is an engineering feat itself, so it is imperative for you to be able to sort out the customer’s priorities quickly to determine which unit to sell them based on how the manufacturer has built their unit and how it aligns with the customer’s priorities. Ergonomics is complicated by the fact that only portions of it are actually measurable – the effort needed to push a button, move a dial, or the reach distance required to ad- just something are all easily measured. Some of it is strictly opinion, however, which we know varies a great deal from person to person. Age, physical capabilities, perception, and awareness all impact that opinion as well, and here is how: Age – Well, let’s face it, younger people naturally tend


to enjoy a busier interface, or are more capable of under- standing and interacting with one, than older people. New technology is sometimes lost on a generation that just doesn’t see a need for it – older customers who have done something for a significant amount of time a certain way are less likely to adopt a completely new procedure to accomplish the same task, especially if it’s more complicated or requires more steps. Physical Capabilities – Age


factors in here too, as eyesight and finger dexterity can de- teriorate significantly as the generations get older. The quick reaction needed to look from the road to the radio and back may take a couple tries before they get the information they need to be


able to process what needs to happen next. Older fingers are less sensitive to subtle differences in texture, shape, and placement of small buttons and can frustrate the user if they cannot command the device to do what they want it to do. Perception – Part of the perception of the experience with a device is their overall exposure to things in life; Throngs of younger generation type and text away and are faced with pop-up ads, flashing lights, and accessories and attachments for everything. Some generations just don’t feel comfortable or understand the need for such intense interaction with a device that is just supposed to perform a simple task. My kids love to walk past a radio display with flashing blue backgrounds and crazy graphics stream- ing across the screen, and I admit at one point I did too


– however, driving at night with a carnival-type light show in the center of my dashboard is unnecessary. Awareness – This is the single largest contributor to the opinion portion of the ergonomics equation. If someone doesn’t know how to use something, or is unaware of all the features or benefits a device presents, then their expe- rience will at the very least be subpar, and has the potential to be negative if those features or benefits could be used in a way to improve the experience. So how does all of this pertain to our industry? Almost all vehicle manufacturers today incorporate a large panel as the face of the audio system and other con- trols, and it typically has one or more LCD screens, large knobs, and a pretty apparent clock visible somewhere. It’s simply a matter of opinion on whether that particular car’s ergonomics are pleasing to the masses, but the things I’ve listed are quantifiable items the customer may be inter- ested in maintaining in their new head unit. As an example, take someone who has never had to push buttons on the face of the radio to change the volume – put them in a car with one that only has buttons and watch their reac- tion. Regardless of the features of the radio, their knee-jerk reac- tion is that the radio is going to be harder to use and harder to un- derstand. Most people can adapt pretty quickly, but some cannot, and that can lead to a highly dis- satisfied customer.


My recommendation is to really


dig down into your customer base to look at ages, exposure to new technology, and other tangible things that can affect what they desire in your products. Then modify your sales technique to incorporate questions about their previous ex- perience and all the positives and negatives of it. You won’t be able to completely please everyone, but have a couple options available so you can meet the needs of those cus- tomers that are a little more critical about certain features. Know how to find the clock display on every single radio you have, as it’s typically a tiny button or a menu item, and be able to demonstrate how easy it is to flip to that while driv- ing. Become the expert that you need to be on your product assortment, and provide a concierge-level approach to un- derstanding what the customer desires in the product so you can provide the best solution possible. ■


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