Automotive
Keep the buyer for ten years.
You sell a car once every five years, but can talk to the owner every five months. One thread from enquiry to trade-in, shared by sales and service.
What changed.
From the story in our book.
9 min
Median first reply to a new enquiry
from 5 h
7%
Test-drive no-shows
from 26%
39%
Owners buying their next car from the group
from 18%
Illustrative, from our book The Business of Being Answered.
Where it leaks.
The first reply decides
Buyers comparing three brands book a test drive with whoever answers first. The median reply was five hours.
The service-day black hole
Drop off at 8 am, a confusing call at 3 pm about AED 2,400 of extra work. Many say no on principle.
The silent years
No idea when a lease ends, a family grows or a fleet renews. After warranty, two thirds go elsewhere.
How the conversation changes.
Invisible to the customer. Total behind the counter.
One thread, enquiry to trade-in
Sales sees four years of service; service knows why they chose the car.
Confirmed test drives
The day before, with the car, the address and the finance question answered.
Service in the open
On the lift, a photo of the worn pads, the cost and why. Approve in the thread.
The right message at the right moment
Services when due, offers when the lease ends, from the person who sold the car.
The pilot.
Thirty days, agreed in writing on day one, reviewed every week.
Scope
One showroom and its service centre
One measure
Test-drive no-shows and extra work approved
Fee
Fixed, and credited against the first year.
Chapter 8 · Automotive
“We used to sell cars and lose customers. Now we keep customers, and they buy cars.”