Australia’s top 10 car companies are set to introduce a new way to tell customers exactly where their vehicle is – from the production line to the showroom.
As waiting times for new cars in Australia continue to increase from six to 12 months – and in some cases from 18 months to two years – German car giant Volkswagen is set to launch a new online portal to better inform customers.
While big car companies like Toyota and Ford have a few sporadic and vaguely accurate email updates between when a vehicle is ordered and when it’s delivered, Volkswagen Australia plans to provide detailed step-by-step information from the production line to the showroom floor.
Volkswagen Australia management say they remain hopeful of reducing delivery delays and waiting times for new models.
But in the meantime, the company says it is about to launch a new online portal aimed at taking some of the uncertainty and guesswork out of the new car delivery process – and allowing customers to better plan when to sell their old vehicle before the new one arrives.
“Times are different, it’s now the norm to wait for a car rather than buy it almost immediately,” Volkswagen Australia head of passenger cars Michelle Rowney said at a year-end media briefing.
“So we wanted to go further as a brand and do more to keep our customers informed.
“This month we are launching our new customer onboarding experience where customers will receive more meaningful updates on where their car is from the factory to delivery, expanding the number of alerts from five to 11 – and will be available via email and (text message) for the first time .
“By linking the web experience with the mobile interface, customers will be able to see exactly where their car is right now and also begin to learn about all the technology features that they will experience as well.”
Volkswagen says the introduction of the new technology will also include “the first estimated shipment arrival when their car is expected to arrive in Australia”.
The company says the same online portal will eventually be expanded to include a range of information for owners, including vehicle explanations and service bookings.
A detailed new car delivery portal is set to go live as Volkswagen Australia plans to get a boost in vehicle supply from its European factories next year.
“We’re hoping to grow sales by 20 per cent or more next year as the supply chain returns to normal, and we’ll be launching our widest range we’ve ever had,” Ms Rowney said.
Read more about Joshua Dowling
#radical #update #car #delivery #times #Australia