Feb. 23, 2015
Toyota to Enhance Customer Service in Japan with Dealer IT System Overhaul
Toyota City, Japan, February 23, 2015-Toyota Motor Corporation is working on a comprehensive overhaul of the IT system used by approximately 5,000 affiliated Toyota and Lexus dealerships throughout Japan in order to more swiftly provide tailor-made customer service.
The overhaul to the system, which was originally deployed in 2001, is scheduled to be rolled out over a 12-month period. It will allow sales staff nation-wide to use tablets connected to a central cloud server to instantly provide the latest detailed information to customers in the sales yard, including for example, the cost, appearance, and specifications of the available options for each vehicle model and how each model compares with those of other manufacturers. The streamlined system will also increase the speed with which after-service can be provided and administered.
The establishment of a high-efficiency cloud-based server center and other measures are also intended to reduce dealer IT costs and labor by IT system personnel.
- Details of the new system
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Instant provision of up-to-the-minute information and services in the sales yard
While customers view displayed vehicles, sales staff will be able to provide them with estimates, detailed product descriptions, and explanatory videos, and propose optimal purchase methods.
- Other services that will be provided via handheld devices include
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- 360-degree images of optional aerodynamic parts and other accessories and options as they would actually appear on the vehicle
- Tailor-made simulation of future maintenance expenses
- Instant loan and auto insurance applications
- Comprehensive inventory search and order placement
- Centralized server for enhanced efficiency and information security
A new, dedicated Toyota cloud center has been constructed to perform centralized processing of all operations data, bringing greater efficiency, consistency, and increased customer information security.
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Instant provision of up-to-the-minute information and services in the sales yard
Toyota is using the overhaul as an opportunity to develop IT infrastructure for dealers across Japan and enhance the presentation of information and content to customers, and through that help to invigorate the Japanese vehicle market.