wp-clickdealer, Author at Click Dealer

Click Dealer Brings Home Two Trophies from the Midlands Business Awards!

On Friday, the 13^th Midlands Business Awards were held, celebrating the talents of local companies and entrepreneurs across the region. Of the three awards that Click Dealer was nominated for, we won one and were highly commended for another!

Click Dealer’s Managing Director, Gerry Moxham won the Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year Award and our online vehicle retailing platform, ClickEngage™ was highly commended in the Midlands Innovation of the Year category.

Eight members of our Clicker family were lucky enough to accompany directors Gerry and Ollie to the awards and have reported that it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening!

Presenting the Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year… Gerry Moxham!

This award was promised to an individual who has shown outstanding personal entrepreneurial performance, which had led to business breakthroughs, achievement and growth.

Having developed a business which has expanded from having just eight employees to eighty in the past five years, and is raved about by customers and staff alike, we can think of nobody more deserving of this award than Gerry. Congratulations!

Our Multi-Award-Winning Digital Retail Solution, ClickEngage™

ClickEngage™ is a software solution that many Clickers have been a part of creating and maintaining and we are immensely proud to be able to add the Midlands Innovation of the Year commendation to the collection.

We believe that our innovation is not only helping vehicle dealers to adapt to the rapidly evolving industry, but that it is also helping them to disrupt it themselves and it continues to have a significant impact on the motor industry.

Thank you to all who left kind messages of congratulations on our social media channels, we sincerely appreciate your ongoing support!

To find out more about ClickEngage™, get in touch by calling 01782 454354, emailing  [email protected], or sending a message via our contact page, or vote for Click Dealer in the Used Car Awards here!

Clickers Hopeful Ahead of Midlands Business Awards!

Tonight’s the night of the Midlands Business Awards 2019 and 10 of our own Clickers will be putting their glad rags on to attend!

The Midlands Business Awards is held annually to celebrate the successes of entrepreneurs and companies within the region, and this year, the ceremony will be taking place in Leicester.

Eight Clickers, randomly selected out of a hat, will be joining the company directors as representatives for Click Dealer, and there is plenty of buzz in the office about the event!

Click Dealer has been nominated for three separate awards: the Midlands Innovation of the Year Award, the Midlands Family Business of the Year Award and the Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Midlands Innovation of the Year Award – Click Engage™

The Midlands Innovation of the Year Award will be given to a business which has created a product or service that makes a significant impact in their industry. This product or service will be judged on how it benefits customers or society and how it has helped business growth. Our online retailing platform, ClickEngage™ has been nominated for this award.

Midlands Family Business of the Year Award – Click Dealer

This trophy will be awarded to a family-owned business that has been established for two or more years. Companies from any sector can be nominated and must be able to demonstrate sustained success across a range of measures, making the company that Gerry, and now his daughter Pippa and son Ollie Moxham have grown, eligible.

Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Gerry Moxham, Managing Director

This award will be given to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding personal entrepreneurial performance, leading to outstanding achievement, significant business breakthroughs and growth. This person must also outline their goals for the next five years. Full of imagination and ambition, us Clickers can think of nobody better suited to win this award than our managing director, Gerry Moxham!

Stay tuned to find out if Click Dealer win more awards to add to our growing collection!

2019 awards Click Dealer Midlands Business Awards

How Dealerships Can Reduce Their Advertising Spend

The cost of automotive advertising is getting increasingly higher, becoming a mammoth expense for car and van dealers. To avoid the damage this inflicts on profit margins, retailers must be smarter with their spending.

How do feed providers get away with charging the sky-high prices that they charge? Simply because advertising works. Advertising platforms are a huge lead source, and for dealerships to abandon them would mean throwing away numerous potential sales, so there’s no choice but to fork out.

While you may not be able to cut your advertising spend altogether, a bit of thinking outside of the box can help you reduce it significantly.

Reallocate Your Budget

One way to approach the issue would be to look at ROI and see if you can identify advertising channels that you can afford to drop. Lead tracking technology, such as Click DMS, is vital for measuring the effectiveness of the various channels your dealership is paying for.

In Click DMS, you will be able to call up a list of all of your lead sources and find out how many enquiries you have had from each one. With this information, you will be able to figure out how valuable each channel is, so you can make an informed decision about whether or not they are worth keeping.

Try More Cost-Effective Methods

You could also try different methods of advertising, such as PPC, where you will only be charged if consumers show a genuine interest in your product or brand. Alternatively, you could examine different lead generation techniques, such as SEO, social media and blogging. If these prove successful, you will become far less reliant on advertising feeds.

To find out more about Click DMS and Click SEM, get in touch via [email protected] or 01782 454354. Alternatively, you can send us a message through our contact page.

Advertising Blogging Click DMS lead generation lead source tracking PPC seo social media

Revhead Ramblings: Forget Tesla, Polestar are the ones to watch

The fate of Volvo was very much on a knife edge in the 2000s, thankfully Geely came to the rescue and helped turn them into a strong challenger in the premium market.

Polestar have been turning Volvo’s motorway cruisers into performance cars for just 6 short years. These tuned models are a rare sight on the road but they’re still more than capable of battling with the biggest names in the industry.

A New Era

In 2017 Volvo announced Polestar would become an independent manufacturer with the aim to develop high performance electric cars. Their first car, the Polestar 1, was a luxurious 2+2 sporting a hybrid powertrain offering just under 100 miles of pure electric range. Just 500 of these flagship cars will be made and the allocation for this year has completely sold out.

Setting Their Target

The Polestar 1 looks great, has very strong figures and has already received huge support; a smash hit as far as debuts go. The Polestar 2 however is the one to watch though. A 400hp saloon starting at $45,000, that’s Tesla Model 3 territory. You might add that Tesla’s saloon starts at $35,000, although we’re yet to see it with Tesla instead opting to only sell their higher-priced performance variants thus far.

Dealerships of the Future

Polestar can offer their car at such a low price thanks to their dealership model costing ten times less than a conventional setup. By having no inventory, no service centre and a small showroom with a handful of staff, their costs can remain minimal.

This all lines up with Volvo’s overall strategy to change car ownership as we know it. The Swedish manufacturer instead want cars to be bought through a subscription service like Netflix or Spotify. All costs from the car itself to insurance and maintenance will be covered by one monthly payment.

The High End Has Changed

You may well have seen in the news that Tesla has cut the price of its most expensive cars, the new range-topping Model S Ludicrous Performance model now starts at £83,300; a reduction of £48,005! The range topping model X sees an even bigger price slash of over £50,000! Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, revealed the price cuts are down to the money they’ve saved by moving their sales online.

The Battle is Just Starting

Volvo turned their fortunes around with the help of Chinese money and building good cars. They did the opposite of Elon Musk and built their company quietly, starting production before promising the world. It almost seems like a battle of the ages between Polestar and Tesla. Both are at the forefront of technology, but one chooses to shout and brag on all forms of social media and make huge promises. While the other takes a more grown up view of the market and delivers their plan in a systematic and timely manner. I’ve got no idea who’s going to come out on top, but I can’t wait to find out!

Dealership electric EV Geely Polestar tesla Volvo

How to Embrace Disruption in Automotive Retail

Dealers are currently running businesses in an environment which is constantly being disrupted, and this is not set to change any time soon.

Key developments will mean that change in automotive retail is only going to accelerate. Developments in the market, including a transition towards autonomous and electric vehicles and a shared mobility model will mean that the entire automotive landscape and the products that retailers will provide will start to differ.

The continuing digitisation of automotive retail is also likely to put increasing pressure on margins for dealers who have not adopted digital methods of marketing and retailing.

As forward-thinking competitors start to introduce new business models in response to these changes, this in itself will disrupt the automotive retail playing field. With this disruption, operating models will have to be continuously revised.

In order to maintain success in this rapidly changing environment, dealerships will need to adopt new business models and consider alternative revenue channels.

Customer-Centred Business Models

Customer-centred business models are important and working on improving the customer experience is a good place to start your dealership’s evolution. Introducing digitisation online and in-store can increase convenience for consumers.

Customer Retention

More focus should be given to customer retention, as this could help you maintain healthy profit margins when competitors are evolving at a quicker rate. Personalised marketing and expanding your range of services to include servicing and repair are worth consideration to keep customers coming back for more.

Data-Driven Performance

Dealership staff should be trained on the management of digital leads. Data is incredibly valuable in any business and when it is not managed properly, sales opportunities can easily be missed. Implementing a digital lead management system should be made a priority.

Customer data should also be made readily available to the sales team, including a history of previous transactions so that interactions can be personalised.

For more information on how Click Dealer can help your dealership improve performance in 2019, get in touch today on [email protected], 01782 904 715 or via our contact page.

Automotive Retail car dealer data Customer Retention Digitisation

PPC Strategies that Vehicle Dealers Should Try in 2019

PPC trends are constantly changing and so should your dealership’s strategy! If you have tried this method of digital advertising and want to find ways to get more out of it, read on!

From retargeting to automation, here are some PPC strategies you might want to try this year.

Explore Different Channels

If you’ve just about got to grips with running PPC campaigns through search engines like Google and Bing, 2019 might be a good year to branch out and try different channels.

We are spending an increasing amount of time on social media, so seeing how successful your paid adverts are on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram could be worthwhile. These channels could generate more leads or offer a lower cost per click, so give them a test!

A/B Testing

To ensure that your ads are the best that they can be, try creating multiple versions to see how well they perform in relation to one another. You could change the headline, the body, the call-to-action or the keywords that the ad displays for to see if these factors have a significant impact.

Categorise Retargeting Lists

Not all visitors to your site should be retargeted in the same way. For example, a user who visited your website and left and hasn’t returned for two months is far less likely to convert than a user who has actually clicked on a vehicle posting on your website within the past couple of days and might not even be worth retargeting. Try constructing audiences based on date ranges.

Automation

Another thing to be aware of is new PPC automation options in Google Ads, which can save you a lot of time by making parts of the bid management process automatic. It is, however, important to be aware that not every automated suggestion will be right for your dealership, so while this method can save you time, it will still need a human to oversee it.

For more information on Click Dealer’s PPC Packages, get in touch today via [email protected], 01782 478220 or through our contact page!

2019 Digital Advertising PPC SEM

Revhead Ramblings: Our Rush to Develop EVs Could Leave our Cars Lacking Charisma

Part sharing is rife in the automotive world, joint ventures like the Z4/Supra or the Volkswagen Group passing platforms between marquees isn’t a new concept.

We’ve known the demise of our ICE vehicles was coming, fossil fuels won’t last forever, and renewable energy must take its place. Despite this, it seems the vast majority of manufacturers have refused to change and are now scrambling to catch up with EU regulations.

Standardised Chassis

What we have now is larger car groups building a base for each of their model ranges and handing them out to each of their brands. So, the VW Golf shares a chassis with the Audi A3, Seat Leon or Skoda Octavia. By keeping this standard across the range, engine design and transmission placement can be more uniform allowing further sharing to take place. It’s predicted that this standardisation will cut the time it takes to build a car by 30%.

Differences Are Shrinking

When two cars of a similar size and mass are fitted with the same engine and transmission, near identical suspension and are aimed at a similar market, the differences are marginal at most. The more premium car may receive some extra sound deadening or a plusher dashboard; but fundamentally they’re the same car.

It’s Getting Worse

Manufacturers are only going to become more cautious financially, the car market is as uncertain as ever and even big names like Toyota and Honda are tightening their purses and moving their production home.

This also means part-sharing is going to get more extreme, a modular chassis will be fitted with the same battery technology and identical motors, the few differences will come from the tune the manufacturer decides on and the battery capacity.

Manufacturers Can’t Buy Character

This isn’t all the manufacturers fault, there’s simply no substitute for an internal combustion engine, they may not be great for the environment and they may be responsible for our unseasonably warm February, but they give our cars character and charisma.

The McLaren 600LT and Lamborghini Huracan Performante both compete in the same class and offer similar performance, the way they produce this is completely different though. The British Marque opt for a 3.8 litre V8, relying on turbo chargers to make up the capacity deficit while the Italian instead choose a naturally aspirated 5.2 litre V10. Two very different methods that give both cars a unique character.

Buying a Car For The Wrong Reasons

It seems that soon the only thing to seperate our cars from one another will be the material that adorns the dash or the font they use on the infotainment system. The dynamic differences highlighted by fake cabin noise or boosted driving modes. The future should seem a little brighter though when you consider the plug-in hybrid tech currently debuting in the latest crop of supercars is within the grasp of the standard consumer; I’m almost looking forward to it…

character charisma EVs shared platform vw

What Challenges do Vehicle Dealers Face in 2019 and How are They Planning to Minimise Their Impact?

2018 was an interesting year for vehicle dealers, bringing a surge in demand for used cars and reduced interest in new motors, but what does the year ahead have in store?

A recent report by CarGurus investigates the biggest issues identified by dealers and what action they are planning to take in response.

What will the Pressure Points of 2019 be?

The majority of vehicle dealers felt that obtaining stock in good condition was more of a challenge in 2018 than it had previously been, according to a report by CarGurus which examines the key trends that may impact the market in 2019.

With new car sales declining and fewer coming into the used market, there is concern among retailers about the availability of quality used vehicles, with many anticipating sourcing difficulties to worsen.

Uncertainty surrounding the impact of Brexit on things like stocking loan interest rates was also identified as a concern for retailers.

Of the dealers surveyed, just over half are expecting their profit margins to remain the same as last year, while 26.1% are expecting a decline.

What are Dealers Doing to Maintain and Improve Performance?

The research conducted by CarGurus shows a huge uptake of digital practices by used vehicle dealers, with 73.2% saying that they have adopted methods such as the following:

Online finance completion

Online finance is being widely offered by vehicle dealers. This makes the process more efficient for customers, which can improve satisfaction, and it also makes it unnecessary for customers to organise finance elsewhere, reducing the chances of them becoming influenced by other retailers and switching.

Online trade-in valuations

Around 60% of dealers are already offering part-exchange valuations online and a further 30% plan to provide this service by the end of 2019.

SEM

45.5% of dealers have started using search engine marketing (SEM) as part of their strategy. With many buyers researching vehicles to gain a specific idea of what they want and then searching for this online, SEM is an obvious choice of tactic for generating business and staving off competition, so it is unsurprising that it is so popular.

Video

Another marketing tool which dealers see potential in is video. This allows retailers to provide a high degree of transparency before the customer steps foot into the dealership.

The increase in these tactics suggests dealers are recognising that a growing number of buyers want to spend as little time as possible within a physical showroom, preferring to view vehicles and organise part-exchanges and finance options before arriving at a dealership. As a result, there is also likely to be an increase in dealers adopting online vehicle retailing systems.

For more information on how Click Dealer can help your dealership improve performance in 2019, get in touch today on [email protected], 01782 904 715 or via our contact page.

finance online vehicle retailing Part Exchange SEM used cars Video Marketing

Be Ready to Seize Bodyshop Opportunities in March!

Data reveals that almost one in five road accidents occur in the evening rush hour in March, making this a busy time of year for bodyshops.

We have seen plenty of snow and ice in the UK over the last couple of months causing problems for drivers, and more is expected in March. The month is the second-busiest month of the year for car-to-car accidents, after November.

193,000 Road Incidents Expected in March

Research by AX, previously Accident Exchange, shows that nearly one in five accidents take place during the evening rush, and that there is also an increase in winter prangs, bumps and scrapes from 5pm to 5.10pm. The accident assistance provider has predicted that March could bring more than 193,000 road incidents.

With accidents spiking in the evening, extending bodyshop opening hours or offering an out-of-hours service to help capture customers at peak times could be something to consider.

34% of accidents involve one car hitting the rear of another and a further 31% involve a moving vehicle hitting a parked vehicle due to loss of control by the driver.

According to Ax’s sales and operations director, Scott Hamilton-Cooper, ‘Braking distances double in the wet and can be up to 10 times longer in snowy or icy conditions, so it’s not surprising that almost a third of the accidents we’ve dealt with are the result of a driver losing control and hitting a parked vehicle.

Workshops and bodyshops should make sure they are adequately stocked with spare parts and staffed well to deal with the surge in repair requests.’

Supporting Customers in Their Time of Need

Anticipating an increase in the need for resources and ensuring that bodyshop processes are implemented and working well should be a priority for retailers at this point. Being there for customers when they need you can go a long way to developing loyalty.

Hamilton-Cooper commented, ‘With the downward pressures on new car sales, being in a position to proactively and sensitively support existing customers in a time of need is common-sense.

‘The March spike provides a timely reminder that dealers without an accident assistance programme not only stand to lose valuable repair work, but risk losing customers altogether.’

For more advice on how to maximise profits for your dealership, get in touch today by emailing [email protected], 01782 478 220 or via our contact page.

2019 bodyshops

What Does Your Automotive Website Say About Your Dealership?

First impressions count, so what do your customers think when they visit your automotive website?

Today, consumers spend a significant portion of their lives online and view so many websites that they have come to expect a certain standard. If your automotive website doesn’t meet this standard, visitors may not want to stay on it and instead could take their business elsewhere.

To assess whether or not the impression your website generates is a positive one, you should consider the following factors.

Usability

Put yourself in the shoes of a car buyer and try using your website from their perspective. Are you frustrated by how long it takes to load? Is the navigation well thought out, with links to the most important pages where you would expect them to be?

A good navigational structure and fast load times are key factors which contribute to a positive user experience. Car buyers want their purchase to be smooth and straightforward from start to finish, and if your website reflects this, they’ll have confidence in your dealership before even walking through your doors.

Appearance and Branding

From the font to the colours, every design element of your website should be chosen with care in order to elicit a particular response from users.

Colours

Your brand’s colours should be prominent and should reflect your company values. If you are a prestige car dealer, you may want to use rich reds or deep purples, which connote luxury, while yellows and greens can reflect positivity and friendliness. Try to stick to one or two main colours and avoid garish combinations.

Logo

As one of the first things that users will notice on your site, you may want to consider whether or not your company logo needs updating. Think about the message that it conveys to potential customers.

Fonts

If you sell premium cars, you may be tempted to use a fancier font, but whatever you choose, make sure it is not difficult to read, users shouldn’t have to strain when exploring your content. Use no more than two different fonts throughout the site.

Less is usually more when it comes to website design and keeping to a limited number of fonts and colours is important. If there is too much going on, it can be distracting and may start to impact usability.

At Click Dealer, we have a team of professional web designers who can help you create a unique automotive website that looks great and is enjoyable to use.

To find out more about Click Dealer’s automotive websites, get in touch today by emailing [email protected], 01782 478 220 or via our contact page.

automotive websites ClickWeb

On Friday, the 13th Midlands Business Awards were held, celebrating the talents of local companies and entrepreneurs across the region. Of the three awards that Click Dealer was nominated for, we won one and were highly commended for another!