Is it? | DealerRefresh
My opinion to the initial question of “Mobile Websites vs. Mobile Apps. Which one for the dealer?†would be “it dependsâ€. If your dealership mobile app is only focused on inventory and scheduling service, the need lessens for a mobile app. You will feel results from the app but it would be minimal compared to your mobile website.
On the flipside, I would say not to compare the two. A solid mobile strategy should incorporate both. Apps are not going to replace a website or mobile website; the goals of each are different. Websites are shopping tools for their main purpose. An effective app has to go much deeper to bring value and hold that “stickiness†factor to create the main goal, a connection between the dealer and the customer.
If you focused strictly on inventory for your app, usage from a customer would be every couple of years; odds are you’re getting deleted from the customer’s Smartphone. Now throw in the ability to schedule service. At this point, the customer might use the app every couple of months or so. I still believe you’re facing an uphill battle. It wouldn’t be as bad as the strictly inventory strategy, but not nearly what it could be. I’m using worst case theories here, I haven’t even mentioned push notifications. What if the app represented more than just your dealership to the customer? What if your app represented auto in general to the customer?
Vehicle information, service history, parking meter attendant, local gas finder and many other different tools to help your customers. These features aren’t geared towards your dealership, but give you the benefit of branding and staying connected. Apps in our industry are in their infancy stages and the industry as a whole is progressing rapidly in auto. Things in development are navigation, owner’s manuals, DMS integration, etc. Imagine DMS integration coupled with push notifications. The things in development are being worked on now and will launch this year inside our industry. Imagine what types of advances are coming in the next couple of years.
Again, mobile apps are in their infancy stages and are evolving, just as the way people research and shop. I did read the article about HTML 5; again it has to do with your intentions. One fact that is trending is people spend more time on apps then mobile websites. Mostly on games and social networking, but apps are proving to be apart of our world. I believe Apple and Google have a fond opinion of apps, so I don’t think they’re going anywhere soon. Saab is releasing a model this year that will have a touch screen that is operating on the Android OS. I possibly see that as a great place for an app and wonder if other OEM's will be doing this
I do work in the automotive app industry and wanted to give another point of view for people just starting to learn about apps. I’m not claiming that apps will revolutionize your dealership to historic proportions right out of the box, just that they at least deserve a glimpse in your mobile strategy, plenty of great companies to choose from. I’ve read some of the same comments from the same people in different places, at the least I wanted to give them a different POV.
Long story short, mobile apps + mobile websites = better answer
Mobile Websites or Dealership Mobile Apps - Which Is it? | DealerRefresh
My opinion to the initial question of “Mobile Websites vs. Mobile Apps. Which one for the dealer?†would be “it dependsâ€. If your dealership mobile app is only focused on inventory and scheduling service, the need lessens for a mobile app. You will feel results from the app but it would be minimal compared to your mobile website.
On the flipside, I would say not to compare the two. A solid mobile strategy should incorporate both. Apps are not going to replace a website or mobile website; the goals of each are different. Websites are shopping tools for their main purpose. An effective app has to go much deeper to bring value and hold that “stickiness†factor to create the main goal, a connection between the dealer and the customer.
If you focused strictly on inventory for your app, usage from a customer would be every couple of years; odds are you’re getting deleted from the customer’s Smartphone. Now throw in the ability to schedule service. At this point, the customer might use the app every couple of months or so. I still believe you’re facing an uphill battle. It wouldn’t be as bad as the strictly inventory strategy, but not nearly what it could be. I’m using worst case theories here, I haven’t even mentioned push notifications. What if the app represented more than just your dealership to the customer? What if your app represented auto in general to the customer?
Vehicle information, service history, parking meter attendant, local gas finder and many other different tools to help your customers. These features aren’t geared towards your dealership, but give you the benefit of branding and staying connected. Apps in our industry are in their infancy stages and the industry as a whole is progressing rapidly in auto. Things in development are navigation, owner’s manuals, DMS integration, etc. Imagine DMS integration coupled with push notifications. The things in development are being worked on now and will launch this year inside our industry. Imagine what types of advances are coming in the next couple of years.
Again, mobile apps are in their infancy stages and are evolving, just as the way people research and shop. I did read the article about HTML 5; again it has to do with your intentions. One fact that is trending is people spend more time on apps then mobile websites. Mostly on games and social networking, but apps are proving to be apart of our world. I believe Apple and Google have a fond opinion of apps, so I don’t think they’re going anywhere soon. Saab is releasing a model this year that will have a touch screen that is operating on the Android OS. I possibly see that as a great place for an app and wonder if other OEM's will be doing this
I do work in the automotive app industry and wanted to give another point of view for people just starting to learn about apps. I’m not claiming that apps will revolutionize your dealership to historic proportions right out of the box, just that they at least deserve a glimpse in your mobile strategy, plenty of great companies to choose from. I’ve read some of the same comments from the same people in different places, at the least I wanted to give them a different POV.
Long story short, mobile apps + mobile websites = better answer
