Toyota investing in a new vehicle buying and owning experience

Toyota is transforming the new vehicle purchase and ownership experience in New Zealand with the introduction of its “Drive Happy Project”.
The project pioneers a new way of doing business with private, business, fleet and lease customers and is part of the changing face of mobility world-wide.
“Our way of business needs to evolve to align with our customers’ expectations,” said Alistair Davis, the CEO of Toyota New Zealand.
“As a result of the changes we are making customers will save time and money, and have more choice.”
“We want to put the pleasure back into buying a brand-new vehicle,” said Mr Davis. “We are taking a more customer-centric approach to car buying and the entire ownership experience.”
Mr Davis said the vehicle selling process had not changed much in the last 50 years, yet today the majority of customers were using online tools to research options prior to their purchase.
“We’re not alone in having made new vehicle purchases a drawn-out affair that takes the gloss off the experience,” said Mr Davis. “We’ve observed and listened to customer feedback and are re-shaping the purchase experience.”
Toyota-commissioned research found several likes and dislikes about the current industry-wide buying experience.
The most common concern was price negotiation and never being sure if you got the best deal. While the research also found the right vehicle for the buyer’s needs was more important than the best price.
Toyota will now offer the same transparent pricing in all their stores, nationwide. Prices will now be haggle-free and will represent a significant reduction from previous RRP prices. Toyota will also offer a wider selection of vehicles from three nationwide hubs to remove any pressure to buy from a limited selection of available vehicles at the dealership.
Customers should feel positive about buying the right vehicle. No business wants to be known for its ‘hard selling’ tactics, says Mr. Davis, but sadly that is the reputation that comes with a traditional car dealership.
“Our research has told us people want product specialists and not just commission focussed sales people,” said Mr Davis. “We are putting considerable focus on training our people to offer hospitality and a great customer experience.”