To win back work from independents, dealers should do everything to focus consumers' minds on expertise rather than expense.
Dealers have long been reliant on word of mouth and brand loyalty for sales, and the customer buying experience is a big part of this.
When I joined Google in 2011, after more than a decade in the automotive industry, it wasn’t the obvious choice.
The PCP industry is booming. Thousands of drivers every year walk off the showroom forecourt with a brand new motor and a freshly signed PCP agreement to go along with it.
Like all organisations that process personal data, motor dealers must comply with data protection legislation.
The automotive industry has undergone huge transformation over recent decades.
As we know, the retail landscape has been completely overhauled by the exponential growth of technology and the online market.
It’s a huge market – almost 40% (12 million) of the more than 30 million cars in the UK are diesels. But could we now be seeing the end of the road for this fuel type?
Increasingly, car dealer websites are becoming the first point of contact for customers. Whether browsing the marketplace, looking for highly-rated dealers, to buy online, or to make contact with the sales team, a car dealer’s website is an integral part of the business.
The forthcoming budget is likely to see major changes to the ability of dealers to sell vehicles to disabled customers VAT-free.
There are many areas of motor retail that can be subject to VAT risk and failing to apply the right VAT treatment in these situations can lead to assessments for underpaid VAT and the threat of penalties and interest.
It’s no secret that the car industry has been thriving in recent years, with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) latest statistics showing a 2.3 per cent rise of new car registrations in 2016 – the fifth consecutive year of growth.
As one of the few areas of retail which simply can't be conducted entirely online, car dealerships are physical retail spaces which are just as relevant today as they were before the rise (and rise) of online shopping.
According to Eurostat, just 16% of the automotive retail workforce is made up of women.
There are many areas of motor retail that can be subject to VAT risk and failing to apply the right VAT treatment can lead to assessments for underpaid VAT and the threat of penalties and interest.
During our work in the motor industry over the past 10 years, our specialist customer experience consultancy, Experience Insight, has developed a process which helps us to accurately profile customer experiences and the factors that influence decision making and purchasing.
According to the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA), in the twelve months to August 2016 2.2 million new and used cars were bought on finance by consumers through dealerships.
As complex as the modern legal system may seem as first glance, the The Consumer Rights Act of 2015 has actually made it an easier place for car dealers to do business, whilst also protecting the interests of a consumer.
For the last few years marketing has centred around what millennial consumers are looking for. To me, this reflects marketers’ general obsession with youth culture and their adoption of new technologies. It also means older audiences who enjoy the latest tech are often overlooked.
As the importance of the aftermarket continues to grow, along with the range of tools to manage it, but many organisations are missing out on an opportunity.
