Guides
What does a missed enquiry cost a car dealer?
A missed enquiry costs you the gross margin on the car you would otherwise have sold, multiplied by the chance that the enquiry became a sale. With your own figures you can work it out in a few minutes.
The formula
Missed margin per month = enquiries per month × share answered late or not at all × share that becomes a sale × gross margin per car.
A worked example
| Step | Worked example |
|---|---|
| Enquiries per month | 200 |
| Answered late or not at all | 25%, so 50 enquiries |
| Of which a sale if they had been answered in time | 5%, so 2.5 cars |
| Gross margin per car | € 2.000 |
| Missed margin per month | € 5.000 |
This is a worked example with made-up figures, not an average. Fill in your own figures.
How to find your own figures
- For one month, count all enquiries, on every channel.
- Note for each enquiry when the first real answer went out.
- Count how many enquiries became an appointment, and how many appointments a sale.
- Take your average gross margin per car from your accounts.