Connected vehicles are no longer the future. They have become the present. This year, our team is conducting connected products research in which we are collecting insights from consumers, commercial end users, and manufacturers. The reason? Almost every manufacturer is working on providing connected products and solutions for both their consumers and their businesses operations. […]
Posts Tagged ‘automotive industry’
The Demand For A New Era of Automotive Loyalty
There is an untapped potential for automotive loyalty programs, and we are living in an era where customer loyalty is more fleeting than ever. Until now, the relationship between OEMs and customers has been largely transactional. A customer buys a car, and the interaction ends there until the next purchase cycle—typically five to ten years […]
Revving Up Loyalty at the Marconi Automotive Museum
The Marconi Automotive Museum in Southern California was the perfect backdrop for our roundtable event, during which we discussed the evolution of brand loyalty with leaders from several of the world’s most influential automobile manufacturers. This is an important topic for the automotive and mobility industry, one that is front and center as emerging technology […]
Another Electrifying Year for MRacing’s Formula SAE Season
For the second year in a row, I spent an evening with my colleagues at the University of Michigan’s Ford Robotics Center in Ann Arbor to celebrate MRacing’s unveiling of this year’s EV. It did not disappoint – it was a beauty, designed with the look and feel of a Michigan football helmet, including the […]
[Podcast] What if Your Commute Could Change the World? An Interview With Keith Tomatore
In this episode of “What If? So What?” Jim sits down with Keith Tomatore, a seasoned automotive industry veteran and leader of Perficient’s automotive practice. Together, they embark on a journey into the electrifying future of the automotive industry. Keith shares his unique journey from his start at Swiss Army Brands to spearheading digital transformation […]
Automotive Dealerships Should Look More Like Genius Bars
When we conducted our electric vehicle customer journey research last year, we confirmed a commonly held belief in the United States: most people aren’t happy with their dealership experiences, specifically as it relates to aggressive sales tactics. Automotive customers desire experiences and service centers that meet their needs, listen to their concerns, and provide a […]
A Look Back On The Automotive Industry’s Last Quarter of 2023
It’s best to learn from our past in order to prepare for the future. As part of that practice, let’s review what happened in the last quarter of 2023 for the automotive industry, and make some predictions on what we can expect for 2024. Gas Prices at the Close of Q4, 2023: Hawaii $4.68 […]
Deliver an OEM Parts Program That Captures Customers for a Lifetime
OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and their dealerships have a longstanding partnership that has built a robust automotive industry in the United States. The ideal state is to have OEMs work with their dealerships to sell genuine OEM parts, which would benefit not only the OEMs and dealerships but also the customer’s automotive experience. However, full […]
A Tribute to Mr. James G. O’Connor
First, I want to state that while I have the great honor of leading our automotive team, there are so many great teammates all over the organization and world that make up the heart and soul of the practice. That being said, the one person that I will call out is my mentor and bonus […]
What Do Windshield Wipers, Cruise Control, and Winton Motor Company All Have In Common?
Mary Anderson and the Windshield Wipers Mary Anderson, who visited NYC on a snowy day in the early 1900s, saw the need for manual wipers that the driver could use from inside the vehicle. In 1905, Mary Anderson invented windshield wipers to improve driving in rain and snow. Before the invention of windshield wipers, drivers […]
Let’s Leave Behind Electric Vehicle Tunnel Vision
Automotive innovation is only speeding up as we head into 2024, but it might not look that way when focusing on electric vehicles. In the last few months of 2023, it seemed the headlines were only filled with bad news about OEMs who had invested in EVs and struggled to get them off the lots. […]
Dealership Transformation Extends Beyond the Dealership
When I hear the term “dealer transformation,” I always think that the term is too narrow in speaking about just the transformation within the dealership. There is no doubt that the consumer today has very different expectations and preferences concerning dealerships and shopping experiences than the consumer of ten years ago, and dealerships need to […]