HR Owen’s Rolls-Royce London luxury car dealership goes virtual

HR Owen’s Rolls-Royce Motor Cars dealership in London has responded to a shift towards remote commissioning of bespoke luxury cars and a virtual showroom experience ahead of a move to its new Mayfair showroom.

Currently situated in a temporary facility in London’s ‘luxury quarter’ the dealership is set to make a move to a new location following a 12-month consultation period with property experts to find a new home.

But growing demand for remote retail experience during the move – and as a result of the COVID-19 crisis – has seen the business adapt to a new digital way of working that will be carried on in the new facility on Berkeley Street when the move is completed.

A statement issued by Roll-Royce Cars said: “The arrival of new Ghost has accelerated the trend of communicating via highly secure digital platforms that respond to the demands of dynamic entrepreneurs attracted to this remarkable new motor car.

“The highly personal bespoke commissioning process, which lies at the heart of nearly every Rolls-Royce motor car, is increasingly being undertaken via encrypted digital messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal.

“Clients unable to participate in face-to-face meetings with the London showroom’s product experts share images and ideas, which are passed to the bespoke collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople at the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex.

“The marque responds with design sketches and material samples, which are couriered to clients for review.”

As part of the remote retail transactions, staff at the Mayfair dealership have also seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of its “virtual showroom” vehicle walkaround service.

In aftersales, meanwhile, HR Owen makes use of communication via Rolls-Royce’s Whispers app, secure digital messaging or telephone, to book-in appointments.

Cars are then collected, serviced, fully detailed and sanitised before being returned.

Julian Jenkins, the regional director for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars UK, Europe, Russia and Central Asia, said: “Rolls-Royce clients do not react to change, they drive it. In this spirit, experts operating from the marque’s showrooms constantly evolve their offering to ensure that they provide the world’s most discerning consumer group with the most relevant services through the very latest communications channels.

“To this end, experts from the marque’s home market flagship dealership, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London, have reacted to several accelerating trends in client behaviour, prompted in part by the arrival of the most advanced Rolls-Royce yet – new Ghost. Indeed, the showroom’s practices reflect a new standard in customer centricity.”