AUTOMOTIVE CHANNEL INCENTIVE SOLUTION

The Scope

A large vehicle manufacturer wanted to embrace and maximize the launch of a new on-off-road hybrid vehicle into car dealerships.

As such, they wanted to truly consolidate their dealer support incentives to offer a clear and concise incentive strategy. They wanted their dealer Co-Op/MDF, Rebates and SPIFFs to work together to influence dealer channel behavior. They felt this was particularly needed in their ask for dealers to support a non-traditional hybrid design vehicle.

The Challenge

To do this, the manufacturer needed to partner with a company who could provide best practice and best-in-class platform consolidation to run diverse incentive programs.

It was also critical that the solution offered was easy to understand, use and accommodated on-brand consistency. This was important because advertising budget for the vehicle launch was restricted and there was a reliance on best efforts from the multi-vendor-selling car dealerships to develop heightened awareness around the new hybrid vehicle. Enabling them to realise and obtain all the incentive support on offer was key.

The Solution

Firstly, the 360insights team interviewed the car dealerships to ensure what was implemented would be attractive and operational.

Armed with dealer feedback and 360insights expertise in cross-stack channel incentive modules, the vehicle manufacturers’ existing and new Co-op/MDF, Consumer Rebates and SPIFF incentives were consolidated into a dynamic online on-brand platform. One that critically could also manage the car dealerships POS systems and both dealer and consumer claim submissions across initiatives.

Cross-incentive consolidation into one platform also enabled cross-engagement and activity reporting with data analytics. This empowered the manufacturer to understand how each incentive motivated across the selling process for the product launch (and beyond). The dealer organizations used Co-Op/MDF funds to conduct events including launch parties and test drive facilitations, and SPIFFS were enthusiastically embraced by the Dealer Sales Representatives to promote the new ‘hybrid’ vehicle to customers combined with the Consumer Rebate offers to entice sale signings.

The Results

In relation to the new ‘hybrid’ vehicle launch, forecast into-market expectations for the first six months were exceeded. Sales representatives were constantly checking the platform to see how much money they had earned in SPIFFS and feedback comments remarked on the ease of the reimbursement process.

But success has been so much more than successfully supporting the adoption of a new vehicle type into the car dealerships. Having all incentives managed within a single platform has given the manufacturer true visibility into channel engagement and a better understanding of how different incentives influence behaviors and in turn a better attribution of direct program ROI.