RAPID RTC—a Keyloop company, the automotive industry leader in digital communications and lead management—announced a new strategic partnership that will enhance the online car shopping experience for Canadian consumers.
The company has partnered with Canada’s largest and most trusted automotive marketplace, AutoTrader.ca, to introduce RAPID RTC’s digital communication products to its platform. RAPID RTC’s digital communication products are recognized as industry leading, used by over 1,100 dealers across Canada.
Starting in March of 2022, select RAPID RTC dealership clients can enable digital communication options for car buyers on the AutoTrader.ca Marketplace. RAPID RTC Chat, Text and Live Dealer solutions will connect car buyers with salespeople at dealerships across Canada, by initiating conversations, live and in real-time, directly from inventory listings on the AutoTrader.ca marketplace.
Enhanced and personalized online car buying experience
By partnering with AutoTrader.ca, RAPID RTC aims to help dealers deliver an enhanced and personalized online car buying experience, while also increasing lead volumes, reducing wait time for customers, and ensuring leads are captured and handled immediately as they come in. In fact, data from RAPID RTC shows that sales conversions are up to 46% higher when online customers can connect directly with a salesperson, and customers are three times more likely to respond to a dealer when the initial interaction is via text, compared to an email.
Connecting online shoppers with salespeople using these digital communications tools means car buyers can experience in-dealership interactions and gain consultative advice, without having to leave their homes. The integration enables customers to retain control at every step, giving them the confidence to choose the communication method they prefer, (chat, text, voice, or video), to connect with a vehicle expert.
Once connected in real-time, salespeople can use any device to guide customers through the sales process. This includes bringing the physical showroom to life with live vehicle walkarounds, trade-in appraisals using video, or screensharing to walk through any part of the digital retailing process from inventory listings, build and price, credit applications, and more.
Jill Hadfield, Chief Product Officer at AutoTrader.ca commented: “At AutoTrader.ca, our goal is to support car shoppers as they search for and buy vehicles on Canada’s largest and most trusted automotive marketplace, AutoTrader.ca. A crucial pillar in delivering that support is to provide car buyers with communication tools directly from inventory listings on AutoTrader.ca. We know that by connecting AutoTrader.ca users directly to our dealer partners, we are providing a seamless and convenient digital shopping experience today’s consumers expect, while aiding automotive retailers to engage in more meaningful conversations and convert more leads. To reach this goal, we want to make things easy for our dealer partners by integrating with best-in-class tools that are already being used in dealerships.”
Digital tools are important today
Todd Robinson, Vice-President, Sales at RAPID RTC, a Keyloop company follows:
“Our own data from Keyloop’s consumer research shows just how important digital tools are to today’s car shoppers, with 89% likely to use personalized digital engagement tools to interact with salespeople when shortlisting or selecting a preferred vehicle. This agreement with AutoTrader.ca extends RAPID RTC’s reach to Canada’s largest audience of prospective car buyers, enabling them to use our tools to seamlessly connect to our network of dealers using the communication method they prefer. At the same time, we’re helping dealers bring the physical showroom to life for online shoppers, build and sustain more meaningful customer relationships, and ultimately, sell more cars. We cannot wait to get started.”
