How dealers are delivering 'world class service' throughout the pandemic

In a year dominated by the pandemic and rapidly changing lockdown restrictions, car sales fell. But, while new car registrations fell 29.4% in 2020, used car sales only reduced by 14.9%. Over the past year, used cars have become a more appealing and affordable option over public transport. Despite the challenges for dealers, adapting to a new way of selling has led to a ‘world class’ experience according to car buyers.

Dealers have been adapting to provide highly effective online capabilities to bring their showroom straight to customers doors. The shift to online sales, click and collect, and home delivery services, supported by COVID-secure safety measures, has been widely appreciated and recognised by a very significant number of delighted used car buyers. The results of our survey have been impressive with an overall Net Promotor Score, ‘NPS’ of 84.27 from 143,485 respondents.

To put this NPS rating in context, Bain & Co, which, developed the NPS system used globally across multiple industries, suggests that a rating above 50 is excellent, and above 80 is world-class.

Reflecting on the research data from April 2020 to March 2021, CEO Mark Standish notes;

“The speed, agility and success of our dealers as they transformed to provide customers with both online and offline used car sales access so successfully over the last year has been remarkable. The impressive NPS rating by such a large audience of customers is testimony to the quality of the car and financing buying journey they experienced first-hand with their dealers.”

While used sales did fall back in 2020, over 6.7 million used cars still changed hands throughout the year, with the majority sold by dealers across the UK. Mark concludes;

“A huge number of people will continue to look to the used car market for their next vehicle. Today, they can find their car, dealer and finance online and now, out of lockdown, they can test drive it as well to refine their choice. If they want it delivered, then that is something that over 80% of our dealer network is only too happy to offer. The choice, car buying control and consumer protection that is available from dealers for car buyers is backed up by reassurance. Through the dealers with which we work, they can also be confident that they will benefit from a dealer network that buyers have ranked ‘world class’ over the last year.”

We’re helping dealers supercharge their dealership and continue providing world-class service through the pandemic and beyond.