Motor Industry KPI and best practice provided by Jeff Smith

If you want to bag a bargain with used cars, used bikes or used trucks
please leave a comment on this article

Main dealers that offer great deals on used cars, used bikes and used trucks are taking a beating from newly emerging Internet companies that claim to sell them cheaper. The Internet has changed the way that most businesses do business, but the problem is that many businesses have failed to adapt to this change and have subsequently gone bust.

Whether it’s new cars, used cars, new bikes, used bikes, new trucks or used trucks most manufacturers are recognising that the Internet is playing a much bigger part in their strategy and many are stating that more than 40% of their enquiries are now coming from the Internet and they expect this figure to rise. The big questions remain, what are they going to do about it and when?

New businesses have emerged in the Motor Industry such as Contract Hire and Leasing companies, brokers for new cars and used cars and they have come about because of the existence of the Internet; they simply would not have been possible 10 years ago and now, many of them are more successful and more profitable than main dealers.

Love the Internet or hate the Internet, things have to change for the modern-day franchised dealership, yet managment seems to be riddled with inertia.

It’s possible for someone to set up a business on the Internet to sell new and used cars, new and used bikes and new and used trucks without the huge overheads that are experienced by the main dealers and these new Internet companies often sell more vehicles than many main dealers. It’s a travesty that main dealers can’t see what’s happening and respond too slowly to this massive opportunity.

It doesn’t matter if you are a dealer, someone who just buys used cars or and used bikes, I’d love to see this subject discussed. Please comment freely from your point of view.

Questions for debate:

• Should main dealers have better representation on the Internet or is it good enough?
• Do customers use the Internet to search for Used Cars, Used Bikes or Used Trucks before they visit a dealer or do they visit the dealer and then look on the Internet? Does it make any difference which way around this is?
• Do manufacturers do enough on the Internet?
• Do dealers handle Internet enquiries well enough?
• If you are a buyer of Used Cars, Used Bikes or Used Trucks, how should dealer Internet sites improve and do you know of a good example?

Please post your thoughts and eveyone will gain.

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 5th, 2008 at 12:20 pm and is filed under Motor Industry Discussion, Used Bikes, Used Cars, Used Trucks.