As we reported, it’s not easy to find well-motivated 12 volt salesperson these days, and many salespeople see it as a job rather than a career.
And so salespeople may be less motivated to sell all the add-ons and accessories that make up a profitable sale. “Everyone is feeling the same challenge, [finding] a way of communicating to the customer all the options available to them in an efficient and effective way,” said Jody Culbertson of 5Axis, a 12 volt demo display company.
To that end, 5Axis is offering a digital video assistant with touchscreens that can walk a customer (or salesperson along with the customer) through the selling process of various 12 volt categories. 5 Axis offers a system with a 43-inch touch screen and a new 32-inch version that is more economical for the retailer, starting at $2,000.
Popular categories for the digital merchandisers are remote start, window tint and paint protection, as these are categories that the dealer may not be set up to fully demonstrate. They offer instant touch response with screens for category, brand, models/features, feature explanations and price.
The digital merchandiser can help a retailer who is just getting into a new category as a way to test the interest of customers, again without fully setting up a display. It can also help upsell customers.
The merchandiser is easier to update than displays with graphics. If a supplier changes models or pricing, the retailer can call it in to 5Axis and the changes can be uploaded within a week, said Culbertson. Changes in graphics on a display must be sent to a printer and can take two to three weeks to update.
Currently, a dozen shops are working with the system in a soft launch. Culbertson claims, “The stores are seeing a drastic change in the sales process. They are noticing higher margins and a higher close rate on the products they are selling.”
You can see a one-minute demo of the 5 Axis system here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=513942211264927
I believe that is a good way to “educate” the customer and plant seeds while sales people are busy with others. I would not replace them with a screen, nothing equates to bonding and interaction between client’s and sales people when properly exucuted. This looks like the whole Mcdonald’s drop the counter clerks thing. It might have worked for burgers and fries somewhat but I do not see it helping our industry unless it is done in addition to your sales people..
This industry is gliding in the wrong direction……sad.