Unacast’s Proximity.Directory Report: Volkswagen and Other Automakers Leveraging Location Data to Better Reach and Engage Consumers in the Real World

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2018 -- Proximity.Directory, the world’s largest directory of proximity companies, has released its Q4 2017 report. The report, which aggregates information from 476 Proximity Solution Providers in 60 different countries, reveals the latest trends, facts and figures from the global proximity industry and its adoption by the automotive industry. The report explores why manufacturers, dealers and other transportation companies turn to location data and proximity technology. This is the 10th edition of the Proximity.Directory Report.

“Many industries have been disrupted by a shift toward online shopping. Automotive, however, is one space where in-person engagement in the showroom plays a crucial role in customer decisions,” said Thomas Walle, CEO and co-founder of Unacast, the creators of Proximity.Directory. “This situation creates many opportunities to build long-term relationships with customers, but not many market players in the automotive industry recognize the potential. This report shows how analyzing location data, communicating with current and potential clients through mobile apps, and offering additional services at the right place and time can drive revenues and customer loyalty in the automotive industry.”

The Q4 Proximity.Directory Report found that location data and technology make it possible to minimize high auto sales and distribution costs, while also increasing capital returns and driving customer loyalty. Meanwhile, car makers and component suppliers that implement location tracking solutions for inventory management can save tens of millions of dollars each year on audits, control, and eliminate inventory losses.

The report also shows room for improvement in positioning car dealerships based on demographic and location trends, which can help optimize expenses related to facility management. Moreover, location data and technology allow auto makers and dealers to choose the right mix of omnichannel marketing and target customers more effectively.

Case Study Summaries:
One20, an on-the-road companion app for truck drivers, worked with PlotProjects to improve the life of American truckers on the road and help them save money. Driver-sourced information is an important part of ONE20’s service. For this reason, they want truckers to use their app more often and share more information with the trucking community. Using Plot Projects’ location data, the app reminds truckers to rate the parking availability upon the arrival to their everyday stops. Without these location-based notifications, drivers forget to use the app. Since ONE20 started using Plot Projects, they saw a 500% increase in parking status update, helping drivers to plan their trips better

In the United Kingdom, Autoline Insurance Group wanted to monitor the behavior of their clients on the road and record how well they drive, with the objective of rewarding the driver with lower premiums. They turned to Accent Systems’ iBKS beacons to track all insured drivers’ journeys. Beacons are placed in each car and, paired with the ChilliDrive app, they monitor the behavior of drivers in the road. With more than 3,750 beacons spread around cars in the UK, Autoline can now offer more accurate insurance premiums for both the drivers and themselves as the insurer.

When Volkswagen wanted to attract Turkish drivers to test drive its new Amarok model, it turned to Turkcell, the largest mobile operator in Turkey, and Poi Labs, the makers of the ibeacon SDK. Volkswagen inserted a large billboard inside a mall and beacons were installed around it. When potential customers passed by the billboard, they got an IVR call from the “car,” providing more information about itself. At the end of the call, customers were invited to the parking area to see and test drive the car. As a result, 43% of the customers accepted the test drive.

About Proximity.Directory
Proximity.Directory is the world’s largest directory of proximity companies. Recently rebranded from Proxbook to open up the platform to a wider audience and companies, Proximity.Directory has shifted from a technology-specific proximity focus toward the deterministic location story. There are other analytics/hardware/software companies out there that are not focused on NFC, Wi-Fi or Beacons, but still able to solve location through deterministic context. As of today we encourage all of these companies to sign up to the directory for free and start showcasing their products.

About Unacast
Unacast is the leading transparent, contextualized location data platform. We aim to empower companies and individuals by providing the most accurate understanding of human activity in the real world. Unacast empowers the next generation of data-driven industries with unique and highly accurate data sets and insights, built on a foundation of double-deterministic™ location data from our proprietary Real World Graph®.

Unacast, founded in Oslo, Norway and now headquartered in NYC, was founded by Thomas Walle and Kjartan Slette, who were also part of the founding team behind TIDAL, the music streaming company acquired by Jay-Z. Unacast has garnered multiple awards for its platform, campaigns and for its company culture, including Best New Company at the Nordic Startup Awards. Inc. Magazine has called Unacast “The Startup That Just Might Threaten Google.

Contact:
Rich Cherecwich
WIT Strategy for Unacast
[email protected]