Customer ‘Scorecard’ Designed to Help Dealers
CDK Global offering polls U.S. customers on car availability and more.
Car buyers say they're having an easier time finding their models of choice.
IMAGE: Getty Images/FG Trade
CDK Global introduced a monthly “Ease of Purchase Scorecard” to help car dealerships improve customers’ experience.
The scorecard sums up results of monthly polls of more than 1,000 U.S. customers about vehicle availability, the ease of finding desired vehicles, and consumer expectations about how long it takes to buy a car.
September's poll found that:
More than half of poll respondents visited retailers to order their cars or picked them from among models in transit, as opposed to finding a car in stock.
Price negotiation and trade-ins are getting smoother at dealerships, 58% of respondents indicating they found it easy to reach a final price and 53% getting trade-in value for their old cars.
A growing number of respondents felt the car-buying process, from shopping to closing the purchase, is taking too long, up from 25% in August to 45% in September.
Shopping at the dealership or starting the shopping online, 67% of respondents said finding their models of choice is getting easier.
CDK says the scorecard can help dealers finetune their processes to make the buying experience more inviting for customers.
“What are the friction points of the purchase journey? How can they streamline it for the customer?” said CDK External Communications Manager Lisa Finney.
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More F&I
Own Your Outcome: F&I in the Digital Customer Journey
Finance has historically been the last step in the car-buying process, but it doesn’t have to be. The customer’s journey starts long before they arrive at the dealership, and so should F&I’s involvement.
Read More →
Tariffs Could Raise Insurance Premiums
As U.S. import tariffs affect repair costs, consumers might find it more affordable to replace a damaged vehicle, according to recent Insurify tariff analysis.
Read More →
Smaller Loans, Longer Terms
The youngest generation of car buyers is more likely to finance less expensive vehicles, more than half of generation Z consumers borrowing less than $25,000.
Read More →
New Lifetime Battery F&I Product Meant to Drive Dealer Traffic
EFG Cos. offering is intended to create lifetime auto dealer engagement with customers.
Read More →
The Psychology Behind Menus That Increase Add-On Sales
There is a science to crafting a menu that gives customers confidence in the choices presented, and moving the process outside the F&I office can further boost results.
Read More →
Why Your F&I PVR Is Misleading You
Here’s a handy checklist of the numbers to track in 2026 instead.
Read More →
Auto Consumer Anxiety Presents Opportunity
A survey of U.S. drivers found the majority are concerned about finances and the economy, but those fears make many ready to buy vehicle-protection products.
Read More →
Humble and Hungry: 12 Rules for an F&I Life
Dustin Gingerich, with a decade in the F&I business under his belt, shares his thoughts on leadership, building trust with customers, and the importance of learning and innovation.
Read More →
Focus on the Opening
F&I managers must learn as much as possible about their customers, starting before they walk into their offices. The bulk of today’s consumers expect that, and good results will follow.
Read More →
F&I Reaches for the Sky
The increasingly important profit center continued making gains in the first quarter, according to StoneEagle data, ancillary products proving more popular as consumers hold onto their buys longer.
Read More →