Services / Loyalty consulting / Automotive industry
Loyalty in the automotive industry: customer loyalty across the entire lifecycle
People buy a car every few years. In between, it is decided whether the customer stays loyal to the brand: in service, in the app, while charging, in the community.
ProNexum develops loyalty ecosystems for automotive brands and dealers that make use of precisely this time between two purchases – with a clear brand connection and recognizable business benefit, as we did for CUPRA.
What makes loyalty in the automotive industry special
Long purchase cycles make classic reward programs largely ineffective. Customer loyalty is created through many touchpoints: test drive, purchase or leasing, service, digital services and finally the decision for the next vehicle.
Manufacturers and dealers share the customer relationship. With new sales models, data, responsibilities and touchpoints are shifting. A loyalty ecosystem must clarify who plays which role and who owns which data.
Electric mobility and connected vehicles create new occasions for loyalty: charging, software features and apps make the brand present in everyday life.
Levers for customer loyalty in the automotive industry
Connected car and gamification
Connected vehicles provide data that is also available outside the car – for example in the app. It can be used for engagement and gamification, such as driving and charging challenges or milestones. This creates additional touchpoints between driver and brand, and the app is used more overall.
Managing the lifecycle
Targeted touchpoints from prospect to repurchase, with clear handovers between brand and dealer.
Retaining aftersales
Service, parts and accessories as the core of loyalty between two vehicle purchases.
Knowing and reaching customers
Many drivers are not known to the brand or cannot be addressed. Incentives for registration and opt-in make them reachable.
Brand community and partners
Experiences, events and partners from charging, mobility and lifestyle that match the brand personality.
Recommendation and referral
Satisfied customers as ambassadors, with clear incentives and processes.
KPIs that matter
- Repurchase rate and brand loyalty for the next vehicle
- Service retention after warranty or leasing expires
- Identification and opt-in rate: how many customers are known and may be addressed in a targeted way
- Active use of app and digital services
- Leads and deals from the existing customer base and from referrals
- Contribution of the ecosystem to customer lifetime value
What clients say about our work
“ProNexum understood the CUPRA brand and translated our loyalty ambition into a future-ready ecosystem concept with clear business relevance.”
Steven Stein
Global Director – Digital Business & Customer Experience, CUPRA
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Learn more →Part of an integrated approach
Loyalty only works in combination with a clear customer strategy, a managed customer lifecycle and an organization that supports customer loyalty in everyday operations. That is why we combine these topics in our projects.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a loyalty ecosystem in the automotive industry?
A loyalty ecosystem connects all touchpoints between customer, brand and dealer: purchase, service, app, charging, partners and community. The goal is for the customer to choose the brand again for their next vehicle.
How can connected car strengthen customer loyalty?
Vehicle data available in the app enables engagement formats such as challenges or milestones. They create regular touchpoints and increase app usage – as part of an ecosystem.
How do manufacturers and dealers work together in a loyalty ecosystem?
Roles, data flows and the funding of benefits are defined jointly. This is part of the operating model and determines whether the ecosystem works in everyday practice.
Do you want to further develop customer loyalty for your automotive brand or dealer network?
We would be happy to discuss your starting point, goals and a sensible first step with you.