Want happier customers? JudgeService identifies what is the key driver

Dealerships that routinely offer test drives and follow up with buyers see a major boost in customer satisfaction, according to new research from JudgeService.

A study of over 436,100 customer questionnaires found that offering opportunities to get behind the wheel drives the biggest satisfaction increase - up 45% to 81%. Dealers who follow up with customers post-purchase see satisfaction jump 41% to 87%.

Another key factor? Sales staff who introduce buyers to a manager see customer satisfaction climb 24% to 90%. In contrast, dealerships that skip these steps are far less likely to earn customer recommendations.

“Test drives sell cars. They always have and always will,” said Neil Addley, managing director of JudgeService, who stresses that consistently delivering these key steps can significantly impact both sales and customer loyalty.

“Post-Covid some salespeople had got used to unaccompanied test drives and this caused a bit of a malaise in the sales process,” he said.

“Likewise introducing customers to showroom managers helps build relationships and trust. While contacting buyers after they’ve made a purchase makes them feel valued and provides an opportunity to address any issues that may have arisen during their first weeks of ownership.

“In a challenging retail environment successfully executed sales processes deliver incremental gains in terms of sales and customer satisfaction,” said Addley.