Mercedes-Benz Financial Services launched an update to its consumer mobile app on Nov. 14, which extends various toolsets for customers to use throughout the research, finance, and car-buying process, said Johan Swart, the captive’s vice president and chief information officer.
The enhancements include the addition of biometrics — where customers can use their thumbprint to log onto the app — and the ability for customers to take a picture of their driver’s license to automatically input their information into their credit application without having to type it manually, Swart told Auto Finance News.
“Another really great tool we added for the customer is the ability to do more research around the finance products,” he said. Customers often feel unprepared going into a dealership — they don’t know what to ask, he said.
In response, MBFS launched a “research assistant” within its app, to help guide the customer through the whole journey of the finance process, he added.
The primary reason for the mobile app upgrades is to increase customer convenience, Swart said. “We actually reached out and got customers involved in the process,” he said, “and they steered the direction of what tools they use and how they use it.”