Google to help train 1 lakh employees at auto dealerships with digital platforms

At a time when online and digital platforms have emerged stronger than ever before for auto makers and dealers to connect with prospective customers with, the need to have employees with the required skill set has also become imperative. With this objective in focus, Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) and Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) on Wednesday announced a partnership with Google India to help bridge the digital skill gap in the country’s auto dealerships and build their capacity in this critical growth driver.

A press release issued by FADA informed that under with 'Grow with Google' initiative, Google India will conduct a series of webinars on digital marketing, hyper local marketing and full funnel strategy. The driving force is to ensure that dealer principals are able to adopt digital tools and platforms to engage with customers.

In its second phase, the program will seek to train frontline sales and marketing executives. "With the advent of technology and new channels of communication, the classical approach to marketing products and services at the local level has undergone a paradigm change," said Vinkesh Gulati, President, FADA. "The digital movement by the dealers’ community reaffirms FADA’s strong commitment to retain the dynamism of dealer business in the automobile ecosystem and also assure its participation in Government’s Digital India Movement in the post-Covid world."

Covid-19-related factors have indeed necessitated the need to have a strong digital presence for sales as well as post-sales service. Almost every automaker in the country is now offering buying and service-related facility through online means. With people rather unwilling to step inside showrooms during pandemic times, it has become imperative to offer test drives at home, sales executives on video call and delivery of products at preferred locations. Even payments are now moving towards digital-only means.