CES 2018 - LAS VEGAS, NV – January 8, 2018 – HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, and Samsung SDS, a global software solutions and IT services company, today announced plans to jointly market the Samsung Nexshop Automotive Retail Suite, a solution that provides customized dealership experiences for consumers worldwide.

HARMAN is well-known as the technology partner of choice to global automakers, providing integrated Connected Car solutions, car audio and sound management solutions, and cloud services for every class of vehicle in every market around the world. In addition, the company’s heritage in professional solutions ranges from stadiums and arenas to government and academic campuses to religious and corporate complexes. With a commitment to designing and delivering elevated, personalized experiences across the entire connected life, HARMAN now will add to its automotive offerings the Samsung Nexshop Automotive Retail Suite, already deployed in more than 350 dealerships. The Nexshop Automotive Retail Suite ensures that personalized information will be delivered to both the consumer and the dealership using interactive screens and virtual reality throughout the buying process—from the moment a consumer checks-in inside the dealership. As an analytics-powered retail solution based on consumer, product and promotional data from various sources, the Nexshop Automotive Retail Suite raises the customer experience to a premium level.

“In the showcase done with Samsung SDS, Nexshop has provided an unprecedented retail experience that could be implemented in our dealerships and that truly enables a unique customer journey from the moment the customer walks into the store,” said Michele Fuhs, head of premium retail experience at BMW. “At BMW, we’re focused on delivering exceptional experiences to our customers, and Nexshop seems to be able to take our showroom operations to the next level.”

In addition to joint marketing and sales activities, HARMAN and Samsung SDS will combine Nexshop with the HARMAN Ignite automotive cloud platform enabling dealerships to continuously add more services to Nexshop, including the ability to capture data from a customer’s online research for a car into the overall purchasing experience.

"Together, HARMAN and Samsung SDS are creating immersive experiences in mobility, from home to work to car and everywhere in between. In automotive in particular, we see a tremendous opportunity to leverage digital innovations to elevate the user experience and the relationship between the driver, the car and, importantly, the carmaker, which includes its dealers,” said Sandip Ranjhan, senior vice president, automotive strategic business unit, HARMAN Connected Services.  “With the Nexshop solution, automotive dealerships can create meaningful and dynamic interactions with their customers in the showroom, enhancing service, creating new revenue streams and building even stronger brand and customer loyalty,”

Key features of the new solution include:

  • A Unique Customer Identifier, which recognizes the customer and displays personalized content based on his/her characteristics, and/or from data generated in previous interactions at the dealership.
  • Digital Experience technology that allow customers to freely browse and configure vehicles. All interaction data and preference information is saved for consultation with a Dealership Sales Representative.
  • Virtual reality experiences for models not yet showcased in the dealership. Customers can virtually configure various physical car features including trim details, interior colors, dashboards and wheel designs.
  • A Personalized Digital Catalog allowing customers to revisit the dealership experience on his or her smartphone at any time inside the showroom or at any other location outside the store.
  • Behavior Sensing technology that collects and analyzes preference data from in-store customers. Retailers can allocate staff more strategically and confirm effectiveness of marketing efforts.

HARMAN at CES 2018

Visit the HARMAN showcase during CES 2018 for demonstrations of the company’s full portfolio of connected car and lifestyle audio systems that enable the connected life. The HARMAN experience showcase is located at the Hard Rock Hotel.  Follow HARMAN online during CES 2018:

ABOUT HARMAN

HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things.  With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 50 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In March 2017, HARMAN became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.