Manheim has launched an 'out of hours' online lead-generation solution.

The 'live advisor out of hours' service, which operates from 4pm to 10pm, seven days a week, is designed to meet the growing need for instant response and will support dealers in managing customer enquires online via a chat messenger system.

Fully resourced by the vehicle experts within Manheim, 'live advisor out of hours' will focus on providing responses for general dealer enquiries and stock-specific information to the buyers who start their search online, providing dealers with a ready-to-go service without the headache of direct staffing costs.

Data from the Market Research Society has shown that 42% of web traffic is between 4pm and 10pm each day, while Google has reported that 75% of all vehicle searches begin on the web and more than 80% of consumers only visit one dealer before making a purchase.

Paul Schofield, product manager at Manheim said: "While many of our dealers have seen great success with our Live Advisor real-time chat product during traditional working hours, there is a significant opportunity to generate even more leads by focusing on the busy evening browsing period - keeping the dealership 'open' during peak viewing time.

"With the assurance that our experienced vehicle experts will be on the other end of the live chat, dealers can finish their working day safe in the knowledge that customers visiting their website are still getting a fantastic service while being helped to make a purchasing decision."

After each chat, the Manheim team will send a full transcript of the conversation and a schedule of actions. The dealer will only be charged for chats which have been converted to leads.

"With the retail landscape shifting and almost half of all online activity taking place out of hours, dealers cannot afford to miss the potential business this could generate. Indeed, if we don't engage with buyers on their terms, it is likely that someone else will."