In the rapidly evolving landscape of automotive retail, the industry finds itself at a crossroads. The traditional model of selling cars no longer aligns with the expectations of modern consumers...

At the start of 2023, the motor retail landscape looked rather different to how it does today. The average wait times for new vehicles were still being impacted by the slowing of new vehicle...

A senior business leader in a dealership group recently briefed his colleagues with “data is the lifeblood of our dealerships” at the start of our meeting with his team. I have to say that this...

Automotive retailers have often been celebrated for the experiences they offer to their customers. From digital showrooms to personalised vehicles, the industry has continually innovated to keep up...

Increasing efficiency, productivity and diversifying their proposition top the priorities for aftersales leaders as they wrestle with the twin challenges of falling revenues and a shortage of the...

While much of the focus on the transition to agency is all about how the direct sales model itself will work for retailers, a key challenge is going to be the sharing of data between the OEMs, the...

Data harnessed from connected vehicles could dramatically increase the information available to the used car trade and change the way in which retailers engage with used cars. According to e-commerce...

Retailers have experienced a shift in the way customers want to interact with them in the showroom, which has led to an evolution in skills requirements. The majority of customers have done their...

Pendragon’s chief marketing officer, Kim Costello, has warned of a “multitude of headwinds” coming at the auto retail sector for the second half of 2022, and said she expected a recession in the...

The used car sector has seen rising values and very strong demand for many months and it is easy to forget just unusual that has been. The market has seen some changes in levels of demand early this...

Despite the best efforts of the most forward-thinking retailers and suppliers, the customer is the main driving force behind the recent surge in the use of technology in the automotive retailing...

We recently discussed a service shortfall on the horizon, with franchise dealers expected to see a reduction in new car service revenue of up to £1.3bn over the next four years, as the drop in new...

Latest financial results and interim statements from some of the publicly listed auto retail groups are indicating that the first half of this year has been far better than many in the trade could...

In times of adversity and change companies discover what they are made of, and the automotive industry can look back on the pandemic with a sense of accomplishment. In the face of lockdowns around the...

Data is a vital 21st century commercial asset that will help businesses survive and thrive, according to keynote speakers at the recent, well-attended Mazepoint Connect Forum. This bi-annual event,...

The fourth industrial revolution is firmly underway. Big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and analytics are all becoming day-to-day words, used across many fields of...

One of the great strengths of the motor retail industry is its ability to react to change. We’ve seen that clearly over the past 11 months as you have responded quickly and positively to a new...

Vehicle subscription services represent a key trend for 2021 according to analysts at Frost and Sullivan, providing key growth opportunities. And it is expected to grow into a globally dominant trend...

Last month’s Auto Retail Live webcast offered ‘critical insights’ into hitting your September targets. As a guest on the programme it was fascinating to hear how leading motor retail bosses,...

September is always a critical month for the motor retail industry and this year will be more important than ever. After the disruption in March, and dealership closures that followed, many retailers...