Industry overview
What is shaping automotive
The automotive market spans cars, two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and a fast-growing EV segment. Buyers research online but still decide at the dealership, and mechanics shape the aftermarket.
- EV adoption is moving from early adopters to the mainstream
- Online research shapes the shortlist before the showroom visit
- Independent mechanics drive aftermarket brand choices
Client background
A European passenger vehicle brand, working in 120 dealerships across the UK, Germany & France. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.
- Organisation
- A European passenger vehicle brand
- Sector
- Automotive
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Offline data collection, Data analytics & dashboards, Reporting & insights
Client challenge
Sales processes varied widely between dealers, and the manufacturer suspected that test drives, finance explanations and follow-ups were inconsistent.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: mystery shopping car showrooms across the network.
- Produce results that can be compared across groups and locations.
- Set up a repeatable measure the client can track over time.
Target audience
Scope: 480 visits and 360 calls per wave.
Audiences we typically reach in automotive
Car and two-wheeler buyersVehicle ownersDealers and sales staffMechanics and workshopsFleet operators
Geographic coverage
Coverage: 120 dealerships across the UK, Germany & France. Markets: United Kingdom, Germany and France.
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
Research methodology
A structured quantitative design, so results could be compared across groups, locations and time.
- 1Brief
- 2Mystery shopping visits and calls
- 3Dashboard by dealer
- 4Insight
Trained mystery shoppers posed as buyers, visiting showrooms and calling sales lines, scoring each stage against the manufacturer’s sales standards. Results were shared with each dealer on a dashboard with comparisons.
Offline data collectionData analytics & dashboardsReporting & insights
Sampling strategy
- Business respondents were screened on role, company size and involvement in the decision before being invited.
- Respondents were selected across 120 dealerships across the UK, Germany & France using quotas set in advance for each location and respondent type, so no single area or group dominated.
Data collection
- visits
- 480
- calls
- 360
- Trained local-language interviewers conducted interviews in person, supervised in the field.
- Auditors and mystery shoppers followed a standard checklist, recording evidence at each visit.
Data quality & validation
- Back-checks on a share of completed interviews
- Time and location checks on field interviews
- Supervisor accompaniment in the field
- Photo or document evidence for audit points
- Second-reviewer checks on scores
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Interactive dashboard for ongoing tracking
Key findings
- Follow-up calls after visits were the weakest step across the network.
Consistent scoring made dealer comparisons fair and actionable.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: consistent scoring made dealer comparisons fair and actionable.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: follow-up calls after visits were the weakest step across the network.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The manufacturer added follow-up reminders to its dealer CRM and linked part of dealer incentives to follow-up quality.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Interactive dashboard
- Continue the routine and review results every period.
- A natural follow-on question: how do buyers build their shortlist?
Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.