Authors: Nandan Pari, Rachana D
Abstract: The automobile industry has become highly competitive with increasing use of digital marketing and customer relationship management strategies. This study examines which marketing approaches work best for automobile dealerships, specifically focusing on selected automobile dealerships in Karnataka. A survey was conducted among 60 respondents using a 30-item questionnaire covering three areas: traditional marketing impact, digital marketing effectiveness, and CRM performance. Results show that customers generally agree all three strategies work (scores above 4 out of 5). However, regression analysis revealed that CRM effectiveness is the strongest predictor of purchase intention (β = 1.038, p < 0.001). Age significantly affects digital marketing influence, with younger customers (18-35 years) scoring 4.80 compared to seniors scoring 2.10. Females value CRM more than males (4.58 vs 4.07). The study recommends focusing on CRM improvements, age-based marketing segmentation, and reducing celebrity endorsements which scored lowest (3.40).
