Vertu Motors renews partnership with SecretService

Vertu Motors has renewed its partnership with online aftersales booking platform SecretService (powered by BookMyGarage).

David Crane, Vertu Motors chief operations officer (pictured), said the decision to renew was based on the platform’s ability to help the group reach conquest, brand related customers, who want to book at short notice or find last minute cancelled slots that become available.

Crane said: “The partnership has enabled us to reconnect with these drivers who have realised we offer a winning combination of excellent service, highly trained technicians and competitive prices - together with the confidence of a brand name.

“A significant number of customers who have come to us via the SecretService platform have remained loyal to their respective dealerships, with many now booking direct.

“However, our ongoing relationship with SecretService is an important part of our customer conquest activity.”

SecretService generates an average of 1,000 aftersales retail customers each month across the Vertu group.

Vertu and SecretService first started working together back in 2019 in order to boost its aftersales bookings among hard-to-reach motorists of older vehicles, who typically shun the franchised network having often migrated to ‘fast fits’.

BookMyGarage CEO Douglas Rotberg said (pictured left): “Our platform has helped to drive incremental business to the Vertu network, but it is the group’s customer-centric culture, commitment to providing the very best service, and the professionalism and expertise of its teams that sees customers return to their businesses time and again.”

Data from BookMyGarage and SecretService reveals there is a specific segment of drivers, typically driving vehicles aged six-nine-years, who would prefer a main dealer, but shop around online to find the best price and it is these customers who tend to book through SecretService.

Rotberg added: “Contrary to popular belief, the incremental customers SecretService drive into the franchised network are from brand but also cost-conscious motorists.

“It is these hard-to-find customers who have switched to well-known fast fit names for their aftersales requirements who we are enticing back into franchised dealerships.”