How does Lincoln sell cars in China? Sun Dongning: Improving 4S store experience is the first step

[Autohome News] On August 18, the "818 China New Automobile Consumption Forum" hosted by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers and hosted by Autohome was grandly held at the Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center in Hunan. Sun Dongning, Vice President of Network Development and Training of Lincoln China, gave a speech. She said: The three important pillars that support the realization of "Lincoln Way" in China are facilities and environment, team and personnel, and experience process. The following is a transcript of the speech:

"Sun Dongning, Vice President of Network Development and Training of Lincoln China" In the choice of luxury brands, whether it is the S generation or the W generation, the store experience plays an important role in people's car purchasing decisions. effect. When the Lincoln brand entered China in 2014, it carefully built its facilities and environment based on feedback from Chinese consumers and research on luxury goods. Lincoln's facilities in China are completely different from those in the United States, and are based on the needs and preferences of Chinese consumers. Custom made. The Lincoln China dealer facilities were designed by a world-renowned design company with extensive experience in Apple retail store and high-end hotel design. Under this design concept, the Lincoln brand built a model store of more than 1,000 square meters. We also invited customers and investors to conduct reviews to continuously test Lincoln's customer-oriented design concept. How was the "Lincoln Way" implemented in China? There are three important pillars: facilities and environment, team and people, and experience process. First, let me introduce to you the facilities and environmental features of the Lincoln brand. Lincoln puts customers first and pays attention to the creation of on-site atmosphere and details. Our carefully prepared environment brings customers an unprecedented sense of intimacy and trust in a luxury brand, making customers feel more comfortable. For example, when customers first enter the exhibition hall, they can see our water curtain wall, which represents the concept of traditional Chinese "Feng Shui theory", water is good luck and wealth; the brown marble stone curtain wall echoes the main tone of Lincoln design; at the same time, the gurgling water can also Let the guests calm down. Next, customers will see the shareholders and Lincoln car history and culture wall, which is used to display the history of the Lincoln brand. We are not building a 4S store, but hope that customers will feel like entering the Lincoln Museum when they enter the showroom. The tea break area is the first space for us to get closer to customers. All of you here are industry experts. When you enter a 4S store, you most often feel the sales staff pulling you to look at the car. We take customers to the tea break area first. In this way We can fully understand our customers' needs in a relaxed and comfortable environment. In our car viewing area, the vehicles are displayed elevated, which is a bit like art in a museum. Some dealers said that there is a high platform here, which is not noticed by customers, because other showrooms are not like this. . But being a Lincoln, I want our cars to be displayed like pieces of art in a museum. Then when the customer takes a seat in the negotiation room, he can see the side profile of the car by looking straight up, thereby getting the best angle view of the vehicle, and the semi-open space design can create a quiet atmosphere. In 2014, Lincoln was the first brand in China to introduce personalized customization equipment. It has 9 LED screens with a 1:1 ratio. Users can see their future configured models through self-configuration and share them with their families. and friends. Our customer rest area has a classic American design, which contains a lot of content. For example, there is a reading area that displays the top 30 books from the dealer Amazon. Lincoln also has a quiet leisure area. This concept comes from Emirates Airlines' first-class cabin. Here, guests use high-fidelity headphones, disposable slippers, clothes hangers, etc. to create a first-class atmosphere. Another important element of Lincoln is the team and people. We treat our customers as family and friends, constantly observe their personalities, and value each customer's journey in the store. Here I would like to introduce to you some very distinctive positions.

"Adventurer? 2.0T? Two-wheel drive exclusive edition" The first position is the front office consultant. From the customer's first visit to the store to becoming a Lincoln car owner, the team has always provided customers with exclusive sales Serve. From the moment the customer arrives, the person who listens to the customer's needs and introduces the brand's history to the customer will also introduce the chief designer to the customer.

The second one is the Lincoln hospitality specialist. There is a single transparent wall in the Lincoln dealer store in the coffee break area. The hospitality specialist can hand out coffee and drinks in a timely manner to meet the needs of customers. It may be difficult to spot his presence, but he knows all the details and makes the customer's experience go smoothly. The third is the chief consultant, that is, the salesperson. He is Lincoln's exclusive service representative, the customer's chief contact person, and the customer's exclusive butler. He is the person who best understands the customer's needs and personality in terms of positioning, and provides customers with considerate and convenient services. , maintain long-term relationships with customers. The fourth is the Appreciation Engineer. He is the most trusted expert in purchasing Lincoln. He is proficient in all aspects of cars and can provide special recommendations on car selection and purchase based on the needs of customers. The fifth is a Lincoln service engineer. He is a person who can understand customers and their cars better. He will welcome customers for every maintenance and repair visit, carefully explain the after-sales process and specific details, and become the customer's lifelong friend. The third important link in the Lincoln Way is the experience process. The Lincoln brand has always been committed to providing customers with a tailor-made and personalized experience. The processes highlighted here include: welcome reception, Lincoln display, car purchase negotiation, new car delivery and ongoing services. Before we talk about process, we have an innovative retail experience that we are very proud of, which is the Lincoln Moment. What is a Lincoln Moment? That is to say, customers will have new feelings every time they come into contact with employees and stores, and it is these positive or negative feelings that constitute the entire customer's experience with Lincoln. We call these evaluations or experiences "Lincoln moments." In these key links, including key elements of service and Lincoln moments, we hope to continue to bring customers a pleasant service experience. In terms of process, the first is the welcome reception. The welcome security guards help the customers park their cars. The front office consultant will open the door and warmly welcome the customers. They will also explain the brand culture to the customers so that they can understand the history of Lincoln, and then guide the customers to the coffee break. area and provides exclusive tea service. Next, the chief consultant relaxes and communicates with the customer in the quiet tea area, focusing on listening to the customer's needs for the car. The product introduction in this process is many-to-one, with multiple people providing services to one customer. In the second stage, the chief consultant and appreciation engineer will provide customers with professional explanations on performance, configuration, etc., and guide customers to provide personalized car booking services before taking the car for a test drive. Hospitality packages are equipped in the car according to the preferences of each customer who wants to test drive. Lincoln continues to implement high standards of customer experience, and adheres to the principles of professionalism, transparency, sincerity, and no pressure on customers during the negotiation process, so as to bring a comfortable negotiation atmosphere to customers. In addition, each customer who orders a car is provided with a car ordering gift, and the gifts are also customized according to the customer's preferences. The car delivery stage is the beginning of the subsequent customer experience. The service that customers feel at this stage is even more luxurious than before. The purpose is to make customers further feel that choosing the Lincoln brand is the right choice. Lincoln tailors the layout of the exclusive delivery area for each customer, which is completely in line with the customer's habits and inner expectations. All the feelings that catch the eye make the customer's expectations for the new car more intense. Lincoln provides customers with an exclusive car delivery ceremony, with a professional and considerate vehicle usage explanation by an appreciation engineer. Finally, the general manager sincerely bids farewell to the customer's dedicated team and looks forward to meeting next time. After-sales service features include appointment customer welcome, VIP-style reception experience in the guest lounge area, electronic platform-transparent workshop and daily maintenance knowledge display, after-sales vehicle delivery ceremony, demonstrating Lincoln's customer experience culture. In terms of after-sales, Lincoln has created a brand campaign called "Welcome Home", and we make the Lincoln showroom a second home for customers. The feedback given by every customer who has experienced "Welcome Home" is not only satisfaction, but also surprises that exceed expectations. The affirmation of the brand also connects the deep trust between customers and the brand, and allows our customers to recommend and repurchase.

Since the launch of "Welcome Home" in 2016, Lincoln has held nearly 3,000 "Welcome Home" events across the country, which means that 3,000 customers have returned to the showroom and witnessed the "Lincoln Moment", and every event They are all different. There are elegant music concerts, calligraphy, celebrity car owner interviews, marriage proposals, etc. that are customized according to the customer's hobbies and preferences. We believe that every car owner has found something from "Welcome Home" that he is willing to share with his relatives and friends. At the same time, the sharing of these experiences is a recognition and pride for Lincoln, and it is also the greatest recognition of the Lincoln brand by car owners. Finally, I want to say that Lincoln has set off elegantly and confidently in China. I hope it can gain a firm foothold and re-explore the meaning of driving a luxury brand car in China. Lincoln has always been pure and consistent, hoping to provide customers with an experience like Lincoln's. Change China's luxury car retail market and go further. (Compiled/Autohome?Song Aiju)