68% of car owners want retailers to be proactive in communicating service and MOT due dates
Published: January 2025
Over two-thirds of car owners would welcome proactive contact from retailers about upcoming service and MOT due dates, according to our latest consumer research. The findings highlight the importance of accurate customer records and ongoing communication for driving aftersales conversions and retention.
In the survey of 1,000 UK car owners, 68% said they ‘completely agree’ or ‘somewhat agree’ with the statement: ‘I would be more likely to book my vehicle in for a service or MOT with a dealer that monitors the date on which it is due and makes the effort to contact me about it in advance.’ Only 5% of respondents said they would not be influenced positively by this type of bespoke reminder.
Notably, younger car owners are most receptive to receiving aftersales reminder messages. Almost three-quarters (74%) of 17- to 25-year-olds agreed with the statement, compared to 57% of drivers over the age of 76.
These statistics come during the wake of a recent Motor Ombudsman survey of independent garages and franchise dealer workshops, which found 56% of businesses expect motorists to delay essential repairs in 2025 to save money, while 48% foresee a drop in ad hoc and routine maintenance bookings.
For some, putting off essential repairs will not be possible, meaning it is more important than ever for workshops to position themselves as the first choice and exceed customer expectations. Our analysis gives cause for greater optimism about aftersales demand – provided customers are prompted.
Our marketing automation platform, VoiceBox, which has been developed specifically for motor retailers and workshops, integrates with a retailer’s DMS to send automated, customised, and timely messages via email and SMS on behalf of both the sales and aftersales departments. It can access DVSA records to retrieve correct MOT dates and, with our Approved Partner agreement with Keyloop, can automatically update them within the DMS, offering significant time savings for data administration teams. VoiceBox can then be used to send automated messages to remind customers of an upcoming MOT or service, as well as amber follow-up work where appropriate.
Data from over 500 UK retailer clients shows that combining MOT and service reminders, when both appointments are due within 30 days, have an increased conversion rate of 39% compared to sending the MOT and service reminders separately.
“The recent findings from the Motor Ombudsman report point to a lack of confidence among retailers and workshops, but our research highlights that many customers will happily commit to repairs and maintenance when encouraged to do so.
It’s crucial to reach out to the right people at the right time with the right message. VoiceBox can automate this process to boost workshop utilisation and maximise retention. It also gives workshops a way to drive other forms of revenue growth whilst providing a solution for the customer, such as by highlighting aftersales payment plans or encouraging customers to consider changing their vehicle.”
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