Are You Missing Key Insightto Sell Cars Faster?
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Are you missing key insight to sell cars faster? Auto_Trader_AM_Cover_AW.indd 1 06/02/2019 16:12 Auto Trader has the inside Introducing Retail Accelerator knowledge to help solve powered by our unique insight the car retailing puzzle... AT Retail Rating identifi es the best cars for your forecourt, based on consumer demand, Consumers spend 4x more time on our vehicle supply and days to sell site than our nearest competitor*1 Price cars right with live spec adjusted market valuations With real consumer demand from 246m monthly ad views*2 Over 1.9m vehicles tracked daily, almost Improve and maintain your 4x what is advertised on our site*3 competitive position in seconds with live competitor activity Transaction data from Fleet, Lease, OEM, Auction and Daily Rentals More than 19k vehicles added or removed and 90k vehicle updates daily*3 This powerful insight is available at site, brand and group level, helping you effectively manage Our data scientists turn data into unique insight, stock across your network helping you sell cars faster... Call 0345 111 0002 for more information Call 0345 111 0002 for more information *1 Source: Comscore MMX® Multi-Platform, Total Audience, Auto Trader, Average of Total Visits from Apr- Sept 2018, U.K *2 Average number during the year, Company measure of the number of inspections of individual vehicle advertisements on the UK marketplace for both physical and virtual stock.. *3 Auto Trader internal data, 2018 Auto_Trader_AM_Cover_AW.indd 2 06/02/2019 16:12Auto_Trader_AM_Cover_AW.indd 3 06/02/2019 16:12 NETWORK EFFECTS / P6 Vauxhall’s UK dealer restructuring plan hits the half-way point MITCHELL GROUP / P22 The ONLY data solutions How MD Mark Mitchell’s belief in people helps deliver a 4.4% RoS with the insight that AUTOMOTIVE MANAGEMENT www.am-online.com March 2019 £8.00 DACIA / P30 Why Renault’s budget sibling matters to help you win may benefit from Brexit Britain on the UK’s #1 automotive marketplace THE BEST OF BRITISH Call 0345 111 0002 for more information MOTOR RETAIL RRG AMONG THE WINNERS AT THE 2019 AM AWARDS – Available on: FULL RESULTS INSIDE / P34-P81 Auto_Trader_AM_Cover_AW.indd 4 06/02/2019 16:12 adRocket EDITOR’S LETTER ongratulations to all the winners and finalists of the 2019AM Awards. It was fantastic to see so many ofAM’ s readers being recognised for their great work at our event earlier this month, and you can find out more about why they won in the 28 pages of coverage in this month’s issue. I was particularly pleased that there was such support for some of our newest award categories: Supplier of the Year, Community Hero and AM People Investor. We believe it is important to recognise the strength of relationships between dealers and their suppliers, and their work to support local Ccommunities. And, naturally, no dealer can succeed without skilled employees who are made to feel rewarded and motivated. The AM People Investor Award is an opportunity for us to recognise just one dealer for their great employee focus. But we want to recognise dozens more. So as theAM Awards come to a close, we open ourAM Best UK Dealerships To Work For programme for 2019. Please register your dealerships for it – there is absolutely no cost and no risk to taking part. If your survey shows that your staff rate working for you highly, you will get the boost of displaying a Best Dealership To Work For logo (right) and trophy, and help change the perception of careers in motor retail. If it does not, no one else will ever know, plus you may get some insight into areas that perhaps need improving. At a time when the industry faces ever greater challenges in attracting quality employees, we need your participation in this programme. Get involved. Show your staff – and potential new recruits – that you care. Register now at bestUKdealerships.com. mEET ThE TEam Tim Rose Tom Sharpe Stephen Briers Jeremy Bennett Editor News and Editor-in-chief Head of digital/ features editor associate editor am-online.com march 2019 3 FP_AM_3876881id3807698.pdf 04.02.2019 14:58 adRocket CONTENTS 22 Mitchell Group Honk if you want to retain your customers and grow p r o fi t s . UP FRONT INSIGHT 22 27 30 Accident Exchange has brought all its 06 News insight Face to face: 10 minutes with... Brand values: innovative services under one shiny new roof. 08 News digest Mitchell Group Martin Forbes, Dacia UK 12 MD Mark Mitchell’s ethos is Cox Automotive Outgoing brand boss With all-new AX it’s now easier than ever Market intelligence that a happy team, happy The remarketing company’s Louise O’Sullivan explains for you to build loyalty and retain customers. 19 Opinion customers and a keen eye chief executive on its latest why Brexit could benefit on cost control are crucial joint venture with Auto Renault’s budget sibling to his group’s industry- Trader and the changes and how Dacia is working DEALER leading profitability coming to physical auction to improve dealer profits RETAIN REPLACE REPAIR MANAGEMENT MANAGE CONNECT PROTECT AM AWARDS 2019 85 Lead channel tracking For accident management and 34 W i n n e r s ’ innovation solutions, thinkax.com citations TALENT Every winner from the biggest night 97 in the automotive Take the drama out of retail industry’s leadership changes calendar 99 People on the move 102 Eight questions to... Leon Caruso, group SHOWROOM operations director, Vertu Motors 90 Suzuki Jimny 4x4 95 Long-term reports am-online.com MARCH 2019 5 FP_AM_0784101AXPid3809325.pdf 02.05.2019 15:41 NEWS INSIGHT send us your news If you have any news stories you’d like to let us know about email us at [email protected] Vauxhall to follow peugeot’s dIrect dIgItal sale lead Vauxhall will start to introduce the UK, probably towards the an online retail website based end of this year and early next on Peugeot’s existing system by year,” he said. “I wouldn’t say the end of the year. that’s a moment too soon. WE’RE Norman revealed the plans “We’re not ahead of the game, FoR for the platform when asked but it would have been foolish suppoRting whether the subject of direct for Vauxhall to invest in another WhatEvER dEalERs online sales would be too system when Peugeot’s is is aRound sensitive to broach with already established.” franchisees still accepting new Norman said Peugeot’s talks thE nExt contracts and the reduction of with its retailers about online the physical network. retail started several months coRnER. “Peugeot went online two before its launch in Q1 2017. years ago, and Vauxhall, having He suggested that the same now joined the family, will be terms and timescales would be benefiting from their advance in offered to Vauxhall retailers. retail network has shrunk from 156 It’s hard to see that it won’t have a sites to 144, with Howkins describing network which is in far better shape.” the current scale as “about right”, The National Franchised Dealers despite listing Aberdeen and Association’s Summer 2018 Dealer Cambridge among key open points. Attitude Survey, however, showed Vauxhall UK managing The scale of network reduction has that the mood among Vauxhall’s director Stephen Norman: been felt more by Peugeot fran- franchisees had declined, with its ‘plan is nothing to be afraid chisees in recent years. overall rating falling from 4.2 to 4.1 of or ashamed about’ Following Dave Peel’s appointment (average: 5.7). as Peugeot UK managing director in At Black Horse we March 2016, the brand worked with Other network contractions As industry regulation Putting PSA brands together Experian on a strategy to deliver an Ford maintains the UK’s largest have a range of Norman said there was no plan average RoS of 1.5% by reducing its franchised retail network, but has and customer trends tools to help you within PSA Group to bring a certain network to 180 sites by 2020. closed 35 franchised sites since the continue to change, meet the latest FCA NORMAN: DEALERS ARE number of Vauxhall sites into joint In 2015, franchisees’ average RoS start of 2017 – taking its total to 435. we’re here to help. requirements. With franchises with other group brands, was just 0.6%. A spokesman said the reduction discover more at: dedicated account but added that situations would be Peugeot has completed its was mainly down to the loss of looked at “on a running basis”. restructure earlier than expected. A “smaller ‘market-town’ retail blackhorse.co.uk/ managers we can In October, Pendragon’s Evans spokesman for Peugeot UK said the dealers, reflecting a natural attrition abetterway help you create a ALREADy DOiNg bEttER Halshaw opened the first UK fran- re-sized network of 180 retailers had of family businesses formerly transparent experience chised site to house Peugeot and experienced its strongest profita- passed between generations, and and deliver great Vauxhall under one roof in Wakefield. bility of the past decade in 2018, with their appraisal of town centre and customer outcomes. Vauxhall’s UK managing director says dramatic restructure is bearing Norman said: “We have around six three quarters of its network hitting other local prospects”. Peugeot or Citroën open points which the 1.5% RoS target and an average Ford franchisees have consoli- fruit, in the form of higher profit, vehicle throughput and return on sales are looking to be jointly franchised profit of more than £250,000. dated their smallest sites into with a Vauxhall site at the moment.” The network as a whole generated single, large FordStores, and the Karl Howkins, the managing average profit of more than £120,000, brand has begun online new car he Vauxhall franchise By the end of 2018, the brand had which Norman claimed would director of Citroën UK, said three of returning close to 1% RoS.