Tech

In his recently released Global Talent Trends Report, LinkedIn outlines four trends for the workplace in 2019: flexible working, transparency in salaries, soft skills, and better protection against harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

The four trends are based on a survey of more than 5,000 human resources managers worldwide compared with LinkedIn analytics. 9 out of 10 staff consider soft skills as important, if not more important, than hard skills. A large proportion (87 percent) of companies now offer flexible work and comparatively few German HR professionals see salary transparency and better protection against harassment and discrimination in the workplace as trend topics.

“We are experiencing a changing world of work,” says Barbara Wittmann, Member of the Executive Board of LinkedIn DACH. “The changes are driven by different factors. Flexible working, for example, involves a growing need for a self-determined lifestyle, and technical developments that make concepts such as remote working possible in the first place. Other trends have a political background: the debate on harassment and discrimination in the workplace, for example, is strongly driven by #MeToo and other movements. For employers who want to succeed in the fight for the best talent, it is important that they recognize these trends in a timely manner. “

1. Flexible working is the new standard

According to LinkedIn, more and more applicants are explicitly looking for employers who offer flexible work models. Companies are reacting to this demand and are increasingly pointing out the corresponding regulations in their job vacancies – since 2016, there has been an increase of 78 per cent in job advertisements explicitly mentioning flexible working. In addition, the majority of HR professionals (87 percent) state that their company now offers flexible work. However, there are significant differences between the individual sectors. In the software industry, 72 percent of companies implement corresponding models, in the manufacturing industry, however, there are only 43 percent.

Most importantly, flexible working seems to be the Northern Europeans. Eighty-five percent of HR managers surveyed here state that offering such work models is very important when it comes to attracting new employees. In Germany, as in the US and Great Britain, 75 percent agree with this statement. China is in the bottom of the survey with just 52 percent.

2 Salaries become transparent

More and more companies are changing their strategy. Twenty-seven percent of the world already informs their employees and applicants about salary ranges, and 22 percent see at least a certain likelihood that they will start over the next five years. However, German HR managers attach the least importance to salary transparency in international comparison. 52 percent of the US, 50 percent of the French and 50 percent of British HR think the topic is an important trend – in Germany it is only 34 percent.

3 New focus on soft skills

Soft skills are gaining relevance. 80 per cent of the surveyed personnel attribute to them a growing importance for the company’s success. And 92 percent believe that soft skills are just as important or even more important than hard skills. The following skills are particularly important to employers worldwide.

• creativity
• persuasiveness
• Teamwork
• flexibility
• time management

However, while the hard skills of applicants can be verified by means of certificates, certificates or employment tests, the assessment of soft skills often lacks a structured approach. 68 per cent of the staff members mainly rely on the impressions collected in the interview. Only 41 percent rate soft skills as part of a fixed process. There is still some catching up to do here.

4. Better protection against harassment and discrimination in the workplace

Unfortunately, harassment and discrimination in the workplace occur in all sectors and at all hierarchical levels. However, the problem awareness of many employers and employees is still growing. Eighty percent of HR professionals say their company has taken preventive measures recently. And 75 percent state that people are behaving differently in dealing with this issue today than they were two years ago. An international comparison shows that continental European human resources managers are less likely to have the topic on the agenda than their colleagues from other parts of the world. In India, 87 percent of HR professionals consider the implementation of anti-harassment and discrimination measures as an important trend, in Australia it is 76 percent and in the US 74 percent. In Germany, on the other hand, only 47 percent, in France 54 percent and in Italy 57 percent of this opinion.

With the increasing digitization in the automotive trade, the behavior of buyers and prospects has changed. Car dealerships should adapt to this with their lead management process and act accordingly.

Around 80 percent of customer interactions in sales today come about virtually. Italy, France, Spain, England or Germany – everywhere there is a second wave of digitization. Despite websites, online marketing and lead management systems often lack the performance orientation. However, Germany is less advanced in parts than other markets.

Digitalization fulfills no end in itself. It helps to meet customer needs and thereby sell more cars or more service. MotorK is not about implementing only digital solutions. But with the dealership to work out solutions that benefit him the most. Improved features of the products are continuously updated. This whole process takes place with a very personal support.

The basis for this is the successful “Digital Dealership” concept by MotorK founder Marco Marlia, with which successive processes and tools are being implemented. In particular, these increase awareness of the company through online channels and the conversion of leads into financial statements. The core pillars of a tailor-made concept are a lead-optimized website that pushes the interaction, and measurable, digitized lead management for a consistent follow-up process in customer relationship management.

The way to the digital car dealership

A prerequisite for a successful digital strategy is the analysis of the current state and the requirements of digital touchpoints, employees, processes and existing tools. What are the individual requirements? Where are the priorities? Which functionalities and interfaces are required? On this basis, a tailor-made digital strategy is developed for each individual customer. The basis of this comprehensive package of measures is the “DealerK” method developed by MotorK. The overall concept is mostly based on four pillars – a new website, the lead management system “LeadSparK”, online marketing and accompanying coaching. The scope and characteristics are different.

More Sales – New Website Pushes Interaction

A website now has every company and often this is also nice to look at. But traders are not about winning awards. They want to sell cars and services. A website is a distribution channel. Important for the increase of the business are however extensive possibilities of the interaction for the customer as well as lead generation. Contact forms and effective call-to-actions should help the customer to contact the dealer.

For example, a new car configurator can be fully integrated into the website. The customer can put together his dream car on the dealer’s site and contact the dealer directly with inquiries. Configurations can be shared via social media and messenger services, and ratings can be evaluated. The whole thing can be supplemented by a financial calculator. New lead opportunities are also provided by a free evaluation service. Thanks to the integration into the Infocar, Eurotax, Autouncle, Autobiz and Indicata systems, only a few details are required so that the customer can receive a free quote for their used car.

Optimal lead management

The A & O is now a consistent follow-up process for customer relationship and lead management. The implementation of the LeadSparK system guarantees holistic support, timely follow-up and optimal controlling in sales. The complete sales and after-sales process from receipt of the lead to completion can be managed centrally. Individual processes for measurable, successful lead management up to the time of purchase or further workshop visits can be defined and established in detail. In addition, the development of important key figures is measured and documented.

After the sale is before the sale
Furthermore, MotorK helps with its DealerK method to improve the approach of prospects and customers in marketing. The dealer can access automated processes for optimized marketing activities. Landing pages are designed and online marketing campaigns are individualized. A smart appointment is possible via an appropriate contact form. Here, the customer selects his preferred day and time for an appointment. To confirm the appointment, the dealer then contacts the customer. In a further step, an additional customer app can be implemented. This increases the customer interaction for services and services: For example, the customer receives information about his vehicle, its maintenance and is notified about upcoming maintenance appointments. Increasing customer satisfaction and acquiring new customers is of key importance for long-term business success.

Support by specialized service providers

The company MotorK supports the automotive trade on the complete path to digitization with consulting and its own cloud-based software solutions (SaaS), which enables a fast time-to-market. But here the customer does not just invest in a new website, but in a complete software package. The focus is on end-to-end sales support. MotorK helps lead generation and online marketing to attract new customers to the dealership, assisting lead management with coaching and tools to best “convert” that lead to the buyer, and provides all the digital touch points that a customer needs until the purchase and beyond with the dealership has. Be it a website, a shop, a configurator, a chat, a used car platform or an app. Its customers include car dealerships with only one or two locations, such as Penske sports cars in Hamburg, but also larger units such as the Ruhr dike group with 22 locations.