Enquiries for used vehicles jumped by 5.6% year-on-year in May, while overall sales from used operations increased by 4.2%, according to Dealerweb.
Sales of finance increased by 1.4% on last year, while Gap insurance and paint protection sales dropped by 8.9% and 0.2% respectively. Finance penetration for used vehicles recorded a slight decline from 46% to 45%.
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Martin Hill, chief executive of Dealerweb, said that used car operations are continuing to provide dealers with a valuable profit centre. “Our data shows that dealers are pushing hard by chasing every enquiry to support sales. The volume of prospecting calls increased by 20.1% and demos for used vehicles increased by 2.6% in May.”
Hill also stresses the growing importance of digital channels, stating that it is vital for dealers to respond to online enquiries accurately and quickly. “Once the customer has enquired, they expect a quick response and data shows that a prompt response is crucial for sales conversions. Research suggests that 25% of customers expect a reply to a web lead in under a half an hour and almost half within one hour.”
Last month, Dealerweb announced the appointment of Heather Upchurch as chief technology officer, overseeing all technologies activities.
Upchurch joins from e-payment software firm Cardstream, where she served as technical director. Prior to that, Upchurch held senior IT roles at Volvo and Aston Martin before joining Flybe as IT director.
“I’m joining Dealerweb at an exciting time in its development,” said Upchurch. “The company has built a reputation on offering some of the most innovative software in the industry, and I’m looking forward to working on Dealerweb’s continued technological advancements.”
Martin Hill, chief executive of Dealerweb, added: “Having recently launched new products, adopted ISO-accredited security processes and begun the roll-out of our completely re-engineered Dealerweb Showroom system, Heather’s appointment will provide an experienced leader to oversee these developments and ensure our commitment and passion for technology remains at the forefront for years to come.”
