Advertisement feature from CUPRA

You can get all the information you require, without the showroom in a strictly no-sales, no-pressure environment

CUPRA’s Virtual Showroom service offers an alternative to the traditional business of researching your next car by providing an easy-to-access online experience for fleet managers, user-choosers and retail customers.

Accessed via a widget on the CUPRA website (www.cupraofficial.co.uk), the Virtual Showroom is a one-way live video stream hosted by an experienced CUPRA Product Expert. The host uses a mix of smartphone and static cameras to showcase the chosen CUPRA model up-close, in detail and can answer questions in real-time.

Dan Abberley, digital experience manager at CUPRA, says: “We recognised there were a lot of customers that wanted to engage with us digitally for more of their journey. They would usually start on our website, interact with some of our online tools and then, ultimately, end up in a retailer.

“The Virtual Showroom enables us to interact with the customer, live on a one-to-one basis at a time and place that suits them.”

The CUPRA Virtual Showroom is based in Milton Keynes, in a specially-designed studio filled with key CUPRA models and the latest video call technology.

Customers can initiate a Virtual Showroom interaction whenever they choose, with the service operational from noon-8pm Monday to Friday. Appointments can be booked in half-hour slots, or calls simply initiated immediately, where possible, from the CUPRA website. When booking, users can choose the CUPRA model they’d like to discuss or select ‘CUPRA for Business’ for a tailored fleet experience.

“We wanted to keep the Virtual Showroom as a no-pressure environment where customers can come and ask the questions or see the elements of a car that they’d usually need to visit a retailer for”

Each interaction starts as a webchat, where customers can simply interact by typing. Switching to video chat lets the customer see and hear a live feed and users can also opt in to share their audio and have a live conversation.

The CUPRA Virtual Showroom is strictly a no-sales environment. Product Experts are on hand to answer any and all questions about the CUPRA brand and its products. While pricing, specification and options can be discussed, and leads may be passed on to the relevant Fleet and Business Team or retailer at the customer’s request, cars cannot be sold via the platform.

“We wanted to keep the Virtual Showroom as a no-pressure environment where customers can come and ask the questions or see the elements of a car that they’d usually need to visit a retailer for,” Abberley explains.

During a call, customers can view, in real-time, any part of the car they are interested in. This can be from looking at the boot or the rear seat, having an in-depth overview of the infotainment system or seeing where the charging point is and how to plug the car in.

The Virtual Showroom isn’t just open to prospective CUPRA customers, however. Those who have already taken delivery of their car can also utilise the service if they need assistance with their car. For example, if a customer needs assistance to pair their phone to the car’s infotainment system or wants to know how to fold down the seats, a CUPRA Product Expert can talk them through the process and show them a live demonstration.

With the support of the CUPRA Fleet and Business Team, the Virtual Showroom can facilitate product launches and presentations to groups of fleet customers or individual fleet decision-makers, where it’s not practical to meet face-to-face.

Since the launch of the Born, CUPRA’s first electric vehicle, the Product Experts can also help customers navigate the world of charging, range anxiety and real-world capabilities of electric cars.

Abberley adds: “What sets us apart with Virtual Showroom is our commitment to knowledge. All our product experts are highly trained, and we continually evaluate and update their capabilities to ensure they can answer any question and give visitors the best possible experience.”

To experience the CUPRA Virtual Showroom for yourself, simply click here, choose the ‘Visit our Virtual Showroom’ widget on any page and select the CUPRA for Business option.