How do I play music from my phone in my car again?
Automakers are discovering that many of their customers aren’t quite making the best of the onboard infotainment systems, and dealership sales teams don’t have the time or know-how to effectively indoctrinate buyers, leaving many customers in the dark about how to operate new in-car technology.
To solve this problem, GMC has hired 25 tech specialists from “leading computer and communications companies” to help teach customers how to operate IntelliLink. GMC is calling the team the “Connected Customer Specialists.”
These young, tech-savvy individuals are stationed throughout the country in familiar geographic regions and sent to customers’ homes to indoctrinate them into the high-tech world of GMC ownership.
One Connected Customer Specialist, Adam Luebbers, said in a GMC press release, “What I like to do is help owners make the most of it [IntelliLink] to meet their needs and interests. For example, if they love Pandora we’ll show them how to move that on-screen icon to a prominent location.”
GM is not alone in beefing up tech-savvy staff to help buyers as in-car tech becomes increasingly complicated.
BMW has started a similar plan with its forthcoming i3 electric car. BMW dealerships will have an Apple Genius-style program to help new buyers figure out how to fully utilize their new car’s electronic assistants and systems.
We really like this idea and hope other brands follow suit. We’ve heard too many horror stories about dealership sales teams blatantly lying about car tech just to make a sale – or to sound like they know what they’re talking about.
We feel a program like GMC’s or BMW’s could not only better inform customers but also help do away with dishonest car deals – well, at least from a tech standpoint.
