The tweet smell of success: Nissan is first European carmaker to sell a car on Twitter
- Nissan dealer Antamotor uses Twitter to sell X-Trail crossover
- From shortlist to delivery details, all customer communication carried out via social network
- Nissan dealer exemplifies the brand’s five-point Customer Promise and commitment to innovation
Nissan has become the first automotive brand in Europe to sell a vehicle exclusively through the use of social networking site Twitter.
From first contact with the client to the final decision to purchase – just six days later – all communication between flagship Galician dealer Antamotor and customer Raul Escolano took place digitally via the social media platform.
Known to the dealership as user @escolano, he first courted car companies using the hashtag #compraruncocheportwitter (in English, ‘buy a car on Twitter’).
Escolano threw down the gauntlet to automotive brands across Spain, challenging them to support him in buying a vehicle, solely through the use of social networks.
Nissan, via leading franchisee Antamotor in A Coruña, impressed Mr. Escolano with its innovative approach, using popular new platform Periscope to film the X-Trail, with the dealer presenting all of the vehicle’s key features in a personalised walk-through which was uploaded to a live stream.
Nissan then went head-to-head with rival models in a poll on Twitter, posed by Mr. Escolano, in which followers were asked to rate the cars on the shortlist. The survey, which received 2.6 million impressions (source: Brandwatch), ranked X-Trail ahead of its rivals with 43% of the vote, effectively helping Nissan to seal the deal.
In the spirit of the truly innovative purchase, keys to the X-Trail were delivered direct to Mr. Escolano’s home by courier, to complete the online transaction.
The vehicle itself was collected from the brand’s Spanish Headquarters, in the first face-to-face interaction between Nissan and the customer since the sale began two months ago.
Embracing technology to improve service – the Nissan Customer Promise
Today’s customers typically visit a dealership only once before an automotive purchase, down from five visits a decade ago, so it's clear that the online experience has never been more critical for automakers. In select markets, Nissan has also deployed innovative technologies like ‘e-vision,' a video diagnostic tool for time-sensitive customers looking for greater transparency and clarity around their vehicle service.
In October 2015, Nissan announced a new European customer experience initiative which is in fact one of the industry's broadest-reaching customer service transformation programmes.
The five point Service Customer Promise includes 24/7 customer service contactability, lifetime Nissan assistance, service price match, a free transparent vehicle health-check, and free courtesy car with any service operation. It is the first time that an automaker has made a region-wide promise to its customers, signalling Nissan's commitment to leading the industry towards greater transparency when it comes to aftersales support, pricing and servicing.
For more information about Nissan products, services and the brand’s commitment to sustainable mobility, visit www.nissan.eu/experience-nissan.html
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
ABOUT NISSAN IN EUROPE
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 17,000 staff across locally-based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 635,000 vehicles including award-winning crossovers, commercial vehicles and the Nissan LEAF, the world’s most popular electric vehicle. Pursuing a goal of zero emissions and zero fatalities on the road, Nissan recently announced its Intelligent Mobility vision. Designed to guide Nissan’s product and technology pipeline, this 360 degree approach to the future of mobility will anchor critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society. Nissan is positioned to become the most desirable Asian brand in Europe.
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For more information, and images, please contact:
Christopher Caloghiris
Corporate Communications
Nissan Europe
Telephone: + 41 21 822 50 67
E-mail: ccaloghiris@nissan-europe.com
