- Nearly three quarters of used car buyers expect customer service to be as good as when buying brand new
- Improving service can grow sales even further amid used car boom, says CitNOW
- Around one quarter of buyers have had a negative experience when buying used
- Transparency and service is key as reliability, bodywork problems and poor service among most common problems in used market
Improved service levels could help drive used car sales even further according to CitNOW, as research reveals that used-car buyers now expect the same standard of service as if they were buying new. [1]
The study by the automotive video pioneer found that nearly three quarters of used car buyers now expect customer service to be on a par with the brand-new buying journey.
With new WLTP rules having a short-term impact on new car sales – which dropped 20% in September – the used market has capitalised on the turbulence. [2] Used car sales have soared, with the SMMT recently recording over 2 million sales in the second quarter. [3]
Yet with research showing that 23% of buyers have already had a negative experience in the used car market, CitNOW has suggested that there is plenty of scope for retailers to improve their service and drive used sales even further.
The latest study arrives as CitNOW announced its nationwide ‘Year of the Used Car’ report, recently revealing that 48% of prospective car buyers are now looking to the used car market for their next purchase.
The research also revealed the most common problems for used buyers, highlighting the need for greater transparency and service among retailers to capitalise on increased interest in the used market.
Buyers’ most common negative experiences in the second-hand market included mechanical reliability issues, electrical faults and bodywork problems, while over a quarter of negative experiences were the result of poor service from the selling retailer.
CitNOW’s suite of apps empowers retailers with tools to effectively market used car stock digitally – reducing the time to market to as little as two hours – and provides a video platform that can help create a personalised and transparent buying experience.
Ollie Parsons, Head of Sales and Client Services at CitNOW, commented: “Modern car buyers are turning toward the used market more than ever before, and this new type of buyer is rightly demanding a customer experience on a level with the brand-new buying journey.
“The used car market has been enjoying record levels of success already with plenty of scope for retailers to improve their service and push sales even further.
“With app-based video tools like CitNOW Sales growing in the industry, the means to deliver that modern buying journey, by adding trust and transparency, have never been more accessible.”
At the end please do the same as above – To download your copy of the Year of the Used Car report please click here.
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[1] CitNOW conducted a survey of 2,000 motorists. 72.10% of respondents answered that when buying a used car from a dealership, they would expect customer service levels to be as good as when buying a brand-new car.
