Why Is It So Hard for Us to Make the Most of New Technologies?

It is clear that we are experiencing a great revolution, the technological revolution that is changing our daily lives, and this revolution is here to stay. It is also clear that the speed at which it is happening is too fast even for those of us who are passionate about the world of new technologies.

Right now, it is not unusual to see a mid-range vehicle with up to 40 or 50 gadgets that were not even in the minds of the creators of “Back to the Future”. There are very powerful assistants that provide great safety or comfort, but there are also much more superfluous ones (the Fish Game from MINI comes to mind), but we accept them or even pay for them to show them off to our neighbours and in-laws, to see who has bought one with more “gadgets”.

It is undeniable that a system that warns you of a blind spot, speed controls or navigation are very useful tools and result in more efficient, comfortable and safe use of the vehicle. Therefore, we agree that most advances produce greater efficiency, comfort and safety.

Why is the same not true when it comes to organising our work?

Those of us who work on implementing new technologies in the business environment have been asking ourselves this question for a long time now.

Distribution must adapt to this new paradigm. For profitability and for service. The margins offered by the sale of a new vehicle are not even enough to pay for the pens and printed papers of the order, and that is why we need to find new ways of working to make our activity profitable. And to this we must add that customers are increasingly demanding, requiring the entire purchase process to be perfect.

There is no choice but to invest in new technologies, but then why don't we do it?

There are 2 major handicaps that prevent new tools from being implemented:

Investment or expense. Investments in new technologies often scare us, but no matter how large they are, they are usually much more economical than any of the facilities owned by any dealership in our country. Therefore, this problem can be solved even when the “large” investment has a relatively high return on investment.

All expenses should be considered as investment, since that cost will be repaid many times over. For example, using a solution that generates digital files in the vehicle registration and delivery process can save up to 30% of the time of the team involved, which is usually at least 5 people. That time saving can be dedicated to providing much better customer service.

Ease of use. In my opinion, this is the real obstacle, since tools need to be simple both in their implementation and in their use, and not create resistance among the people who are going to use them.

The way forward is that of “vertical” solutions designed and created with the business in mind, drawing on all the know-how provided by the customers themselves, who are the ones who really know the problems of their business. In this way, users will see their daily work reflected, allowing for a faster and simpler transition.

In conclusion, we must embrace technological change for our own benefit, investing in the right tools without fear of change.

Vicente J. Santonja Ivorra
Head of Innovation and Technology at Dealerbest.