Internet Test-Drive

MUNICH – A survey result shows that sales of many European Automobiles companies and their dealers have been affected adversely due to a “rampant” failure to work on online test-drive requests from Internet shoppers.

A survey conducted by European Consultancy BearingPoint and Dutch Customer Relationship Management Company Multi-M/IT shows ‘‘nearly 61% of Internet-Shoppers’s requests for a test drive were unanswered within four days and 45% of the shoppers were not contacted within 14 days.’’

BearingPoint automotive partner, James Rodger said in an interview, “The ability to quickly and efficiently respond to sales inquiries will be a key as automakers confront a prolonged period of weak consumer demand in Europe.”

He also said that none of the brands evaluate in the survey had successfully tackled loop holes in their lead management processes highlighted in previous surveys. “This appears to be an endemic issue for an automotive industry,” he adds.

The conducted survey covered nineteen brands in seven European countries. The participants of this survey include those people, who made at least 4,400 requests either for product brochure or test drive through automakers official web sites during November and December 2010.

James Rodger said that customers asking for test drives are close to making a purchase, so a quick response is essential.