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  Subaru Australia spokesman Nick Senior says the iPhone and Subaru TV initiative is part of 'All 4 the Driver' - a larger focus on improving the customer experience. Photo Gallery

Showrooms are becoming screen stars at Subaru, with a dedicated TV channel and an army of sales staff equipped with iPhone apps that showcase vehicle features.

The specially developed apps will play video and animations to demonstrate mechanical packages, safety equipment and a host of other details.  The iPhones will also be able to transmit and play the apps on the larger format of any nearby 'Subaru TV' screens. 

While geeks might argue that the iPhone is about to be upstaged by the just-released - and larger - iPad, Subaru managing director Nick Senior says the phone's smaller screen is what makes it ideal. 

"We like the portability of the iPhone, because you tend to carry your phone everywhere.  Within the showroom it gives a salesperson the opportunity to demonstrate Subaru's features, and when the showroom closes it is still with them."However the iPad is one of the things that down the line we can certainly look at." 

Senior says the iPhone and Subaru TV initiative is part of 'All 4 the Driver' - a larger focus on improving the customer experience.  "For example, we're introducing Drive It Your Way, which gives customers much more flexibility in test driving our cars," he says.

"Our retailers will be offering specific, mapped drive programs. In some cases, for added convenience, some retailers will also be offering overnight drives or the opportunity to have a car delivered to a customer's preferred address. 

"Another example of All 4 the Driver in action will be the simplified, plain English billing that customers will see when getting their car serviced.  We won't confuse with technical terms, code numbers and jargon. The idea is to be as transparent as possible in all our communications, both written and verbal."

Senior says about 2000 Subaru Australia and showroom staff have already attended All 4 the Driver training programs, and elements will rolled out over the rest of this year.
 
"It's an entire philosophy that we are rolling out, with the clear aim of ensuring a culture that's united in its passion for putting customers first," Senior says.