Volkswagen dealers across the UK are providing a considerable and timely boost to customer safety and convenience, with the introduction of self-check-in at airport-style digital kiosks. These allow contact-free and efficient arrivals at participating sites, for further convenience to customers – who can also check-in online prior to arriving on location and added safety during the Covid-19 situation.
The kiosks were piloted successfully in 2020 across eight Volkswagen dealers and provided by reception software company Tjekvik. They incorporate numerous functions useful to both the customer and the retailer, including self-check-in and check-out, a locked key drop, and home check-in via SMS, direct to the customer’s mobile phone. Digital payment via SMS links is also a popular solution.
A successful pilot scheme during 2020 saw eight Volkswagen sites use the system across a 16-week UK trial. Currently, a total of 12 Volkswagen UK dealers operate the digital check-in kiosks, with more on their way in the coming weeks and up to 50 sites anticipated to be using the technology by the end of 2021. One dealer in particular has embraced the technology wholeheartedly, with 81% of its customers checking in digitally and 55% checking-out digitally.
Across the network with the systems in place, around a third of customers check-in from home via text message, 47% check in using the digital check-in kiosk, and a weekly average of 41 additional service plan enquiries are fielded, helping the continuing provision of Volkswagen customer service. These results are expected to further improve as more customers experience the benefits of the kiosks.
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Feedback from Volkswagen dealers has been overwhelmingly positive too, with colleagues able to direct even more time and attention to customer care, thereby further improving the customer experience. For customers, a considerable boost in convenience comes from the swift, contact-free features of the check-in kiosks such as the facility to remind customers of sundries such as wiper blades, air-con services, replacement carpet mats or fluid top-ups that may be forgotten between dealer visits.
Andrew Savvas, Director at Volkswagen UK, said: “An airport is arguably one of the most efficiency- and logistics-focussed locations that people visit, and digital check-in kiosks contribute to that considerably. Implementing a similar system in our retailers allows some of the organisational work to be dealt with digitally and frees up more time for both our customers and our talented retailer staff, enabling them to even better deliver the stellar customer service they’re renowned for. The system also allows quick drop-offs for example if someone needed to drop their keys off at the retailer on their way to work.
“Add to this the elements of Covid-safety and security, and you’ve got a surprisingly simple yet compelling addition to the traditional car retailer that benefits both the customer and the staff immensely and fits with the brand’s digital connectivity ethos wholeheartedly.”
