Renault has awarded seven of its UK retailers with a Dealer of Excellence award after it commissioned JD Power to measure its network's customer service performance.
Mini has said 25% of owners are leaving the franchised network to go to an independent for servicing despite having already paid for a service plan.
Mini UK has launched an online store on eBay which will let customers buy parts and accessories.
Franchised dealers have reduced the average price gap between franchised and non-franchised dealerships for servicing and maintenance from 83% in 2006 down to 44.9% in 2014, according to figures from Warranty Direct.
HR Owen’s Jack Barclay Bentley Service Centre has been awarded the Royal Warrant for the service and repair of motor vehicles to the Queen.
Audi is offering private customers free MoT tests for life at its UK dealerships when they replace their cam belt.
Regulatory body Motor Codes has launched the Vehicle Warranty Products code of practice, a set of customer service guidelines for buyers of car warranties approved by the Trading Standards Institute.
The East Midlands has the highest demand for new service plan customers, according to a new survey by GForces.
Motor Codes, the Trading Standards-approved garage network, opens its Garage of the Year competition today.
Expert speakers at this year’s AM Aftersales Conference explain ways franchised dealers can make their workshops more efficient, broaden their customer base and deliver a great experience, physically and digitally, that will encourage loyalty and repeat business.
To gain a true picture of an individual customer and to maximise response rates to communications, dealers need to combine a variety of data sources, including the manufacturers’ information, according to a workshop led by Eclipse Marketing’s client services director Barry Nielsen.
Franchised dealers should widen their servicing net to other brands as all manufacturers make their technical information available, says Malcolm Rixon, Autodata technical liaison and licensing manager.
The increasing presence of a more professional independent sector will help raise the perception of automotive retail as a whole, according to the Independent Garage Association (IGA).
Ridgeway aftersales director Richard Spencer and Alistair Horsburgh, chief executive of CitNow, outlined how video increased the numbers of customers approving urgent service and repair jobs.
Nissan has launched tis Nissan Service Care fixed price service and parts package on certain new and used models across its dealer network in the UK.
Dealers can take on the fast-fit chains, GForces’ head of retail Paul Hilton told a workshop on marketing and selling aftersales products and services online.
Technology will continue to transform servicing departments in the automotive retail sector and dealers should not underestimate its impact, according to Dr Martin Leach, Magma Group chairman.
Moving on from manual aftersales systems is paying off for some car dealers and their customers.
Hyundai now enjoys a 3% market share - aftersales director Nick Tunnell said retaining its customers through aftersales was identified as imperative if it was to achieve its volume aspirations.
Daily targets and a focus on every individual have driven Rybrook Warwick BMW, the AM Awards winner for Excellence in Aftersales, to global success.
