Why Dealer Finance Isn’t Shifting Out of Gear

JudgeService research finds customers still value the opportunity to buy cars using dealer finance

Customers still appreciate being offered the opportunity to buy a car using dealer finance, despite recent legal challenges which led to a Supreme Court ruling on commission payments.

Research of 33,000 lost sales carried out by JudgeService found that those dealers who offered finance achieved a higher net promoter score than those who did not. This significantly raises the likelihood of dealers being recommended by customers to family, friends or online.

Additional JudgeService research identified that 92.5% of car buyers are satisfied with the explanation of finance provided by dealers, a figure that has remained consistent since 2022.

It also found 85% of used car customers that go on to purchase said they had been offered finance by dealers. Of those that did not take it up, two-thirds used their own funds.

Neil Addley, managing director of JudgeService said: “This research backs up the common-sense view that car buyers value being offered finance by dealers and are highly likely to convert.

“Furthermore, the vast majority of car buyers continue to be satisfied with the finance explanations given by showroom sales staff.

“Dealers should be encouraged by these findings and ensure every buyer is given the opportunity to consider their finance options, while having processes in place to maintain compliance all the way through the sales process.”

Further details and comments available from Neil Addley on 07795 665927 or neil@judgeservice.com.

About JudgeService

Launched in 2011 by Neil Addley, JudgeService is the UK’s only customer review platform developed exclusively for the car retailing sector. By ensuring all reviews are verified and genuine, JudgeService builds a solid foundation of trust and respect between customers and sellers enabling car retailers to actively manage their online reputations.

JudgeService shares granular insight reports with dealers to help them identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction levels, with many achieving 100% recommendation scores.

Based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, JudgeService has published over 1 million customer reviews and is used by over 1,000 franchised, independent and car supermarket sites across the UK.

Issued by Curtis Hutchinson Communications