How do we accelerate retailer performance?
We initially engage in a ‘discovery’ session – we’ll review your current operation, carry out a SWOT analysis and more importantly we’ll listen to you. We need to understand the challenges you are currently facing before we can make any recommendations for improvement.
Once we have a clear picture of your business, we then conduct a gap analysis which allows us to then make informed recommendations that will help plug the identified gaps. We’ll address all aspects of the business with a specific focus on operations, marketing and sales. These recommendations will focus on people and processes (with reference to digital transformation where applicable), all with a view to improving your customer experience and as a result driving an improved ROI across all activities the business engages in.
Next steps
Once we have identified areas for improvement, if the solution is outside of our scope of work, we will seek to connect suppliers & dealers where there is a need for a service/product that will provide the right solution. The solution always needs to be customer centric, i.e., it has to be to the benefit of your prospective customer – otherwise what is the point!
We’re confident that we can deliver solutions to address any challenges you are currently facing. In fact we’re so confident that we’ll enter into a one hour free consultation via a video call. During this call we’ll seek to understand your challenges. If we think we can help you we’ll tell you, just as importantly if we don’t think we can help, we’ll tell you!
‘Bite Size’ Case Studies
Short and to the point case studies highlighting the work we do with a variety of automotive businesses in both the UK and Europe.
Longo
Used Car Retailer in the Baltic States & Poland
As a NED at Longo for the past 3 years Neil has advised the owners of Longo on all aspects of the business from sourcing through preparation, pricing, marketing and sales. With outlets in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland as well as a sourcing division in the Netherlands Longo is now the largest independent used car retailer in the Baltic States. Recognised for its innovative use of technology Longo this year (2024) ranked 550th in the FT’s 1000 list of fastest growing companies in Europe., a fantastic achivement!
Hippo Motor Group
Vehicle Retail, Leasing and Finance Business
As Performance Director at Hippo Approved (the used vehicle retail arm of Hippo Motor Group) Neils remit was to deliver increased sales volumes. Neil implemented a new marketing strategy aimed at delivering more quality leads into the business and he was also responsible for the sales teams performance in ensuring lead to sale conversion was optimised. This resulted in almost a fiver fold incease in units sold – 60 units a month to near 300 units a month in a 12 month period.
Sparks Commercials
Renault Trucks Commercial Services & Sales
As a successful truck commercial services business operating Renault Trucks franchise outlets Sparks has never had to rely on marketing to develop their incredibly successful business. With the acquisition of an ex-Nissan dealership, soon to be a ‘state of the art’ Vans Sales & Service Centre – focusing on EV & sustainability – Neil has been engaged as a Marketing Consultant to deliver a ‘push/pull’ marketing strategy aimed at Sparks being recognised as the ‘experts in LCVs’ in the South.
CMe Automotive
Automotive specialist digital and media agency
As Advisor to the Board of CMe Automotive Neil provides advice and support to the SLT. Neil has worked with the founder of CMe (Media and Automotive) – Charisse Smith – for in excess of 10 years. Just over a year ago the decision was taken to launch CMe Automotive due to the success the business had enjoyed in recent times in the UK automotive space. Neil has onboarded many automotive clients over the past year (2023/24) contributing to a year one turnover for CMe Automotive of close to £1m.
About Motorvait
Leading UK Automotive Consultancy
Neil Smith
Founder & CEO
As Imperial Cars Operations Director and Cazoo Retail Operations Director, Neil Smith (founder of Motorvait) has long been recognised as an industry influencer. In over eleven years at the cutting edge of the used car retailing sector he has built a network of ‘best in class’ suppliers. A network that works collaboratively to deliver customer centric solutions which address the challenges the UK automotive industry currently faces whilst focusing on the customer experience which in turn drives profitability.
“I have a passion for the UK used car sector which some may say is ‘unhealthy’. Having worked on the front line of used car retailing for the past fifteen years with the last ten years being dedicated to digital transformation I have a unique knowledge of this space. To paraphrase Liam Neeson ‘I have a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career, skills that make me very useful to used car retailers’. On a serious note however, I can help/advise and inform any retailer facing challenges in this new world of vehicle rEtailing so please reach out using the free 1 hour video chat option below. For a detailed overview of the session please click on the ‘details of th free discovery session’ button below. To learn more about me then please click on the ‘Resume’ button below.”
Click here for details of the free discovery session
Akeno Partnership
Kerry Thompson (Founder and CEO of Akeno) and I have collaborated on projects in the past for large dealer groups & independents & we’ve discovered that our skill sets complement each other exceptionally well. I’m all about the operational elements of a vehicle retailing business – vehicle sourcing, preparation, pricing, marketing & sales. Kerry is all about people, culture, change management & ultimately business transformation & we overlap on process. This means that when collaborating on a project, large or small, there is not a part of that business (sales/aftersales) that we are unable to positively impact.
This parnership Takes the best of Akeno ‘Making your future bright through pragmatic and engaging business transformation’ & Motorvait ‘Drive sustainable dealer profitability by helping/advising/informing and where necessary connecting dealers with suppliers of innovative, customer centric, value-add automotive products & services’ and packaging it into an easy to consume service aimed at delivering a positive impact on performance to any UK automotive business.
So, with this wealth of experience between us why not consider booking a ‘discovery session with us. What is a ‘discovery session’? We spend time learning about your business, your challenges & your successes, what you do well & where you need help. We then identify areas within the business where there are gaps in performance. We formulate a plan of action to address those gaps which is then shared with you.
In simple terms this discovery session is all about ‘knowing your onions’ & ‘squeezing the business’ – once you know what you’re dealing with we can then help squeeze as much out of your business as we possibly can!
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