There’s no denying that COVID-19 has made the world we live in feel increasingly uncertain and daunting. Yet, in the midst of this “new normal,” Carvana is doing its part to help alleviate the stress and anxiety of the moment with touchless delivery. The safety and well-being of our customers and Customer Advocates has steadfastly been at the forefront of everything we do as a company, but the trepidation in our local communities in the midst of COVID-19 has pushed Carvana to take even more precautions when it comes to ensuring the health and protection of both the people we serve and our employees in the field.
In many ways, Carvana is uniquely suited to help car buyers find solutions to their car buying apprehension during the COVID-19 crisis. Founded in 2012, Carvana was the first 100% online car retailer, pioneering and perfecting a seamless online car buying experience that completely eliminates the need to step foot inside a dealership and have face-to-face interactions with salespeople and other dealership personnel. This was initially born out of Carvana’s desire to take the pain and hassle out of the traditional car buying process, though in recent weeks, it has also positioned us as the safer way to buy a car.
In addition to enabling customers to browse, buy, finance, sign contracts, and schedule pick-up or delivery from the comfort and safety of their own homes, Carvana is offering touchless delivery, as we recognize the need to provide a safe way to conduct vehicle transactions that provides comfort to our customers without sacrificing a great customer experience.
So what is touchless delivery?
For one, it’s a process that begins with our Customer Advocates being outfitted with personal protective equipment, including – but not limited to – masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, and nitrile gloves. From there, our Advocates take a cautious step-by-step approach to transferring your vehicle purchase into your possession.
- Step 1: A Customer Advocate will ask the customer to send a selfie with their driver’s license information clearly presented.
- Step 2: Once the selfie with the driver’s license is received, our Advocate will then unload the vehicle and cleanse it with a medical-grade sanitizing spray, as well as sanitizing wipes on the vehicle’s keys, shifter, and steering wheel. The Advocate will then tag the car to indicate the date it was sanitized and exit, leaving the vehicle’s paperwork, pen, and keys inside for the customer.
- Step 3: Once the car is ready to go, our Advocate will get into their hauler and give the customer a call to let them know they can come out and take a look at their vehicle purchase before taking it for a brief test drive.
- Step 4: After the customer is finished with their test drive, our Advocate will call them to verbally walk them through signing their registration documents.
- Step 5: Once the paperwork is signed, our Advocate will ask the customer to place the registration envelope, along with any titles or checks if applicable, in a secure spot for them to collect.
- Step 6: If everything is good to go, our Advocate will complete the purchase in our system and give the customer a call to say thanks.
- Step 7: Finally, our Advocate will review the paperwork for accuracy from inside the hauler before returning to our hub.
The process is very similar for Carvana customers who have arranged a sale or trade-in of their vehicle. In those situations, the process is as follows:
- Step 1: To get things started, a Customer Advocate will conduct a pre-call with the customer and ask them to park their trade-in vehicle outside, or in a safe place for the Advocate to access it.
- Step 2: Upon arrival, the Advocate will place the trade/sell paperwork on the vehicle’s windshield, enter their hauler, and alert the customer of their arrival. Our Advocate will ask the customer to come out and leave the title and keys inside the vehicle and to take the paperwork inside their home to sign while they take the vehicle for a test spin.
- Step 3: After our Advocate is done testing the vehicle, they’ll call the customer to confirm the paperwork is signed and address any questions.
- Step: 4: Our Advocate will then ask the customer to place the trade envelope in a secure spot for them to collect.
- Step 5: If everything is good to go, our Advocate will complete the purchase in our system and give the customer a call to say thanks.
- Step 6: Finally, our Advocate will review the paperwork for accuracy from inside the hauler before returning to our hub.
Our goal, at the end of the day, is to provide a quality customer experience for our customers that keeps them and our employees safe and secure. We understand that times are tough and filled with uncertainty and doubt, but it’s important to us that you know that Carvana is dedicated to supporting and standing by our communities – even if it is from a safe distance.
