UK car dealers experienced a pronounced rise in online inquiries during Q3 of 2019.
Marketing Delivery reports that more than 162,000 inbound online inquiries received by car retailers throughout the UK, a 20% increase in total enquiry volumes compared to Q3 2018.
Email remains customers’ most preferred method of contact, and capture rates on email addresses grew from 88% in Q3 2018 to 90% in Q3 2019.
UK car dealers captured prospective customers’ mobile numbers for 82% of all inquiries during the third quarter of 2018, compared to 83% over the same period in 2019.
Marketing Delivery said that customers are more likely to give consent to emails, with email consent rates rising from 67% in Q3 2018 to 69% in Q3 2019.
Reinforcing the positive trend, consent for contact via mobile was secured in 57% of inquiries in Q3 2019, compared to 54% during the same period last year.
Jeremy Evans, managing director at Marketing Delivery, said: “This data suggests more drivers are beginning to consider their next car, and it is encouraging to see dealers introducing new processes to grow capture and consent rates in a way that works for prospective customers.
“Dealers can use eCRM to record the growing number of inquiries, even the ‘coldest’ ones, and open up lines of communication. By capturing prospects’ emails and gaining consent for future marketing, dealers put themselves in a strong position to nurture leads, even if a prospective buyer may not be ready to commit at that particular moment.”