Car buyers' expectations of dealerships and showrooms are quite different from the reality they find upon entering a showroom.
This is according to the findings of a recent study conducted by Auto Trader. The research looked at the views of more than 1,000 car buyers over the last two years and found that the 'pain points' buyers expected to find when purchasing were quite different from what they experienced when they walked into a showroom.
Negotiations around pricing, finance and part-exchange were an anticipated problem for 33 per cent of those questioned, but only 17 per cent said that they had not enjoyed negotiating with staff when it came to the purchase.
Ensuring that staff are well trained and helpful when it comes to dealing with customers is a vital part of running a dealership. However, it is equally important to have things well organised in the background to keep a business running smoothly. Ensuring the dealership's motor trade insurance policy is suitable for purpose is one item that should be remembered here.
Nick King, director of insight with Auto Trader, commented: “There are clearly things that could be done to smooth the journey for buyers both on and offline.
“We know for example that part exchange negotiation is often the breaking point in a deal. We also know that more could be done online to inform buyers about competitive finance deals before they get to a showroom, perhaps pre-empting what might be seen as pushiness in the showroom.”
He added that pain points could also be smoothed over by making things more transparent online.
