The Sound of Music

Today in training, I was asked for my thoughts regarding background music in showrooms. I've been in dealerships with background music and dealerships without background music, and I have noticed the difference. For example, in one large prestige dealership, I observed and measured some differences ( with and without music ) over several weekends. When clients entered the dealership when there was no background music, they appeared more tentative, were noticeably quieter when they spoke ( perhaps they were reluctant to break the silence ) and they had a shorter average visit time in the dealership.

When we open for business, we invite our clients into our dealerships. We'd prefer our clients to feel comfortable visiting our business. Many dealerships invest extensively to enhance their customers' comfort. Some examples include: clean modern premises premises; plentiful parking; food and beverages; evidence manuals; audio-visual displays; and trained, professional staff.

It's been revealed in studies that a person's heart rate tends to moderately follow the tempo of music. Generally, heart rate increases in response to faster music and heart rate decreases in response to slower music. It has also been noted that heart rate increases with slower music if the listener has previously had an emotional connection to the music.

So in response to the salespeople who today asked me why techno music might be less appropriate in a prestige vehicle showroom ( during business hours! ), slower tempo music is more likely to reduce the heart rate for your clients. This is simply another way to help your clients feel a bit more comfortable when they visit your showroom.

If you'd like some more ideas and information on the effects of music ( and other sounds ) in your showroom, please contact me via our Contact page.