April 2021

46 AFTERMARKET APRIL 2021 BUSINESS www.aftermarketonline.net I n what felt like an endless Winter, the Prime Minister’s promise of an “irreversible” easing of lockdown sounded very enticing, but significant obstacles remained as the economy rumbled along under straightened circumstances. 8 February: Online is where it’s at for garages says Eurorepar The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on consumer behaviour should be the catalyst to encourage garages to take digital marketing and online lead generation really seriously, Eurorepar Car Service has suggested. While many garages will have an online presence, garages need to examine how they use this, and make it work for them. Radek Kowalski, Organic Search Director at Eurorepar Car Service’s website partner, McCann Connected, commented: “Including key search terms and providing clear location information on the homepage can improve a website’s performance in Google search results. Furthermore, linking through and embedding Google services, such as a link to the site location on Google Maps or to a trailer for the business on YouTube, can help to improve a website’s visibility online. “Garages can also use social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to reach customers directly. Built-in features allow garages to receive and reply to enquiries, as well as growing a following in their local community by sharing their own content.” Nick Taylor, Head of Network and Business Development for Eurorepar Car Service, observed: “Digital marketing is a term that’s here to stay. Garages must invest in their online presence to give them the very best chance of winning new business. While a strong reputation, traditional marketing and word of mouth is still important, online platforms offer a CORONAVIRUS ROUND-UP In the run-up to the Budget, with lockdown easing promised from April, the sector continued to fight its corner new approach that could help take your customer base to the next level.” 9 February: Used car market down 14.9% in 2020 Repeated lockdowns and shaky consumer confidence have been identified as key reasons for used car sales dropping by 14.9% in 2020 according to figures from the SMMT. 6,752,959 second-hand cars were sold during the year, 1,182,146 less than in 2019, making 2020 the slowest year for the second-hand market since 2012. While sales were actually up 3.7% in October, which was the fourth month of consecutive growth, renewed restrictions at the end of year pushed sales back down by 18.3% in November and 4.2% in December. Overall Q4 transactions were down 6.2% at 1,693,138. Within the total, alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) were up 5.2%, with 144,225 sold taking their market share to 2.1%. Battery electric vehicles went up 29.7% to 19,184 units, representing 0.3% of the total. The market for hybrids also rose by 4.7%. Meanwhile, demand for plug-in hybrids fell by 5.0%. Diesel and petrol sales fell by 15.5% and 15.2%. 10 February: MOT bookings soared 90% throughout Exemption Bookings for MOTs through price comparison site BookMyGarage showed a 90% year-on-year increase during the MOT Exemption as drivers time-shifted their Spring and Summer MOTs into the Autumn and Winter, in a trend that is expected to be repeated at the end of 2021, and in years to come. January saw a 50% rise in MOT bookings as the last of the Exemption MOTs took place. For now, the tsunami of tests will begin subsiding as tests for all vehicles eligible for the Exemption will soon have been conducted. Karen Rotberg, Co-Founder of BookMyGarage.com, commented: “The last six months have proved to be extremely busy for garages who have worked hard to accommodate both MOTs which were extended and those that are normally due at that time of the year. It’s important to remember that it’s not just a case of doing MOTs, it’s also the servicing and repair work that accompanies the majority of tests. In fact, we had more than double the number of combined MOT and service bookings than we