Showcase : Service Design
Car Dealership Experience Reimagined
Problem Statement
As one of America's largest auto finance companies, managing millions of customer relationships and billions in annual loan originations, the firm faced a critical strategic challenge. In an era of rapidly evolving consumer expectations and intense market competition, their traditional dealership partnerships—the primary channel for reaching car buyers—were at risk.
Auto dealerships, serving as crucial intermediaries between lenders and customers, maintain relationships with multiple competing finance companies. This shifting landscape demanded a complete reimagining of the dealership experience to not only defend but expand the firm's market leadership position. The stakes were high: any loss in dealership preference could result in significant market share erosion, while an enhanced experience could capture substantial growth opportunities.
Key Activities
Led comprehensive experience transformation strategy for auto dealership financing, addressing multiple personas across the complex deal financing lifecycle
Conducted deep-dive analysis of auto dealership business models and financing workflows, identifying critical opportunities for competitive advantage
Conducted nationwide dealership research through on-site visits and interviews, gathering firsthand insights from management and staff to uncover unmet needs and operational friction points
Facilitated strategic alignment through executive stakeholder interviews and vision-gap analysis, building consensus for transformation roadmap
Analyzed and redesigned complex workflows to reduce operational friction and accelerate loan processing timelines
Orchestrated design thinking workshops with subject matter experts and senior leadership to co-create innovative solutions
Developed detailed service blueprints mapping both typical and edge-case loan scenarios, revealing opportunities for process optimization and risk reduction
Presented strategic recommendations to C-suite executives, securing buy-in for implementation
Outcomes
This comprehensive analysis and recommendations provided the client with clear strategic direction for transformation:
Strategic Impact:
Identified critical friction points in dealership financing workflows, quantifying their impact on deal completion times and satisfaction
Mapped priority areas for process improvement that could drive competitive advantage
Created detailed blueprint for enhancing dealer relationships through streamlined operations
Stakeholder Alignment:
Built executive consensus around transformation priorities through data-driven insights
Delivered actionable roadmap for implementation, with clear sequencing of initiatives
Established framework for measuring future improvements in dealership experience
SAMPLES
Design Blueprint
Current-State - 18 days to close a car financing deal. Poor experience to the car-buyer, dealership and firm’s employees.