Consumers expect dealers to respond to their first enquiry within an hour, with some wanting it be under 30 minutes.

Showroom management system provider Dealerweb got the responses in a poll of 1,000 UK motorists, quizzing them on their expectations of the vehicle buying process.

When making an online enquiry, the findings suggested that 49% of buyers expect a response from a dealer within one hour. Half of these – 25% of all vehicle buyers – expect the dealer to respond in under 30 minutes.

The research also found that more than a third of prospective customers (34%) would take their enquiry elsewhere if the dealer didn’t respond in under four hours.

And 10% would take their custom elsewhere after just one hour without a response.

James Hill, Dealerweb sales operations director, said: “A swift response says a lot about the business, especially if it is personalised, content-rich and engaging.

“It provokes a positive reaction toward the retailer and maximises the chance of converting a leads into sales. We’ve developed React to help dealers stand apart from their competition and make the most of the growing online opportunity.”

The volume of web leads generated by UK motorists continues to rise each year.

In 2016, Dealerweb data from volume- and premium-brand dealers across the UK shows that leads from online sources has increased by 35% compared to 2015.