Car salesmen might be nervously putting a finger under the collars of their shirts at this one, but Hyundai has come up with a dealership that has no salespeople.
The innovative scheme is called Rockar Hyundai and it will be based at the Bluewater shopping centre, which is near the M25 in Kent, over in the UK. The idea is based on the principle that customers are visiting car dealerships just 1.3 times (don't you just love daft statistics?) before they buy a motor; for 93 per cent of people, most of their research is conducted online before they ever enter a showroom to sign on the dotted line.
Therefore, Rockar Hyundai is aiming to make the dealership experience totally digital too. It's an online and in-store service that allows potential Hyundai owners to carry out research, book a test drive, get a price for their old car, choose a payment option, purchase and then service their car at the 'touch of a button', without (if they so wish) ever having to speak to a salesman.
Bluewater was chosen because it has a footfall of 27 million per annum, as the local catchment of 6.5 million people trudge through its malls spending £13 billion (around €16.7bn) each year. Oh, and in case you're wondering, this dealership isn't totally without human help - 'Rockar Angels' will be on hand to answer any queries you might have, should you be foxed by the new systems.
Anything else?
Probably best to hand over to some of the key players in this, to let them tell us why it's such a good idea. Because if it is, we're likely to see these sorts of dealerships in Ireland before too long.
Hyundai UK's president and CEO, Tony Whitehorn, said: "Rockar Hyundai is a highly innovative and enticing addition to our existing dealer network. It offers the consumers an easy and flexible alternative to buying and owning a car, without undermining the strength and infrastructure within our existing sales network. It is the shape of things to come."
Simon Dixon, Founder of Rockar.com, added: "It is clear from research that customers buying a new car can find it an intimidating process. Rockar's vision is simple - to ensure that the customer is truly at its heart and feels empowered throughout the process."
For more information, log on to: www.rockar.com.