First Ford Signature Dealership Design Showroom Open for Business in Hunan Province
Ford is looking to redesign the dealership experience in China, and it kicked off its initiative at the end of October when Changan Ford opened the first Ford Signature Dealership Design showroom. The Hunan Litian Group flagship store opened in Changsha, Hunan Province, and is focused on bolstering the customer experience with greater interactivity and brighter atmosphere.
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“As a company founded on the idea of ‘people serving people,’ it’s in our DNA to treat customers as family and this includes creating a great and trustworthy environment together with our dealers,” said Elena A. Ford, leader of the Ford’s Global Dealer and Consumer Experience team, who was present at the opening ceremony. “I’m happy to see that the program will benefit our Chinese customers in the near future.”
“It’s a great honor to be chosen as the first site in China, and one of the first in the world, to present the Ford Signature showroom to customers. It shows our close relationship with the Ford brand,” said Qiu Jian, Chairman of Hunan Litian Auto Sales and Service Company.
Ford partnered with Fitch Design to get some idea of how the showroom experience could be improved, discovering that a majority of drivers in China do more than 10 hours of research before ever even coming to a dealership. This led Changan Ford to update the Hunan Litian Group flagship store with digital technology and real-time information on its products.
Other noted highlights of the showroom are a digital Brand Halo and Digital Blue wall, the latter of which scrolls messages relating to Ford, and new staging and lighting aimed at enhancing the customer’s ability to see a vehicle in complete detail. The redesign also includes upgrades to conference rooms, customer lounges, and reception areas in order to provide a more welcoming atmosphere.
Changan Ford expects to implement the Ford Signature Dealership Design program to some 90 stores across the country by the end of next year.
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