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Industry Spotlight

Automotive + ServiceNow

The automotive industry faces unprecedented transformation, driven by complex vehicle technology, shifting consumer expectations for digital experiences, new direct-to-consumer sales models, and pressure on traditional operations. OEMs and Dealerships must navigate supply chain volatility, service department constraints, and the need for seamless integration across siloed systems, all while managing the transition towards electric and connected vehicles.

ServiceNow + TQStarling help automotive organizations address these multifaceted challenges by streamlining complex workflows across manufacturing, supply chain, sales, and service. It enhances operational efficiency, provides greater visibility, improves collaboration between OEMs and dealers, enables data-driven decisions, and ultimately elevates the customer and dealer experience throughout the vehicle lifecycle.

Overview

1 - Challenges

There are many challenges faced including evolving Digital Customer Expectations, rising Operational & Service Complexity (incl. Parts, Technician Shortages), Connected Vehicle Integration demands, and significant Ecosystem Disruption (New Business Models, OEM-Dealer Dynamics).

2 - Accelerating Transformation

Key goals include achieving Operational Excellence & Efficiency across the value chain, delivering Enhanced Customer & Dealer Experiences through personalization and seamless interactions, enabling Data-Driven Operations & Insights for better decision-making, and fostering Seamless Ecosystem Collaboration (especially between OEMs and Dealers).

3 - Dealer Engagement Lifecycle

Opportunities exist across the core lifecycle including Sales & Configuration, Purchase & Financing, Service Scheduling & Intake, Service Execution & Communication, and Post-Service Follow-up & Loyalty.

4 - Engagement + ServiceNow

ServiceNow can advance this lifecycle through approaches including ServiceNow Customer Service Management (CSM), specific ServiceNow Automotive Solutions (for service, dealer ops), the ServiceNow Platform/App Engine for integration and custom workflows, and Workflow Automation.

5 - Reducing Silos and Admin Burden

Significant burdens exist due to disconnected systems and manual processes impacting Sales, Service, Parts Management, Warranty/Recall processing, OEM Communications, and internal IT support.

6 - Reducing Burden + ServiceNow

ServiceNow can reduce these burdens through its unified Platform Integration capabilities, intelligent Workflow Automation (reducing manual tasks), ServiceNow ITSM (for internal efficiency), and specific modules streamlining OEM-Dealer Communication and processes like warranty and recall management.

Challenges

  • Digital Customer Expectations

    Consumers increasingly demand seamless, personalized, and digital-first experiences across the entire vehicle lifecycle, from online research and configuration (virtual showrooms) to purchase, financing, and service interactions, challenging traditional, less integrated models.

  • Operational + Service Complexity

    Increasing vehicle technological complexity (especially with EVs) requires advanced diagnostics and skilled technicians, straining service capacity. Managing parts inventory for both traditional and electric vehicles adds difficulty. Inefficient communication and processes between OEMs and dealers, coupled with poor visibility across sales, service, and parts, hinder efficiency.

  • Connected Vehicle Integration

    The proliferation of IoT sensors and connected vehicle technology presents opportunities but also integration challenges. Effectively leveraging this data for proactive service, enhanced customer experiences, and new data-driven services requires robust platforms and workflows.

  • Ecosystem + Model Disruption

    Traditional automotive business models face pressure from digital-first competitors, new mobility services, and evolving OEM strategies like direct-to-consumer sales models. This requires dealers and OEMs to adapt their relationships, tools, and processes rapidly.

Accelerating Automotive Transformation

Operational Excellence + Efficiency

Streamlining workflows across manufacturing, supply chain, and dealership operations is critical. Automating administrative tasks, integrating disparate systems (like DMS), and optimizing resource allocation (technicians, parts) reduces costs and improves throughput.

Enhanced Customer + Dealer Experience

Providing a 360-degree view of the customer, connecting sales and service history, enables personalized communications and proactive engagement. Seamless appointment scheduling, digital check-in, and transparent service updates improve satisfaction and loyalty for customers, while better tools empower dealer staff.

Data Driven Operations + Insights

Leveraging data from connected vehicles, sales, service interactions, and supply chains allows for predictive maintenance, optimized inventory and staffing, identification of customer lifecycle trends for retention, and comprehensive performance analytics across departments.

Seamless Ecosystem Collaboration

Improving the flow of information and automating processes between OEMs and dealers is vital. This includes streamlining warranty claims, simplifying recall management, providing real-time inventory visibility, and enabling more effective joint planning and communication.

Engagement Lifecycle

Dealer Customer Engagement + ServiceNow

ServiceNow Customer Service Management (CSM)

Delivers a unified view of the customer, enabling personalized engagement across channels. Manages inquiries, tracks interactions, and supports proactive communication throughout the sales and service process.

ServiceNow Automotive Solutions

Provides targeted workflows for dealer service management, including optimizing technician scheduling, managing service appointments digitally, and integrating with backend systems for seamless service delivery from intake to completion.

ServiceNow Platform / App Engine

Enables seamless integration with existing Dealer Management Systems (DMS) and other critical automotive systems (manufacturing, supply chain), eliminating data silos. Allows for the creation of custom digital workflows (e.g., paperless contracting, financing).

Workflow Automation

Automates routine tasks across the engagement lifecycle, such as service reminders based on connected vehicle data, status updates during service, and follow-up communications, freeing up staff and ensuring consistency.

Reducing Operational Silos + Administrative Burden

Automotive organizations, particularly dealerships, often struggle with information silos between sales, service, and parts departments. Manual processes for tasks like warranty claims, recall management, parts ordering, reporting, and inter-departmental communication consume valuable time, increase the risk of errors, and detract from customer-facing activities. Lack of integrated systems leads to duplicate data entry and difficulty achieving a holistic view of operations.

Reducing Burden + ServiceNow

Platform Integration

The core ServiceNow platform connects disparate systems (DMS, ERP, CRM, OEM Portals), creating a single pane of glass for operations and eliminating duplicate data entry. Pre-built connectors can ease integration challenges.

Workflow Automation

Automates cross-departmental processes like warranty claim submission and reimbursement, recall identification and customer outreach, and parts inventory requests, significantly reducing manual paperwork and administrative overhead.

ServiceNow ITSM

Streamlines internal IT support for dealership staff, reducing downtime and ensuring employees have the tools they need, contributing to overall operational efficiency.

OEM-Dealer Collaboration Workflows

Specific capabilities facilitate smoother, automated communication and task management between manufacturers and dealers for vehicle ordering, inventory allocation, warranty processing, and service campaigns.