Amid signs of an intensely competitive September new car market, with strong consumer offers and good availability of stock, dealer group leaders are acutely aware it is their people who’ll drive success, according to Mon Motors group operations director Steve Dean.
September is shaping up to be a fascinating month for the UK new-car market. Early industry indications suggest the market could be running around 19% ahead year-on-year so far.
On the face of it, that’s great news.
But I think there’s a much more interesting story underneath the headline. Customers haven’t disappeared. They’re buying cars.
What has changed is the battlefield.
We have more brands, more models, more powertrain choices and more manufacturer support competing for essentially the same customer.
Discounting remains significant. EV choice is exploding. New entrants are challenging established brands.
And customers have never been better informed or had more choice.
So perhaps the question isn’t simply: “How much is the market growing?”
It’s: “Where is that growth going — and why?”
For retailers, I think September reinforces something very simple: Product matters. Price matters. But execution matters more than ever.
The crucial factors are numerous: Speed of response. Quality of enquiry handling. Product knowledge. Follow-up. Customer experience. And giving somebody a genuine reason to buy from you rather than the increasingly long list of alternatives.
A growing market creates opportunity. But it doesn’t guarantee success.
And all the key points involve a colleague…. Here at Mon Motors Group we recognise that.