40 Mercedes-Benz dealers now using iPads to sell cars
Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz is equipping 40 dealerships with iPads in an effort to more effectively sell and lease cars, keeping customers comfortably in the vehicle while handling a credit application.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, a fleet of iPads loaded with the company's MB Advantage app will enable dealers to pull up the latest discounts or rebates and complete a credit application for potential customers on the spot, rather than requiring sales people to lead the customer to a desk with a PC.
Andreas Hinrichs, vice president of marketing, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview, "We wanted to bring the mobile revolution into the dealership. The iPad is consumer centric but there is a business side to it as well."
Lease returns via iPad
The company's iPad app also allows dealers to review the condition of vehicles returned at the end of their lease while the driver is present.
Bernie Moreno, the owner of a Mercedes-Benz dealership in North Olmsted, Ohio, told the Wall Street Journal that formerly, "when someone came in we would go out with a pad and a pencil and scribble down all the problems, like a scratch here or a dent there and then go back to the desk and enter everything in the computer."
Moreno said he started using his own iPad on a limited basis to handle leased vehicles, and is now among the dealers in the company's official iPad pilot program. When the customer arrives, Moreno carries his iPad with him outside to do returns on the spot.
"Now I can do it all right in front of the customer and it just gives us more of a sense of credibility," Moreno said. The report indicated the company's pilot program may eventually result in Mercedes-Benz Financial distributing iPads to all of its 350 US dealers.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, a fleet of iPads loaded with the company's MB Advantage app will enable dealers to pull up the latest discounts or rebates and complete a credit application for potential customers on the spot, rather than requiring sales people to lead the customer to a desk with a PC.
Andreas Hinrichs, vice president of marketing, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview, "We wanted to bring the mobile revolution into the dealership. The iPad is consumer centric but there is a business side to it as well."
Lease returns via iPad
The company's iPad app also allows dealers to review the condition of vehicles returned at the end of their lease while the driver is present.
Bernie Moreno, the owner of a Mercedes-Benz dealership in North Olmsted, Ohio, told the Wall Street Journal that formerly, "when someone came in we would go out with a pad and a pencil and scribble down all the problems, like a scratch here or a dent there and then go back to the desk and enter everything in the computer."
Moreno said he started using his own iPad on a limited basis to handle leased vehicles, and is now among the dealers in the company's official iPad pilot program. When the customer arrives, Moreno carries his iPad with him outside to do returns on the spot.
"Now I can do it all right in front of the customer and it just gives us more of a sense of credibility," Moreno said. The report indicated the company's pilot program may eventually result in Mercedes-Benz Financial distributing iPads to all of its 350 US dealers.
Comments
It's only been a month and there is dedicated software for many business available. You can bet there are many other proprietary programs being written for iPads that won't be in the App store.
But seriously, there are so many applications for the ipad in everyday life, the fact that with an easy to write app the screen adapts to any on screen interface you might want, your own buttons, forms, etc. etc. and the form factor make it ideal.
Next steps should be even better security and ecryption (iphone os will cater to an extent to these) and the ability to transfer any info from within an app to another ipad with the same app on the fly in an ad hoc bluetooth or wifi network established on the spot. So I pull out my ipad and someone can pass me a file as seamlessly as they would any physical item.
I visualise this as one button connect to ipad in proximity for the server, an accept button for the receiver, and a swipe gesture to move the file.
iPad killers? No chance. There is no serious challengers. Google wants to be everything to everyone, just like Microsoft. We will see who remains in the game 3yrs from now.
Jus a bunch of Wanna-Bes!!!
I wonder if the "streak" aka "ipad competitor" will be able to compete here LOL!!!!!
What's wrong with you?
"I can carry a 'steak' everywhere"
it's gotta be betta
EDIT: "The New Dell Steak" - take it with you!
What's wrong with you?
"I can carry a 'steak' everywhere"
it's gotta be betta
EDIT: "The New Dell Steak" - take it with you!
Boys lets be fair to them, it's not a rump or sirloin steak.
It's a streak.
Inspired by the losing streak they are on!
Boys lets be fair to them, it's not a rump or sirloin steak.
It's a streak.
Inspired by the losing streak they are on!
OK, you win
"The New Dell Losing Streak" - take it with you!! LOL
Will any WIndows or Android-based wanna-be tablets be used by Mercedes? Of course not. There will iPad, and there will be the tablets. Nothing more.Just like we currently have the iPhone, and the not-so-smartphones.
iPad killers? No chance. There is no serious challengers. Google wants to be everything to everyone, just like Microsoft. We will see who remains in the game 3yrs from now.
Jus a bunch of Wanna-Bes!!!
xerox machines have been working full time at dell's and schmidt's office...so we'll be seeing all the copycats soon from google and dell and whoever else...
I'm actually starting to feel a bit of pity for the trolls that continue to rage against the iPhone and iPad. Every day, it seems, more bad news piles up on them. They've run out of theories as to why someone would buy an iPad instead of a netbook or laptop. In a sign of their frustration I'm starting to see posts on forums that now rage against the consumers themselves, calling them simpletons and morons for buying these devices. To be absolutely convinced that you are superior in your opinions about technology and to have literally millions of people ignore your arguments must frost their family jewels really bad.
Those trolls are probably playing with their iPads as we speak
I plan to get a iPad for my real estate listing presentations. For awhile customers are going to be wowed by the iPad which is half the battle!
Best
xerox machines have been working full time at dell's and schmidt's office...so we'll be seeing all the copycats soon from google and dell and whoever else...
Their biggest issue that I 've stressed elsewhere here a lot of times, is that they cant undercut apple in terms of price for even an inferior but comparable product. Hp had to put 1gb memory in to handle 7, an atom, have half the battery life, no ips screen, smaller screen etc. etc.
Apple has been supremely aggresive in their pricing, leveraging their in house cpu expertise, low prices for components because of the volumes they buy, battery expertise, unibody expertise, the iphone os ecosystem etc. etc. And they cut the price down to the extent that wiser people in the industry such as acer actually pulled out of the tablet market, and said so. They did this so they would have another ipod phenomenon (with different parameters of course), they ll come to dominate the market in a year from now, get to 80% again, and allow the competition a 20% to squeeze in.
Those trolls are probably playing with their iPads as we speak
Funny and probably correct....I know I would be!
Their biggest issue that I 've stressed elsewhere here a lot of times, is that they cant undercut apple in terms of price for even an inferior but comparable product. Hp had to put 1gb memory in to handle 7, an atom, have half the battery life, no ips screen, smaller screen etc. etc.
Apple has been supremely aggresive in their pricing, leveraging their in house cpu expertise, low prices for components because of the volumes they buy, battery expertise, unibody expertise, the iphone os ecosystem etc. etc. And they cut the price down to the extent that wiser people in the industry such as acer actually pulled out of the tablet market, and said so. They did this so they would have another ipod phenomenon (with different parameters of course), they ll come to dominate the market in a year from now, get to 80% again, and allow the competition a 20% to squeeze in.
Very very strong points. Like the iPod, the iPad has set the the Gold Standard at a low price point (which will only get lower). This prevents competitors from competing the only way they can - price. As I've said here before - it's now a foot race. Can Apple capture enough market share before another company with great marketing or one cool feature gets a foot in the door. If Apple gets ahead - they will stay ahead.
Their biggest issue that I 've stressed elsewhere here a lot of times, is that they cant undercut apple in terms of price for even an inferior but comparable product. Hp had to put 1gb memory in to handle 7, an atom, have half the battery life, no ips screen, smaller screen etc. etc.
Apple has been supremely aggresive in their pricing, leveraging their in house cpu expertise, low prices for components because of the volumes they buy, battery expertise, unibody expertise, the iphone os ecosystem etc. etc. And they cut the price down to the extent that wiser people in the industry such as acer actually pulled out of the tablet market, and said so. They did this so they would have another ipod phenomenon (with different parameters of course), they ll come to dominate the market in a year from now, get to 80% again, and allow the competition a 20% to squeeze in.
I agree. It's remarkable that Apple's iPad, a first get product, forced MS to cancel their Courier and HP to delay their Slate. Both companies just looked at the iPad and said, 'Crap, Apple's iPad is years ahead of us, so we better not release our first gen product because it'll be an embarrassment!'
I still think MS's clunky OS and Mobile software has hurt PC manufacturer's, business users and personal users across the board so tremendously that it's unquantifiable!
I agree. It's remarkable that Apple's iPad, a first get product, forced MS to cancel their Courier and HP to delay their Slate.
If something that never existed can be cancelled, then I am canceling my plans to buy a pet unicorn.
(I have no idea.)