The retail automotive business is such a competitive marketplace.

We’re all selling the same or similar products, so what are the factors that make customers choose one dealership over another?
Customers do most of their research before ever setting foot in a dealership – the key for Dealers is to make sure that dealership is theirs!

The 2016 Beepi Consumer Automotive Index revealed that 52 percent of car shoppers feel anxious or uncomfortable at dealerships. Millennials lead the pack in their dislike, with 56 percent saying they’d rather clean their homes than negotiate with a car Dealer.

Amongst Generation X, 24 percent said they’d rather have a root canal than get into car negotiation. Among millennial women, 62 percent feel pressured to buy right away and 49 percent said they felt tricked into buying features they didn’t need.

When asked by Autotrader to rate their satisfaction on a scale of 1-10, 81 percent of car buyers gave the test-driving process an 8-10 rating. However, satisfaction declined to 67 percent when interactions with the F&I department were factored in. Of the three-hours average time spent at the dealership during the purchase process, more than half of that time is spent negotiating or doing paperwork, resulting in a 56 percent satisfaction rate for the process.

This session will provide Dealers with the information they’ve been waiting for regarding the consumer mindset. By showcasing recent data Dealers will get answers to the burning questions they’ve been asking, such as why purchasers go with one Dealer over another.

The session will also identify key areas of influence that matter most to real Australian car purchasers — before, during and after a sale has been made — and offer suggestions on how to best align consumer and dealer priorities every step of the way.

With over 20 years of experience working in automotive, Jessica de Vries has a big picture understanding of the automotive sector and key drivers. As the National Sales Manager, Jess follows the philosophy that sales is all about relationships and leadership is about empowering people to reach their full potential. Jess is passionate about partnering with dealers through change.