BMW global sales and marketing boss Ian Robertson - "the first non-German to make it to a seat on the BMW main board." - is revolutionising the way we buy cars. He says: ‘The car dealership of the past will not survive, the retail environment is changing dramatically.'
Robertson has led BMW's buying revolution with chic High Street stores and ‘pop-up' stores in malls that increased footfall by 20 per cent. He says the aim is to make car buying more enjoyable and to have them situated in city centres as well as traditional dealerships.
"Three years ago BMW started looking at how top-end fashion brands and companies like Apple sold products. We wanted to look at different concepts for selling cars and how we could give our customers a better experience.'
He reveals car buyers in 2003 made on average four trips to a dealership before buying - in 2013 that was down to just one visit.
Also last year 93 per cent went online to buy their car - whereas using the internet ten years ago for this was virtually unheard of.
"Making bold decisions and the right decisions gives me the most satisfaction" Robertson adds: ‘Dealerships will remain critical as customers still want to touch and drive a car and have a relationship with a dealer.
"It is about marrying digital buying with the physical, emotional part at a dealership. We are selling emotional products not transportation."
Robertson has led BMW's buying revolution with chic High Street stores and ‘pop-up' stores in malls that increased footfall by 20 per cent. He says the aim is to make car buying more enjoyable and to have them situated in city centres as well as traditional dealerships.
"Three years ago BMW started looking at how top-end fashion brands and companies like Apple sold products. We wanted to look at different concepts for selling cars and how we could give our customers a better experience.'
He reveals car buyers in 2003 made on average four trips to a dealership before buying - in 2013 that was down to just one visit.
Also last year 93 per cent went online to buy their car - whereas using the internet ten years ago for this was virtually unheard of.
"Making bold decisions and the right decisions gives me the most satisfaction" Robertson adds: ‘Dealerships will remain critical as customers still want to touch and drive a car and have a relationship with a dealer.
"It is about marrying digital buying with the physical, emotional part at a dealership. We are selling emotional products not transportation."
