Audi City: The metropolis cyberstore opens
its doors
Ingolstadt/London - Audi is preparing
automotive retail for the future and complementing its dealer network
with a new format – Audi City. The first location opens today in London
close to Piccadilly Circus. The brand’s entire model line-up is
presented fully digitally in a compact space. The efficient use of space
facilitated by this approach allows the four rings to be present in the
heart of major international cities.
Audi is preparing automotive retail for the future and complementing its
dealer network with a new format – Audi City. The first location opens
today in London close to Piccadilly Circus.
The brand’s entire model line-up is presented fully digitally in a
compact space. The efficient use of space facilitated by this approach
allows the four rings to be present in the heart of major international
cities. Over the next few years, Audi will secure more of these
attractive locations, opening more than 20 stores worldwide by 2015. In
future, Audi City will also play a crucial role in the marketing of new
mobility services and electric-drive Audi models.
“Audi City combines the best of two worlds
– digital product presentation and personal contact with the dealer,”
says Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for
Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG. “This new retail format brings us even
closer to our customers – geographically, of course, but first and
foremost in terms of the quality of our relationship. Audi City offers
new freedom for tailor-made services and an even more individual contact
with the customer.”
Thanks to groundbreaking media technology,
the vehicle manufacturer now has the ability not only to present its
growing model line-up – including all colours, equipment options and
functions – in its entirety, but also to offer customers the chance to
experience the sheer breadth of the range in full. Visitors can
digitally select their vehicle from several hundred million possible
configurations and experience it in realistic 1:1 scale on screens that
almost fill the entire space. Moreover, technical details such as the
drivetrain, bodyshell or LED light technology can be presented
individually in order to make innovations understandable on an intuitive
level.
With Audi City, the premium manufacturer
is responding to customers’ changing needs. “People are placing greater
emphasis than ever before on a direct and personal bond of trust with
their vehicle brand – especially in respect of the increasing variety of
products and available information,” explains Schwarzenbauer. “Thus,
with Audi City, we are creating a one-stop-shop for experiencing our
brand. It is right in the midst of our customers’ lives, yet seamlessly
connected to the online range offered by the four rings.”
This is particularly assured by the
Customer Relationship Manager, who will be deployed in future at Audi
City locations. This individual will be the customer’s central and
consistent point of contact for all needs – from the first consultation
to after-sales and ongoing services. Plus, every Audi City is also
connected to an Audi dealership that provides the entire spectrum of
AUDI AG services as a single-point centre of competence.
With this highly personalized customer
dialogue and the provision of individual services, Audi City represents
a substantial expansion of the retail experience. In support of this,
AUDI AG offers employee training targeted specifically at these urban
stores and also supports the dealer in their selection and further
training. Furthermore, employees increasingly have a more broad-based
educational background – as IT experts, for instance, who are qualified
to explain the digital world of Audi City.
Their central urban location makes each
Audi City more than simply an additional retail outlet. Audi City will
also evolve into a meeting place for fans of the brand, where they can
make contact with the world of the four rings whenever they want. The
stores will also be used as a dialogue forum for issues outside of core
automotive business. For example, following close of daily business,
they will play host to readings, round-table discussions and exhibitions
on issues such as urban development and mobility or on matters relating
to art, culture and design.
