When showroom doors are closed to the public it may seem difficult to imagine this as a time to create opportunities for more profitable business. But this period can be used strategically by dealers...

FCA Group MD Arnaud Leclerc has said there is work to be done on improving the relationship between the group’s various brands and its retailers. While he points out that there has been a slight...

Today’s motor retail environment demands discipline and rigour in customer relationship management. The availability online of information on attractive new offers encourages customers to shop...

“I’d really like a (insert car model), but we can’t buy a diesel as a family car because its emissions are bad for us and it’ll drop in value like a stone.” You hear this in the showroom and...

The customer retention power that flows from having the right information and a listening ear are often underestimated in motor retail environments dominated by a pure sales ethos. But customer...

The relationships between franchised retailers and their car manufacturers have hit an all time low, according to the latest NFDA Dealer Attitude Survey. The publication of the winter 2017/2018 survey...

With estimates that car retailers in Europe now generate around three quarters of their profits from aftersales, it has become more critical that OEMs and their franchised networks listen to their...

The results are in. 2016 has set a new record with 2.69 million new cars registered, presenting 2017 as a challenging year. With political uncertainty, Sterling depreciation and the SMMT forecasting a...

Car retailers depend on building lasting customer relationships to ensure long-term profitability, but when economic uncertainty puts pressure on new car sales, there are many lessons dealerships can...

Relationships between retailers and manufacturers have improved slightly, according to the latest NFDA Dealer Attitude Survey, but are still a cause for concern. A 0.1 point increase in the key...

Renault’s new UK managing director believes connected cars will allow the manufacturer to “fight back” against the larger dealer groups that control the customer relationship. Speaking to Auto...

I’ve spent the past week or so trying to balance different impressions of the auto retail market.  On the one side we’ve seen yet another month of new car registrations growth coupled to some...