Car dealer Brent Mealin is pioneering the latest responsive design technology to assist with sales to customers who want to study their options on their smartphones and technology.
But Brent Mealin says that embracing that technology does not mean a reduction in the personal touch which he believes is crucial in his industry.
His firm, based at Snugborough in Union Mills, is believed to be the first car dealer in the Isle of Man to utilise responsive technology on its website, which means that it adjusts to the size of the device using it.
That means that, whether you are looking up cars on your computer, your tablet or your smartphone, you will be able to view properly the vehicles available and their specifications without those awkward attempts to resize pictures to fit your screen – or, worse, making do with only being able to be seen on one part of the picture at any particular time.
Brent, whose prestige and sports car dealership celebrates 25 years in 2014, said: ‘It means our customers are able, through their mobile devices, to get so much more information before they call at the showroom. They know about the full specifications of the car.
‘Thankfully, buying a car is still a human transaction, so they still get the personal service when they make a follow-up visit to our showroom after seeing what’s on offer online.
‘We like to think that’s what we have always offered and the introduction of this responsive design technology on our website enhances that.’
He added: ‘Our belief is that the difference is in the detail and in our knowledge.’
The enhancements to online services have come as part of an overall rebranding of the Brent Mealin business image, including a new-look overall to the brentmealin.com website, which has been upgraded by design and marketing consultant Dave Macdonald.
‘I wanted a more active website,’ said Brent. ‘Now it is updated every day.’
Indications from the first weeks since the revamp of the website are that it has been a boost to business, with the portion of mobile/tablet viewing of his website visits reaching nearly 35 per cent, compared with an average in the UK of 20 per cent.
‘The market has moved on,’ said Brent. ‘We know customers now have far greater access to far more knowledge before they visit the showroom.
‘We are embracing that and assisting them.’ Thanks to the aspirational nature of society, the prestige/luxury car market is still doing well, he said.
‘Everybody now aspires to luxury, whether it be a watch, a holiday or a car.’
The upgraded website is live and can be seen at www.brentmealin.com
