Current world events have been causing supply problems in various sectors for a number of years. The automotive industry has not been spared, which is having a significant impact on new car sales and presenting dealers with new challenges.

In this impulse, I would like to share my personal experiences with you on this topic.

The ongoing chip shortage, which is affecting the production of control units, combined with logistical challenges from the Asian region, mean that the production of new cars is not proceeding as planned. As a result, dealers can only order and sell a limited number of vehicles, and these orders often entail waiting times of up to 15 months. These circumstances also affect the end customer, who is often unaware of how long it can take for their new dream car to arrive on their doorstep.

But the question we really need to ask ourselves here is how retailers deal with these circumstances and how the customer is guided through this process.

Two approaches become clear here. The first approach is one in which the customer continues to be guided through the sales process as standard, naturally with information about current delivery times. Increasingly, however, the customer encounters a new type of behavior that has not been seen in the past in the new car trade. This behavior is an incomprehensible defensive attitude in the sales process.

You might think that the current delivery difficulties have put some dealers in a comfortable situation, as there is no pressure to sell. After all, all available models, including their own demonstration models, have already been sold. The demonstration cars that have been re-ordered will also be sold when they arrive at the dealership. This puts dealers in an unprecedented position, in which there is no pressure to achieve sales figures or to reduce existing vehicles at the end of the year. This also has an impact on the used car market. However, this is a topic for a separate article. With all the challenges and supply bottlenecks, it is all the more important not to lose sight of the customer and to further strengthen brand loyalty through an excellent customer journey.