Car buyers are two-and-a-half times as likely to purchase a car if they have been introduced to a car dealership's manager during their visit to a showroom, JudgeService has revealed.

According to Pauline Wollseifen, head of insight at the automotive insight and review service, analysis of feedback from customers who had been considered ‘lost sales’ showed that while 11.6% of those that have not been introduced to a manager still go on to purchase, 26.9% of those introduced to a manager went on to buy a car.

The findings will appear as part of a Sales and Customer Loyalty whitepaper which is being produced by JudgeService and is due out this autumn.

JudgeService founder, Neil Addley, said: “When I first started in the industry we used to have opportunity to do business (OTDB) logs that had ‘No one walks – must see management” printed boldly on the top. 

“As a trainee I must admit I thought it was a bit ‘Pendle’ at the time, but it turns out customers really value the introduction.”

Insight suggesting that customers value face-to-face contact with senior dealership staff flies in the face of suggestions - like those made by Lynk&Co chief executive Alain Visser earlier this month - that customers want to avoid a traditional showroom experience. 

Addley said that an introduction to dealership management made customers feel “more empowered and important, less fobbed off and more likely to buy”. 

He added: “What they don’t like is when a salesperson keeps on disappearing to see the manager. They much prefer being introduced and involved.”

As well as the importance of management introductions JudgeService’s consumer surveys also revealed that 35% of potential customers recorded as ‘lost sales’ by car retailers remain in the market.

Of those contacted by JudgeService, 11% go on to buy, it said, with many still awaiting information or just waiting for someone hungry for their business.

Addley said: “Whether you choose to take advantage of our lost sales service or not I would 100% recommend you implement management introductions into your business if you aren’t already.  Act today and it’ll help your September order take.”