Ranking auto company websites is a little like ranking the cars themselves: Speed, appearance and maneuverability can all come into play.
Perhaps that’s why Infiniti came out on top in a new J.D. Power study that grades auto manufacturers’ websites on factors such as customer satisfaction and engagement.
Indeed, Infiniti won plaudits for its speed, navigation and its look, with the high-end brand edging out Jeep and Lincoln, which ranked second and third in the new study.
Stephen Lester, managing director of Infiniti Canada, said the win was the result of several key iterations designed to make the website flow, engage and inform.
“Certainly, it’s at the very top of the funnel (and) it’s a very important introduction to the brand,” he told Marketing.
In fact, J.D. Power’s study highlighted the growing importance of websites for vehicle shoppers, noting that brands need to “tell an in-depth story about their vehicles so that shoppers are completely familiar with the model they are researching.”
Introductions don’t come much smoother than Infiniti’s, with consumers having the ability to customize everything from the paint job to the car’s interior, all with a high-resolution, 360-degree view and a quick “internet quote” on the final price tag.
And while those tools are quickly becoming industry standard these days, Lester said Infiniti is always seeking ways to improve.
Working with digital design agency Critical Mass, which is in charge of the content on the tier-one website, Lester said it is vital to make an impact on visitors to the website, many of whom are “conquest customers.”
Lester added that there are also the key insights—from picking colours to requesting a test drive at a nearby dealership— that can be gleaned from customers scoping cars online.
“We have to recognize consumers are making many choices,” he said. “We’re still a young brand, we’ve only been around since 1989 … We have to focus a very targeted approach.”
J.D. Ney, the automotive research and consulting manager at J.D. Power, said an auto website should offer customers all the key information, while supplying a little “romance” as well.
“When searching for a vehicle on an [auto manufacturer’s] website, shoppers want to experience the vehicle as if they are walking around the vehicle or sitting in it in a dealer showroom. It’s virtual tire kicking,” he said.
The J.D. Power 2015 Canadian Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study (MWES) was based on answers earlier this year from more than 3,300 people shopping for new cars.
