Mumbai, Jul 8 (PTI) Tech-enabled open expert network SpeakIn, in association with the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), will launch its 'Master Class' programme pan-India on July 14 with an aim to build and upgrade digital skills of automotive dealers and their employees.

The initiative comes at a time when automakers are getting into digital retailing of vehicles in the wake of social distancing and travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Master Class programme is a flagship programme from the SpeakIn content platform. The ten modules are mapped alongside the customer life-cycle as it happens, a release said on Wednesday.

Across the board, there are contours of advertising, search engine optimization, building online presence, content and mobile marketing, among others, it added.

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"During COVID-19 we launched four courses which have been well received. It started with dealership sales executives then it went up to service technicians and tele-callers. More than 12,000 registration and more than 4,000 people already got certification," ASDC Chairman Nikunj Sanghi said.

"When it comes to the economy opening up it is important that we enable the entire dealer sales force in making them first aware of what is important in digital and get the best of the people in the industry to guide them," he added.

COVID-19 has changed the entire game and it appears that we have more digital than a physical relationship with customers, Sanghi said.

The aim of the programme is to hear insights of experts on the impending digital transformation journey of the automotive retail business and the advantages, opportunities and possible challenges the sector can foresee, SpeakIn Managing Partner Deepshikha Kumar said.

Through the program, SpeakIn will be looking at building digital competence within the dealership which can add and aid the existing brick and mortar on ground sale.

The programme is spread over three weeks and SpeakIn industry experts will align with the theoretical part of the entire module, she added.

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