New Mobile Sales App Maestro Enhances Digital Retailing Experience for Customers by Taking Car Buying Experience Fully Digital

Maestro reduces time to buy and streamlines purchase process

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Mar 21, 2018, 01:20 ET

DEARBORN, Mich., March 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Responding to a new generation of automotive buyers who expect to transact quickly with easy-to-use digital tools, FordDirect is unveiling Maestro, a new mobile sales app for Ford and Lincoln dealers that provides a seamless "greet to deliver" sales experience, whether the customer starts the shopping process online or in the dealership.

FordDirect, focused on helping dealers create smarter interactions and connected experiences for their customers, developed Maestro to create an improved consumer buying experience with the goal to reduce vehicle shopping to delivery time to under 90 minutes.

"Maestro enables dealers to conduct their sales process in a collaborative, transparent manner through a single mobile device, streamlining the shopping experience and increasing customer satisfaction," says Mike Jurecki, CEO, FordDirect.

Maestro is an iPad-based sales app that allows a single salesperson to handle the entire transaction from vehicle selection, trade-in valuation, credit app/financing and final contracting with minimal to no customer handoff. Engaging with the customer using a shared device creates transparency, a stronger relationship, saves time for the customer and provides the type of sales experience a customer expects and gets in other retail experiences.

Maestro also connects the online to in-store experience without missing a beat. Since the average internet shopper spends 13 hours conducting automotive research online (with 36 percent of this research on mobile devices), according to the J.D. Power 2017 U.S. New Autoshopper Study, consumers don't want to start the process over when they arrive at the dealership. With Maestro, the salesperson can pick up the customer's experience precisely where they left off; reducing customer time spent completing the sales process.

Maestro works hand-in-hand with Ford's Ready.Shop.Go. online shopping platform. Consumers can begin the shopping experience in the convenience of their home, and the Maestro in-store app allows the local dealer to complete the transaction quickly and efficiently at the dealership. Unlike other mobile sales apps for dealers, Maestro is a fully integrated digital retail experience that leverages dealer data, Ford and Lincoln vehicle and incentive data, and a customer's online customer shopping preferences.

Dealers benefit from increased flexibility, efficiency and productivity since Maestro is highly integrated and has modular, permissions-based functionality customizable to dealer processes.

Maestro is a comprehensive fully interactive tool that helps dealers gets customers into the vehicles they want more quickly and does the following:

Connects online to on-lot shopping, capturing vehicle of interest and vital information that creates data continuity between an online and in-person experience.
Integrates with CRM tools and allows for appointment/customer look-up/visibility of customer shopping actions.
Accesses and integrates VIN-specific data, photos, pricing and incentives, purchase/lease quoting, trade-in valuation and the credit application.
Increases productivity of the sales team through shared customer sessions and a chat feature.
Provides inventory lookup of all new, used and certified pre-owned inventory on the lot, in transit and through extended inventory trade partners.
Obtains trade-in valuation via Kelley Blue Book®, National Auto Dealer Association or Blackbook.
Provides side-by-side financing/payment quotes by payment or budget and pricing comparison.
Incorporates integrated online credit app with e-contract and e-signature through FordDirect's partnership with RouteOne.

About FordDirect
FordDirect connects the worlds of data, analytics and technology to provide best-in-class digital marketing and advertising solutions exclusively for Ford and Lincoln dealers. FordDirect is a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and its franchised dealers with a mission of helping Ford and Lincoln dealers sell more cars and trucks.

SOURCE FordDirect