The Automotive Cancer: When Process Kills Connections
By Percy Fick| Observations from the Field
I’ve spent the last five years as a freelance consultant, and the 23 years before that living and breathing the automotive industry across Africa, the Middle East, India, and Asia—partnering with brands that range from value-focused to ultra-luxury. From the humble charm of first-time buyer showrooms to the meticulous elegance of luxury lounges, I’ve witnessed a recurring pattern: they all suffer from the same underlying issue.
A few weeks ago, I observed a dealership again, something I often do through the lens of Genchi Genbutsu—the Japanese philosophy of “go and see.” At 7:30 a.m., I quietly settled into the aftersales customer lounge, not as a consultant or mystery shopper, but as a silent observer—hoping to feel what customers feel, see what leaders miss, and listen between the lines of the daily dealership buzz.
What I witnessed left me unsettled.
For ten minutes, no one noticed me. Eventually, someone broke the silence with a dry “Yes?”—not even a complete sentence, just a sound that felt more like a speed bump than a welcome mat. I replied that I was waiting for someone. That was the end of the interaction.
But the real problem wasn’t that someone was ignored—it was that everyone else was, too.
I watched frontline staff, likely under immense pressure, over engineering their day, clinging to schedules, system-generated printouts, and checklists. Somewhere in the blur of productivity, customers sat unattended. Some looked at their watches. Others stared blankly. All were waiting for more than just service. They were waiting for care.
The Hidden Disease of the Industry
What I observed wasn’t bad service. It wasn’t incompetence. It wasn’t laziness. It was what I’ve come to call the automotive cancer—the well-meaning overemphasis on operational efficiency at the cost of emotional intelligence.
This cancer hides behind the process.
It disguises itself as a CRM follow-up, a timestamp, and a closed work order. It thrives in environments where metrics are more important than moments, where “on-time delivery” becomes more valuable than human connection, and where a smile is not part of the KPI.
The most dangerous part? This cancer isn’t visible in the data. It only shows up in the customer’s silence, the unreturned calls, and the lost loyalty.
It’s the same in India as it is in Dubai. I’ve seen it in Malaysia, Indonesia, South Africa, and India. I’ve seen it at both ends—from entry-level brands fighting for volumes to luxury marques promising “bespoke” service. Process obsession is the common thread. Emotional absence is the side effect.
Why Emotion Matters in Automotive
Extensive research by the Harvard Business Review shows that emotionally connected customers are more than twice as valuable as delighted customers. When someone buys a car, they’re not just purchasing metal and horsepower—they’re buying into identity, aspiration, safety, pride, and sometimes childhood dreams.
A study by Capgemini found that 70% of automotive consumers are emotionally attached to their vehicles, and that attachment extends to how the brand treats them. When the experience lacks empathy, the emotional value begins to erode.
Research from the Journal of Consumer Research shows that emotional responses to brand experiences have a far greater influence on loyalty than cognitive assessments like price or quality. People remember how you made them feel, not just what you gave them.
Sales Isn’t Immune Either
I’ve also seen it on sales floors: profiling based on accent, clothing, or skin tone, assuming affordability, prioritising “hot leads” over real people, and, worst of all, selling aspirations to the wrong person to meet a target.
Often customer are profiled in such manner that the these customers walk out not even buying your brand. I see this very often across sales areas and the root of it is often based on not understanding culture and generational exceptations. There is a deep fundamental floor of judgement that needs to be removed from sales consultant minds.
The Aftersales and Sales Gap
Let me share a personal experience—recently, I tried to renew my Honda service contract in South Africa. After six calls, visiting the Dealer Principal, speaking to the F&I manager and after multiple promises, I’m still waiting for someone to reply. But days later, I received numerous sales calls to upsell me a model I wasn’t interested in nor could afford.
There was no curiosity about my actual need—just assumption and pressure. This isn’t sales. It’s misaligned intent. It was more important to sell a car than sell me the experience that I asked for. The reality that if the service was good, I might have even considered upgrading my vehicle, but they lost a major opportunity. See, where profit is king, the customer will become the victim of the dealerships over engineered facilities, processes and inability to unite as one team.
Knowing Your Customer’s “Coffee”
I often use “Know your customer’s coffee” when discussing true customer-centricity.
It’s my way of describing the importance of capturing phygital preferences—those unique expectations that blend the physical and digital touch-points in a relationship.
When I owned a MINI, every service visit began with a latte, just as I liked it, topped with a MINI logo. I never had to ask. They remembered. That wasn’t just a coffee—it was a connection. It said, “We see you, know you, and value you.”
That kind of awareness doesn’t happen by accident—it happens through culture, data, and the courage to slow down long enough to care.
How AI Can Help Heal the Disconnect
Technology isn’t the problem. Used intentionally, it’s part of the cure.
Today, AI-powered tools can do more than track tasks—they can interpret tone, detect frustration, and map emotional temperature across the customer journey. From CRM to showroom, chatbot to aftersales lounge, we can feel the customer’s experience in real time.
Imagine mood-mapping energy states across a dealership—identifying tension build-up, stagnation, and disengagement zones and pairing customers with the most emotionally attuned consultant based on vocal tone, previous interactions, or sentiment analysis.
When I recently bought my Suzuki Swift, the chatbot responded within 60 seconds of submitting my online form. That moment mattered. It set the tone for a brilliant experience. It showed me that someone was ready. It showed me that I mattered.
During the next week, we will raise topics on how AI supports:
- Emotional Intelligence Tracking (Sentiment and Tone Analysis)
- Mood and Energy Mapping in Physical Dealerships
- AI-Powered CRM for Personalised Communication and Offers
- Real-Time Customer Feedback and Experience Analytics
- Voice Recognition and Emotional Profiling for Service/Sales Matching
- Omnichannel Tools: Remembering “Phygital” Preferences
- Emerging Trends and Innovations
So, How Do We Treat the Cancer?
Healing this disease requires both clinical precision and emotional courage.
Here are a few ways we can begin:
- Re-prioritise Empathy over Efficiency
Customer-facing staff need time and training to reconnect emotionally. Not every customer wants speed—most want to feel seen, heard, and valued.
- Reward Emotional Intelligence, Not Just Targets
Make kindness and listening part of your performance metrics. Celebrate moments of unexpected care. Track NPS and mystery shopping, yes—but also measure humanity.
- Break the Profile Habit
Train teams to suspend judgment. Everyone deserves to experience the brand without being pre-qualified for value. Authentic luxury is inclusive, not selective.
- Empower Frontline Voices
Too often, receptionists and advisors carry the heaviest load but have the least influence. Let their insights inform processes, and give them autonomy to surprise and delight.
- Revisit the 360° Customer View
An accurate customer-centric model considers the customer’s journey before, during, and after the transaction. One broken link, like an ignored service contract renewal, unravels the entire relationship.
- Bring Leadership to the Floor
Executives, grab a coffee and sit in the lounge at 7:30 a.m. Sit in silence. Watch what I saw. Feel what your customers feel. That’s where change begins.
The Final Thought: It’s Not All Broken
This article isn’t a condemnation of an industry I love. It’s a plea for rediscovery.
I have met some of the most extraordinary people in automotive—technicians who treat every vehicle like it’s their own, advisors who remember names, and leaders who walk the floor not to be seen but to be seen.
This cancer is curable. But we have to catch it early. And we have to be brave enough to look in the mirror. We need to shift from not only customer centricity but also to customer sensitivity.
The future of automotive isn’t faster. It’s more human.
Let’s drive toward that.
Percy Fick
Chief Visionary Officer | Evolve Consulting Services
Evolve with Purpose | Empower through People
Research Sources Cited:
Journal of Consumer Research (2014): Emotions in Decision-Making and Loyalty
Harvard Business Review (2016): The New Science of Customer Emotions
Capgemini Research Institute (2021): The Automotive Customer Experience Imperative