Kia has partnered with conversational commerce service Gubagoo to add another tool to its digital marketing program for Kia dealers.

Gubagoo specializes in digital retail tools that allow auto shoppers to page inventory on dealer websites and chat with dealers. Chat themes, colors, fonts, scripts, images, messages, and location elements are among the customizable components.

But with Gubagoo, recently acquired by Reynolds & Reynolds, non-Kia dealers don’t have to rely on OEMs to bolster their own marketing and customer service. Jeff Vaughn, Chief Marketing Officer of Cable Dahmer Automotive Group in Kansas City, Missouri, has adopted Gubagoo for his group’s seven stores and five OEM franchises.

“This allows us to connect the front-end consumer experience[and]them to the deeper experience and applications that Reynolds has in actually making deals and closing deals … the consumer front-end. And we can bring the best to the dealers backend,” Vaughn tells Wards.

“So we’re now trying to really deliver the whole e-commerce experience through every part of the dealership, every part of the consumer experience, dealers, other deep integrations with the service, access to chat, etc. ’” says Vaughan.

Another great feature is that buyers can connect with real reseller representatives 24/7. Gubagoo staff are trained for specific manufacturers and dealers and are available after hours for inquiries. Also, when dealer staff take the lead in chat, Gubagoo staff can casually participate in the discussion and relay relevant information to the dealer.

Gubagoo’s history dates back to about a decade ago, when its founders realized that a dealer’s website required customers to fill out a form to initiate contact. As technology developed, the founder introduced a customized chat greeting his message based on customer interests.

“So instead of saying, ‘How can I help you? “When we launched with early dealers, it had an immediate impact… impacting the revenue of lead conversions to dealers and skyrocketing from there.”

As trading customer preferences switched to more online interactions, the company expanded its offerings to meet that need. A variety of customization options are now available for dealer and brand experiences.

“One of the things that car dealers are very particular about is how they want their customer’s experience to be,” says Osten. “Our chat scripts are customizable, our messages are customizable, our responses to our customers are customizable. I did.”

That customization is what makes Vaughan so highly rated for its service.

“What we love is that consumers can start chatting and everything can tie into the online retail side,” he says. …you are on the chat side of the conversation.”

“They really know our cars,” says Gubagoo staffer Vaughn. “They are automotive-focused people, and the chat quality is much higher than our previous provider.”

Kia dealers who have adopted Gubagoo’s website chat can access chat on Kia.com to monitor and access those interactions. The conversation is seamless, says a Kia rep.

Kia dealers who do not use Gubagoo as their chat provider can access Gubagoo via the GLive portal. This allows you to monitor and access dealer chats initiated on Kia.com.

Kia merchants who currently use Gubagoo as their website’s chat provider have a bonus. Chat with customers who come through Kia.com just like you would on your website.