SpeakIn, tech-enabled open expert network, in association with the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) has announced Master Classes to build and upgrade the skills of automobile dealers in the digital world. The course will be conducted online by Industry experts. The Master Class program will be launched nation-wide on July 14 and will host top experts from the digital learning domain to bring online learning to dealer owners as well as their employees.
Talking of the initiative at the launch of the Master Class, which saw access to over 15,000 subscribers, Deepshikha Kumar, Managing Partner, SpeakIn, said, “The aim is to hear insights of the experts on the impending digital transformation journey of the Automotive retail business and the advantages, opportunities and possible challenges the sector can foresee. By the end of this course, attendees will be equipped with basic knowledge about how can they use digital platforms to grow their business, drive traffic, engage with their customers and acquire the skills necessary to be an effective dealer at automobile dealerships.”
At the launch, Nikunj Sanghi, Chairman, ASDC, said, “Covid has changed the entire game and it appears that we have more digital than a physical relationship with customers. Now dealerships have to be as active as OEMs on digital platforms. Even back offices have to efficient on the use of digital tools as customers will be connecting them digitally. Unless you are very good at engaging your customers digitally there is no way you will be able to do well in business.”
Other speakers at the launch were Rajiv R. Gupta (Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Honda Cars India), Sreedhar Prasad (Consumer Internet Leader, Former Partner at KPMG India), Naveen Chauhan (Head of Sales and After sales at Hero MotoCorp) and Vikrant Abrol (Founder and Director, Integral Livelihood).
ASDC has pioneered in up-skilling and re-skilling of manpower across the automotive value chain. “During Covid we launched four courses which have been well received. It started with dealership sales executive then it went up to service technicians and tele-callers. More than 12000 registration and more than 4000 people already got certification. When it comes to economy opening up it is important that we enable the entire dealer sales force in making them first aware of what is important in digital and get the best of the people in the industry to guide them,” Sanghi added.
While throwing light on the course, Ms. Kumar said, “The master class program is a flagship program from the SpeakIn content platform. The ten modules are mapped alongside the customer lifecycle as it happens. Across the board, there are contours of advertising, search engine optimization, building online presence, content and mobile marketing, etc. We will be looking at building digital competence within the dealership which can add and aid the existing brick and mortar on ground sale. The programme is spread over three weeks and SpeakIn industry experts will align with the theoretical part of the entire module.”