Monthly Archives: March 2012

Trust beats price and convenience

When your car goes into a garage, you want to be sure it’s in safe hands.

 

A new study from Kwik Fit has revealed that when it comes to choosing a garage to maintain your car, trust beats both price and convenience as the most important factor. Research by the company shows that 78 per cent of motorists will remain loyal to one garage they trust and 30 per cent of people are so faithful, they wouldn’t switch at any price.

 

Research has also shown 45 per cent of motorists say their most important reason for returning to the same is because they trust it will do a good job. This is almost twice as many as those who are most influenced by price (24 per cent) while only 20 per cent base their decision on convenience.

 

According to Kwik Fit’s results, 74 per cent of drivers believe it takes up to three successful visits to gain their trust and only three per cent say it takes seven visits, while ten per cent of motorists say they don’t generally trust garages.

 

Knowing what your customers think about your service levels is vital in today’s competitive market. You want your customers to receive the highest possible level of service so that they not only buy from you but they share their positive experience with friends and colleagues. Mystery Shopping and Performance Improvement Company, Douglas Stafford, can provide your management team with fast, accurate market research data to improve customer satisfaction and sales performance.

You Snooze You Lose

Dealers across the country could be losing out on business because they are taking too long to respond to test drive and brochure enquiries.

New research by www.motoring.co.uk has revealed that one in five potential buyers who have requested either a test drive or brochure by telephone or email, have received no response. Alarmingly, one in five buyers said they would contact another dealer if they failed to get a response within 48 hours. Chris Green, co-founder and sales director at Motoring.co.uk, said: “Out of 300 active car buyers we recently contacted, 20 per cent failed to get any response from a dealer for a test drive or brochure enquiry. What dealers need to realize is an internet enquiry is as good as a showroom enquiry.”

Mystery Shopping and Performance Improvement Company, Douglas Stafford,  can develop a comprehensive customer satisfaction initiative (CSI) that will provide your company with the tools to improve both sales and customer service. A CSI programme can be conducted by telephone and/or by mail. A well designed communication can help your organisation change processes and practices to improve performance and most importantly, increase sales and customer retention.

Many companies have come to us for unrivalled consumer research services in order to identify where they are going wrong. Our customer service research can give your employees the tools to change their retail customer service performance, and can change your company practices and processes.

BMW Presents

BMW has unveiled four inspirational short films to coincide with its sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games. The films, a part of BMW Presents, celebrate the outstanding sporting achievements of BMW London 2012 Performance Team members to explore what it takes to deliver The Ultimate Performance.

 

Olympians Louis Smith and Rebecca Adlington, Paralympics wheelchair athlete David Weir and former middle-distance runner Steve Cram, star in the series which also investigates the parallels between the athletes and BMW.
It explores how a combination of technology, determination and improvement leads to Olympic and Paralympics medals, as well as automotive innovation.
Director, Asif Kapadia, worked with Steve Cram looking back at athletics and motorsport in the 1980s, whilst Richard de Aragues directed Louis Smith in a film which examines the tension in delivering a quality performance.

 

The focus of six-time Paralympics medallist David Weir’s film is the relationship between the athlete and his equipment to examine what makes man and machine work in harmony.
Rebecca Adlington’s film, Beneath the Surface, shows how the work her coaching team put into her hydrodynamic efficiency relates to the aerodynamic testing processes carried out on BMW models.
Tim Abbott, Managing Director of BMW Group UK said: “By teaming our athletes with some brilliant directors, BMW Presents is able to showcase the astounding dedication of the BMW London 2012 Performance Team. As the Official Automotive Partner of London 2012, we are delighted to be supporting athletes and help deliver a more sustainable Olympic and Paralympics Games.”

 

Performance Improvement and Mystery Shopping Company, Douglas Stafford, has been working with BMW for over 10 years. BMW commissioned Douglas Stafford to create and organise a National Performance Coaching Programme. Using the Mystery Shopping results, this series of one day training sessions was rolled out throughout the UK. Sales Analyst Manager, Kate Jordan, says: “I would recommend Douglas Stafford to anyone. Delivering a professional and successful Mystery Shopping programme, the friendly Douglas Stafford team have always met our adapting needs; nothing is an issue for them.”

 

Low-rate deals attracting Customers

 

The Financing and Leasing Association has released its latest figures showing that more than 33,000 people bought new cars using car finance in January. This was a 42% increase in the value of new car finance provided, compared with the same period last year. January is traditionally a slow month for sales of cars on dealer finance, and the increase on last January’s 27,000 cars bought on finance reflects the low-rate deals offered by lenders. Motor finance providers are also accepting lower deposits from customers. In the last twelve months, 63.5% of all private new car sales were bought using motor finance. It was also a good month for dealers selling used car finance to consumers with volumes 14% higher this January than in January 2011.

 

Paul Harrison, Head of Motor Finance at the Finance & Leasing Association, commented: “These figures are striking for January, when customers often reduce expenditure after Christmas. But good offers at dealerships have attracted customers – and people have taken full advantage of the low rates available on motor finance.”

 

Mystery Shopping and Performance Improvement Company Douglas Stafford can develop a comprehensive customer satisfaction initiative (CSI) that will provide your company with the tools to improve both sales and customer service. Well designed communication can help your organisation change processes and practices to improve performance and most importantly, increase sales and customer retention. At Douglas Stafford, we offer a comprehensive customer service research initiative which can produce valuable results and provide you with an insight into your customers’ opinions. Following this, you could ultimately increase your sales and improve customer service.

 

Renault’s CarBuyer Award Success

Renault’s comprehensive customer care package 4+, which gives new vehicle owners a four year warranty, has won the inaugural CarBuyer Buyers’ Award. ‘The Renault 4+ offer, which became available on all new Renaults from 1st February, provides a comprehensive four year/100,000 mile warranty, four years/48,000 miles routine servicing, four years roadside cover and up to four years finance. Auto Express and CarBuyer editor-in-chief Steve Fowler praised the initiative, saying: “For the first CarBuyer Buyers’ Award we were looking for an initiative that would appeal to our audience as something to help take the pain out of car buying. We’ve seen plenty of long warranties and tempting buying packages, but Renault 4+ is the best of all worlds, providing plenty of peace-of-mind, while making car buying more affordable and transparent.”

 

Receiving the trophy at the company’s headquarters in Hertfordshire, Thierry Sybord, Renault UK’s Managing Director added, “We’re confident that the quality of our products is now among the very best in the market, and so it was only fitting that we launched a customer care package to mirror this confidence. We’re delighted that our latest initiative has been recognised so early on, in fact within just weeks of being launched.”

 

The award-winning 4+ package not only offers new Renault car and van customers added security, fixed running costs and affordable monthly payments, but also helps improve resale value. All the customer has to worry about for the first four years of ownership is insurance, fuel and MOT.

 

Mystery Shopping and Performance Improvement Company Douglas Stafford have been working with Renault for ten years and have established a close working relationship with their team.  Douglas Stafford would like to congratulate Renault on their recent award success.

THINK!

A £1.2 million THINK! Campaign urging drivers to see the person behind the motorcycle helmet was launched this month by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning. The TV adverts will show bikers with flashing neon signs attached to their bikes. The signs show the rider’s name and information about them such as ‘shy retiring type’ or ‘new dad’. The voiceover at the end asks drivers to look out for motorcyclists next time they are out driving. The campaign was formed by research showing that drivers are more likely to notice motorcyclists on the roads if they know a biker themselves.

The adverts are centred on motorcyclists and the huge role they play in road casualty figures. Despite only accounting for 1% of traffic, motorcyclists make up 22% of deaths on Britain’s roads. Mike Penning said: “As a biker myself I know how great motorcycling can be, but as Road Safety Minister I know that the statistics show bikers are tragically over-represented in road casualties and I want to see this number come down. The campaign I am launching today aims to get drivers to think again about how they look at bikers when they’re out on the road. I hope this will help to reduce the number of bikers killed and injured in crashes with cars.”

Mystery Shopping and Performance Improvement company, Douglas Stafford, works with many national and international retail organisations including Motorcycle dealerships Honda and Triumph and believes the THINK! Campaign is a subject worth raising awareness about and feels the safety of Motorcyclists on Britain’s Roads is sometimes overlooked. A number of Directors within Douglas Stafford are keen motorcyclists themselves and the THINK! Campaign is a subject very close to their hearts.

The new ‘Named Riders’ TV campaign started on Friday 2nd March with radio and petrol station advertising running from Saturday 10th March.

Lord Mayor Opens New Office at 1000 Lakeside

The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Cheryl Buggy, officially opened Coffin Mew’s new office at 1000 Lakeside, North Harbour, Portsmouth.

 

The ribbon was cut by the Lord Mayor and Miles Brown, Managing Partner of Coffin Mew Solicitors, in an evening celebration with a turnout of 100 guests. The new 13,500 sq ft office at the prestigious 1000 Lakeside development compliments its existing locations in Kings Park House, Southampton and Gosport.

 

Miles Brown, Managing Partner at Coffin Mew says: “We are delighted to be at 1000 Lakeside. Moving to this landmark development means that by bringing together our two offices previously in Fareham and Portsmouth under one roof, we can offer our business and private clients’ ease of access to our full range of services. We are a major legal provider to a wide range of clients across the Solent region and beyond. Being in two major cities on the south coast will further enhance our reputation and demonstrate that we investing in the future.”

 

Mystery Shopping and Performance Improvement company, Douglas Stafford will have been residents in the Lakeside Development for three years in April.  As a company, Douglas Stafford have enjoyed watching the Lakeside Business Park develop and expand.

Men vs Women

A battle of the sexes has recently broken out, debating who fares better on the forecourt when buying a car, men or women? Sophie Grimshaw at BMW Financial Services says, “Women are more than able and not afraid of negotiating a tough deal, they are often more cautious and better prepared as they have taken the time to do their research.” However, Joe Pattinson believes, “I am the first to admit that gender roles are becoming increasingly blurred but there is nothing wrong with admitting where your weaknesses are, both men and women alike – and there’s no harm in turning to the man in your life for advice, studies show that women tend to agree with this sentiment and many feel uncomfortable buying a car.”

 

However, according to TGI.net data, 54 per cent of used car buyers in the UK in the last six months were female. Dermot Kelleher, Head of Research at Motors.co.uk, claims that there is plenty of evidence that proves men and women are motivated by many of the same factors in terms of their next car purchase, “There appear to be some perception issues that franchise dealers need to overcome to ensure they capitalise on the whole of the market.”

 

Douglas Stafford has a strong team of both male and female Mystery Shoppers out in the field carrying out Mystery Shops on a daily basis. Video Mystery Shopping provides evidence based performance analysis that your management team will be able to use as a positive training and coaching tool with their teams on an on-going basis. During the past ten years Douglas Stafford has developed a very robust method of performance evaluation through state of the art, full colour, and digital HD quality video production. This provides an excellent platform to use for a variety of performance improvement initiatives and forms an excellent development platform for your teams to work with.

 

Contact Douglas Stafford on 0800 783 1913 or email us at [email protected].

Welcome to the Neighbourhood

Douglas Stafford, the UK’s leading Automotive Mystery Shopping company, is looking forward to welcoming the new Porsche Centre to Portsmouth this summer. News of the new location was first reported by Motor Trader in November last year; the two-storey centre opening on a two-acre site will feature a 26-car showroom with roof-top parking, an eight-ramp workshop and an MOT bay. The centre will also offer local collection and delivery for servicing and repairs, and a full range of Porsche services including new and pre-owned Porsche Approved car sales, servicing, parts, a service loan fleet and a good selection of Porsche demonstrators. The showroom will have displays for the Porsche Design Driver’s Selection range of clothing and accessories.

 

Douglas Stafford is anticipating the arrival of its new neighbours and is looking forward to seeing the new dealership and what Porsche has in store for us. At least now if any employees disappear we will know where to find them – admiring what’s on offer in the new showroom.
.