Motor retailers need to maintain the digital momentum they had accelerated during the pandemic to avoid potential lost sales at a time when the market is constricting, Marketing Delivery managing director Jeremy Evans will advise attendees at the 2022 Automotive Management Live show.

Evans (pictured below right), who will be heading one of the digital best practice sessions when AM Live takes place at Birmingham NEC on November 10th, will be exploring how retailers can return to basics when it comes to communicating with customers with the advantages of high tech.

“The pandemic created more tech savvy customers and dealers adopted technological processes at an accelerated rate,” said Evans.

“However, the focus on digital communications, particularly data capture whatever the customer’s purchase timescale, is even more important with ongoing new car supply issues. The sector cannot afford for the ensuing pent-up demand to lead to complacency.

“When dealers were practically solely reliant on digital tools, pretty much every enquiry was managed properly.

"With demand outstripping supply, there could well be the temptation to ignore longer term enquiries. If these go unrecorded, the communications processes which keeps those prospects warm, is derailed.

"As the market constricts, these leads could be the difference between weathering the storm or going under.”

Marketing Delivery is about to launch a new stage of consumer research to understand how dealers are managing enquiries in the post-pandemic market and to what extent the technological processes adopted during the lockdowns have been maintained, improved or, in some cases, forgotten.

The findings will be published in time to coincide with AM Live.

Evans added: “The more forward-thinking retailers have deployed an extensive array of digital tools making it easier for consumers to do business with them. They continue to develop a seamless digital and physical experience by ensuring every enquiry is entered on the system with the correct data preferences in place so an automated communications system can maintain contact.

“Against the backdrop of ongoing supply issues, the rising cost of living creating more cautious consumers, inflation and recession, every lead needs to be nurtured.

"We are now entering a period where the digitally astute dealers will be the ones capturing sales and aftersales custom at the expense of their counterparts who allow bad habits to creep back.”

Marketing Delivery’s session will explore how technology can help dealers to keep prospects warm and by using its data and real-life case studies will demonstrate the difference such an approach can make to a dealer’s bottom line. The company will use the event to officially launch its digital marketing solution Voicebox which manages its suite of eCRM products in one place.

AM Live is in its seventh year and is free for retailer and manufacturer delegates who book an entry pass at https://www.automotivemanagementlive.co.uk/