By Gerrit Timmerman, Principal, Curtis Miner Architecture
Everyone can see the trends in the automotive industry by watching a car commercial. Gone are the days where buyers are excited about power windows and locks. Today, new buyers are motivated to buy a car with Bluetooth sound systems and lane assist technology. But what are some of the trends in Utah’s automotive dealership design?
1. Maximize Customer Touch Points
One big design trend is to use space around the dealership to make the customer experience as pleasant and comfortable as possible. With “customer touch points,” service technicians and salesmen have multiple settings in which they interface with clients. These types of showrooms are focused on keeping the customer happy. The showrooms are designed to create a positive experience for the customer so they keep coming back. From the comfortable sofa where they can watch their favorite movie while snacking on popcorn to the well-lit and well-appointed showroom, these spaces are designed specifically to feel warm and inviting. Customer touch points build customer loyalty: making the dealership so appealing that it’s the obvious choice for a service appointment and for the next car purchase.
2. Happy Mechanics
The showroom needs to be state of the art for the big-ticket items, but dealerships can also be very profitable with vehicle services. Valuing the service staff with clean locker rooms, bright restrooms, and a beautiful, well-equipped and comfortable automotive shop is a great way to keep morale high and maximize employee retention. For example, high speed doors were specified at Ken Garff Chevrolet to help maintain a more consistent temperature; the technicians appreciate the cool air in the summer and heat in the winter. More emphasis on the shop is great business for mechanics, and by extension, for dealerships.
3. EV Chargers
Dealers are taking note of market trends as hybrids and electric cars become mainstays on today’s roads. Electronic volt (EV) chargers are appearing at many dealerships. Dealerships charge electric cars during routine service, a “free” benefit for their client. How does a dealer keep a customer for life? If they have an EV charger at the dealership, a customer who is out and about may swing by for a charge because that is where they bought the car. It helps engender customer loyalty. Some dealers are very progressive, doubling the amount of chargers they currently need to anticipate future demand.
3. Energy Efficience
As energy costs go up, dealers are looking for ways to reduce their overhead. Solar panels on dealership roofs are becoming more common. Most dealerships are seeing large, upfront costs as a no-brainer when the long-term savings is so great. LED retrofits help dealers sell more cars, since brighter lights and prominent displays generate better sales.
For more information, contact Gerrit Timmerman, principal at Curtis Miner Architecture (CMA), (801) 769-3000 or gerritt@cmautah.com.
CMA is a Utah full-service commercial architecture firm. Our automotive team specializes in new dealerships, car wash facilities, body shops, additions and remodel projects.
This story appears in the 2019-2020 Issue 3 of the Utah Auto Dealer Magazine.
