DEALERSHIPS across the UK are risking falling behind the competition by failing to adapt to changing buyers’ habits, says Click Dealer boss Gerry Moxham.
Speaking today at CDX 2018, the managing director of the dealer management system firm said: ‘We don’t think dealers at this moment touch base often enough with customers.
‘Think of the likes of Apple and Amazon, who have changed the way customers are buying and the customer journey they bring. It doesn’t matter which Apple product you buy, the customer journey is the same across the board and that’s something we feel dealers aren’t quite delivering.’
Moxham suggested that the constant access to online retailers was something that dealers could learn from.
He said: ‘Longer operating hours are becoming more key for dealers to keep attracting custom. Some have invested in the infrastructure for customers to inquire outside of traditional operating hours, but there’s many who aren’t that are therefore putting themselves at risk of falling behind.
‘Customers are also becoming used to incredibly fast delivery times. For myself, when using Amazon Prime, if I can’t order a product from a seller that takes advantage of the one-day delivery I look for one that does. Think, are there cars I can let customers drive away on the day of purchase?’
Outside of the motoring trade, Moxham also suggested there were lessons to be learnt from the collapse of big companies such as Woolworths, Blockbuster and most recently Toys R Us.
He said: ‘These are all examples of big business failing to adapt to a modern customer’s needs and thus paying the heaviest price of all for it. If we’re here next year discussing this, there’ll be no doubt even more – and that’s something we can all learn from.’
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