ABM Q4 - Flipbook - Page 52
OPI N I O N
R E TA I L
Before the customer
is ready to buy
→ Anna Houldsworth is global head of paint protection at Autoglym LifeShine
M
ost dealers treat
upselling as a
conversation that
happens when a
customer is ready to sign
on the dotted line, but
the reality is that this is
often too late.
The important context
to this is that consumers are increasingly
receptive to being upsold. Research
commissioned by Autoglym LifeShine
has found that more than two-thirds
(67%) of car owners say that when they
next purchase a new or used vehicle,
they would be interested in hearing from
the dealer about ‘additional products
and services designed to protect the
vehicle’s exterior and make cleaning
easier’. Just 17% of respondents were
‘not interested’.
Notably, the proportion of those
interested in hearing about surface
protection products is rising, up from
54% when the same question was posed
in 2024.
Younger buyers are the most receptive,
with 87% of those aged between 18 and
24 expressing an interest.
The right value at the right time
Many dealers still view upselling as a
conversation that happens during the
transaction itself, but our research found
that only 38% of buyers actually want
these products discussed while finalising
their vehicle order.
Customers are interested in valueadd products, but not necessarily when
they're focused on budgets, finance
and delivery dates. The most successful
dealers recognise that upselling is not
a single conversation but a key part of
the ongoing sales process, and it can
even carry through into the customer’s
ownership journey.
Building awareness for upsell products
and services will ideally start during a
customer's research phase, via visibility
52
AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS
Q4 2026
on dealership websites, digital marketing
campaigns, vehicle listings and social
media content.
By the time a customer makes an
enquiry, they should already understand
the benefits of products such as paint
and surface protection.
This messaging should then be
reinforced when the
customer engages
directly with the
dealer throughout
the buying process.
Every touchpoint, from
initial enquiry and
test drive booking to
showroom visits and
handover, presents
an opportunity to
educate customers
and build desire.
Effective upselling
then depends on
teams having the
confidence and
training to identify
opportunities,
communicate value
and handle objections naturally within
the sales process.
Importantly, the opportunity should
not end at the vehicle handover. For
example, aftersales interactions – such
as for routine service and maintenance
– provide valuable opportunities to
continue conversations around vehicle
protection and ownership enhancement,
mindful that in these moments the
customer will be in the mindset to
maintain the appearance and value of
their investment.
By making upselling an embedded
part of the sales journey, rather than
having sales staff deliver a last-minute
pitch, dealerships will be much better
able to position value-add products as a
useful part of the ownership experience
and customers will be far more likely to
convert.
Customers
are interested
in value-add
products, but not
necessarily when
they're focused
on budgets [and]
delivery dates"
