New research has highlighted how video continues to have a very significant impact on purchase decisions in vehicle sales and aftersales. In a survey of 1,000 UK motorists commissioned by CitNOW Group, 43% said they would be more likely to buy a used car if the retailer sent a personalised video guiding them around the specific vehicle they enquired about. That number rises to over half (53%) among 18- to 24-year-olds, hinting at the demand for video among future generations of car buyers.

CitNOW Group’s research also found that 80% of car buyers visited less than three dealerships when making their most recent car purchase, with a third of those (33%) only visiting one, highlighting the need for retailers to effectively utilise video to engage with sales prospects. Of those sales videos created by dealers using CitNOW tools in 2022, 70% were watched by the recipient and 93% received the highest possible rating of five stars.

Despite the growing relevance of personalised video in the sales process, CitNOW Group research found that only a minority of vehicle retailers proactively incorporate the option for consumers to request a personalised video presentation on their website. CitNOW Group evaluated the websites of the UK’s top 100 franchised dealers (by turnover), and identified that only 20% currently offer the option to request a personalised video within their used car listings. With demand for personalised video as part of the car buying journey high, dealers are potentially missing out on a vital lead generation opportunity through their online listings that can have a positive impact on sales and customer retention.

Video becomes established as a critical conversion tool in aftersales

The demand for personalised video content continues through to aftersales, with 41% of motorists in CitNOW Group’s motorist survey saying they would be more likely to approve routine service and repair work if they were sent a video of the work required.

That finding is echoed in CitNOW’s own usage data. During 2022, 48% of videos sent alongside a quote had the work authorised by the vehicle owner within 10 minutes of receiving the video, rising to 68% of work authorised in less than 30 minutes, improving the efficiency of work approved and completed by technicians. 90% of workshop videos created by technicians were rated five stars by car owners, demonstrating the high quality content offered through CitNOW platforms.

“The speed of response when video is part of the customer communication is helping workshops maximise conversions and clear their service bays more rapidly,” comments Carol Fairchild, Chief Customer Officer, CitNOW Group.

“There is a clear demand from consumers for personalised digital communications, and that is reflected in increased usage levels among our retail partners. Video production using our tools reached new record levels last year, with over 12.1 million videos created. That trend is also evident in dealer feedback, with 62% of dealers in our latest poll saying video communications is the most valuable digital tool for dealership operations.

“Video watch rates remain high, however retailers should continue to capitalise on the popularity of video by expanding the purpose of their video usage. Not only can video be used for vehicle sales enquiries and aftersales vehicle healthchecks, it can also be a strong tool to engage with customers on a more personal level, such as introducing the sales customer to the aftersales team, offering a thank you, a personalised handover or annual check in to build those everlasting customer relationships.”

To access further insights from CitNOW Group’s recent industry research and consumer survey, download the group’s new report, Uniting Customers and Retailers Through Technology, by visiting CitNOWGroup.com.