RAPID RTC Announces Partnership with AutoTrader.ca

WINNIPEG, MB, Feb. 22, 2022 /CNW/ -- Today, RAPID RTC - a Keyloop company, the automotive industry leader in digital communications and lead management - has announced a new strategic partnership that will enhance the online car shopping experience for Canadian consumers. The company has partnered with Canada's largest and most trusted automotive marketplace, AutoTrader.ca, to introduce RAPID RTC's digital communication products to its platform. RAPID RTC's digital communication products are recognized as industry leading, used by over 1,100 dealers across Canada.

Starting in March of 2022, select RAPID RTC dealership clients can enable digital communication options for car buyers on the AutoTrader.ca Marketplace. RAPID RTC Chat, Text and Live Dealer solutions will connect car buyers with salespeople at dealerships across Canada, by initiating conversations, live and in real-time, directly from inventory listings on the AutoTrader.ca marketplace.  

By partnering with AutoTrader.ca, RAPID RTC aims to help dealers deliver an enhanced and personalized online car buying experience, while also increasing lead volumes, reducing wait time for customers, and ensuring leads are captured and handled immediately as they come in. In fact, data from RAPID RTC shows that sales conversions are up to 46 per cent higher^[1] when online customers can connect directly with a salesperson, and customers are three times more likely^[2] to respond to a dealer when the initial interaction is via text, compared to an email.

Connecting online shoppers with salespeople using these digital communications tools means car buyers can experience in-dealership interactions and gain consultative advice, without having to leave their homes. The integration enables customers to retain control at every step, giving them the confidence to choose the communication method they prefer, (chat, text, voice, or video), to connect with a vehicle expert.

Once connected in real-time, salespeople can use any device to guide customers through the sales process. This includes bringing the physical showroom to life with live vehicle walkarounds, trade-in appraisals using video, or screensharing to walk through any part of the digital retailing process from inventory listings, build and price, credit applications, and more.

Jill Hadfield, Chief Product Officer at AutoTrader.ca commented:

"At AutoTrader.ca, our goal is to support car shoppers as they search for and buy vehicles on Canada's largest and most trusted automotive marketplace, AutoTrader.ca. A crucial pillar in delivering that support is to provide car buyers with communication tools directly from inventory listings on AutoTrader.ca. We know that by connecting AutoTrader.ca users directly to our dealer partners, we are providing a seamless and convenient digital shopping experience today's consumers expect, while aiding automotive retailers to engage in more meaningful conversations and convert more leads. To reach this goal, we want to make things easy for our dealer partners by integrating with best-in-class tools that are already being used in dealerships."

Todd Robinson, Vice-President, Sales at RAPID RTC, a Keyloop company follows:

"Our own data from Keyloop's consumer research^[3] shows just how important digital tools are to today's car shoppers, with 89 per cent likely to use personalized digital engagement tools to interact with salespeople when shortlisting or selecting a preferred vehicle. This agreement with AutoTrader.ca extends RAPID RTC's reach to Canada's largest audience of prospective car buyers, enabling them to use our tools to seamlessly connect to our network of dealers using the communication method they prefer. At the same time, we're helping dealers bring the physical showroom to life for online shoppers, build and sustain more meaningful customer relationships, and ultimately, sell more cars. We cannot wait to get started."

[1] RAPID RTC Dealer Insights (2021)

[2] RAPID RTC Dealer Insights (2021)

[3] Digitilisation: An Unstoppable Force in Automotive Retailing and Aftersales (June 2021)

About RAPID RTC
RAPID RTC, a Keyloop company, is a multinational digital communications company that specializes in automotive, serving over 4,000 retail and manufacturing clients. It focuses on improving businesses' digital communications and customer engagement practices by seamlessly connecting online shoppers with salespeople in real-time, using their preferred channel. Through the right mix of technology and human interaction, RAPID RTC ensures a premium omni-channel customer experience throughout the online purchase journey. RAPID RTC is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada and was acquired by Keyloop in March 2021. 

About TRADER Corporation
TRADER Corporation is the leading digital marketing partner for Canadian automotive retailers and manufacturers. With over 25 million visits a month and more than 6 million total mobile app downloads, TRADER's largest automotive marketplaces – AutoTrader.ca and AutoHebdo.net – are the #1 source for all things automotive in Canada. The company offers retailers and manufacturers access to a robust audience of new and used car shoppers and rich data insights. TRADER Corporation is the first to offer a completely integrated digital retail experience for consumers and dealers on a major Canadian automotive marketplace. For more information, visit go.trader.ca. Follow TRADER on LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

About Keyloop
Keyloop's mission is to create and connect technology that advances the car buying and ownership experience in partnership with dealers and OEMs. It is a leading global provider of software solutions to the auto retail industry, serving approximately 18,000 dealer sites and most automotive manufacturers, in 100 countries. Headquartered in the UK, Keyloop also has operations across EMEA and Asia. For more information, please visit www.keyloop.com.  

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SOURCE Keyloop

For further information, please contact: Keyloop's PR Team, [email protected], [phone]. Todd Robinson, Vice-President, Sales at RAPID RTC, [email protected]