Critical Moments in the Customer Lifecycle
In the automotive industry, there are several critical moments in the customer lifecycle that are important for maintaining customer loyalty and optimizing the customer experience. Volkswagen Group, as a leading car manufacturer, has identified key areas where they need to communicate effectively with their customers.
Background
For the past nine years, Nils Simonsson has been the marketing manager for the Volkswagen Group’s service market. One of his main focus areas is ensuring that Volkswagen customers remain loyal, for example, by using their authorized workshops for service and repairs. With extensive experience in the automotive industry, Nils continuously works on developing customer communication to create added value for both the company and its customers.
“It is the combination of several channels that makes our communication successful. By using this strategy, we can ensure that customers receive relevant information and have the opportunity to act in a way that suits them best.”
Marketing Manager After Sales
Challenge
Volkswagen Group wanted to develop its communication strategy to challenge traditional channels like postal mailings. A key aspect of the strategy is to reach more customers and incorporate channels that, through a multichannel approach, allow Volkswagen Group to engage customers in their preferred communication channel.
One critical moment that Volkswagen Group wanted to improve was communication around service bookings to prevent losing customers to other service providers and improve the overall customer experience for handling bookings.
When Volkswagen Group started collaborating with Wiraya in 2016, their customer communication was analog and based on postal mailings. They had no digital communication in place and lacked processes to collect and update customers’ digital contact information. This resulted in communication campaigns not reaching their full potential and increased the risk of losing customers to other service providers.
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Solution
Wiraya introduced a communication strategy where pre-recorded interactive phone calls and SMS messages complemented Volkswagen Group’s existing channels. At the same time, Volkswagen Group also implemented a marketing automation system and began actively using email as a channel.
Through two new communication initiatives, Volkswagen was able to reach more customers in a more personal and relevant way. Pre-recorded interactive phone calls were used, among other channels, to encourage customers to book service appointments and update their contact information. Wiraya’s solution worked seamlessly with Volkswagen’s existing marketing automation, allowing them to efficiently manage the overall communication.
Nils Simonsson emphasizes that success doesn’t come from relying on a single channel but from combining several channels. Email, pre-recorded phone calls, SMS, and postal mailings form a powerful combination where each customer can be reached in their preferred channel.
In this way, Volkswagen has been able to tailor their communication according to customer preferences and meet them where they are most receptive.
“On one hand, we recognize that phone calls can be a sensitive channel—you don’t want to disrupt customers unnecessarily. On the other hand, with the overwhelming number of emails people receive today, important information often gets lost in the noise. When a call is relevant and timely, it becomes a highly valued channel for its convenience and service. Our data shows that customers appreciate the option to easily connect and schedule a service appointment for their car. Wiraya enables us to offer this service without being intrusive—it’s all on the customer’s terms.”
Marketing Manager After Sales
Results
The collaboration with Wiraya has led to improvements in Volkswagen Group’s customer communication and service bookings. Thanks to the multichannel strategy that has been implemented, with the right balance between different channels, Volkswagen Group has been able to reach more customers and increase overall engagement. By using pre-recorded interactive phone calls, customers can easily connect and book their service with a single key choice during the call, which has proven to be both relevant and appreciated by customers.
With Wiraya’s solution, Volkswagen has been able to improve their results and strengthen customer loyalty while offering a better and smoother customer experience throughout the entire customer lifecycle.
