Ford wants to make getting your car serviced less of an inconvenience with the launch of its new Smart Service Kiosk.
According to Business Insider, Ford created the kiosk in partnership with Panasonic, and it went online in January at Lafontaine Ford in Michigan. It will be there for three months, available at all times for the dealership’s customer base.
The Smart Service Kiosk is similar to the automated checkouts at a grocery store or home improvement store consumers often use to save time. Ford’s version is designed to help its customers get their cars serviced when it’s most convenient for them, being able to schedule, drop off and pick up the car at any time. So if you suddenly remember in the middle of the night that your vehicle is past due for an oil change, no worries.
“The kiosk allows customers to come to the dealership at any time to drop off and pick up their vehicle key or obtain keys to a loaner vehicle, select needed services from a quick-pick menu, and pay for service using a credit or debit card,” Ford said in a statement.
And while some dealers might stress about the lack of interaction with their clients, Ford believes the ease and efficiency of the kiosk can actually boost customer loyalty.
“At Ford, our goal always is to make customers lives better, through both our products and services,” Brad Brownell, the automaker’s Global Distribution Strategy director, said.
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