Franchised dealers see aftersales rise

According to new data, the average UK dealership experienced a boost in workshop business during September.

Figures obtained from autoVHC, an electronic vehicle health check provider, revealed that in the final month of Q3, the average dealership saw an eight per cent increase in the number of vehicles being presented to workshops, up from 267 in July to 289 in September.

The data from autoVHC, which sampled 500 UK dealerships, also revealed a 17% rise in vehicle health check completion rates last month, as workshops managed an average of 205 full inspections, compared to July’s figure of 175.

With the average invoice uplift standing at £61 per completed health check last month, the boost in activity helped the average aftersales department secure an additional £1,830 in revenue for the month, representing an additional yield of almost £9 million across the UK.

Chris Saunders, Business unit director at autoVHC, said, ‘Previous data revealed a poor start to Q3, with dealerships missing out on a significant amount of aftersales work. The latest figures however are far more encouraging. While more vehicles are passing through workshops, the best news is that vehicle health check completion rates showed a marked increase at the end of the quarter. Service departments clearly seized more of the revenue opportunities presented to them.

‘The generation of additional revenue during September is a welcome outcome where profits are concerned, especially given recent fears of a slowdown in vehicle sales.  Moreover, it demonstrates that aftersales departments are placing a greater focus on ensuring processes are carried out effectively.’