Cadillac pilots digital shopping, showroom service

DETROIT -- Cadillac dealers could soon receive leads from customers who have learned about the features and specs of their desired vehicle from a product specialist -- without visiting a dealership.

All that's left is the test drive and paperwork.

Cadillac will pilot Cadillac Live on Monday after launching the program in Canada in March. Dealers in Texas, California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York can opt into the program starting Monday. If successful, Cadillac will roll it out nationwide in May.

Shoppers will be matched with a personal shopper and browse Cadillac's lineup through an online video chat.

"We're trying to really understand how do people want to shop, so that we can be where they want to be. How they want to interact with us is really on their terms," Cadillac Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Grady told Automotive News.

Through the program, live agents connect with customers on demand or by appointment, often when most dealerships are closed. The agents, who speak English, Spanish and French, operate out of a showroom in Toronto.

Customers can video-chat with a live agent, who answers their questions and guides them through features on the vehicle they're interested in. They use props, such as strollers and hockey equipment, to show the configurability of an XT6, for example. They also walk the customer through in-vehicle technology and safety features.

Many luxury shoppers "do a lot of research and they don't have a lot of time," Grady said. "This really allows them to, on their terms, have a conversation. It's a much better experience than just looking at a website, configuring a car. As you think of [a question], you don't have to search for an answer. You have a person right there you're having a conversation with."

The agents can hear – but not see – the customer during the session.

At the end of the session, the goal is for the agent to set up a test drive for the customer at a local dealership. Dealers should respond to the leads within an hour.

The agents aren't actually selling the vehicles, so the pressure to purchase is reduced. Agents are instructed to give the customer the sticker price or a price range if they ask about cost.

All Cadillac dealerships in Canada opted into the program. So far, 160 dealerships in the five pilot U.S. states have opted in.

In Canada, 8 percent of shoppers who used Cadillac Live scheduled a test drive at a nearby dealership.

Cadillac also aims to develop different use cases for the service during the pilot. For example, it may use Cadillac Live and its agents to help train dealership sales teams, create how-to videos and develop social media content, Grady said.