Drivers penalize bodyshops that do not have an online presence

Almost one out of every ten drivers have refused to go to a bodyshop if it does not have an online presence. This is one of the main conclusions by a study carried out amongst one thousand drivers by a well known French garage comparison site. Not providing enough information online penalizes a garage, and not only amongst young urban drivers, as could be expected given the more widespread use of the Internet in this population group. This is a trend shared by drivers, regardless of their age or location.

According to this study, “Automobile Maintenance and Digitalization: the new habits of Drivers”, more than half of the drivers, 56%, search the web before deciding which garage they are going to take their car to. Regarding young people, between 18 and 34, this percentage rises to 67%. Drivers visit an average of 2,45 websites when they think about garages/shops for their cars. Being present on one site is not enough. Facebook, Google My Business, online reservation platforms, web: it is essential to be present in several channels in order to be visible.

This trend is also increasing in regards to making appointments online, particularly in urban areas, where 24% of appointments are made online, while 76% are still made by phone.

The three main reasons why drivers look for information regarding the maintenance of their cars are, in this order: to know the price of a service (90% of women want to have a quote before making a decision), to learn more about some type of breakdown or maintenance, and to access specific, practical information in order to locate a reliable shop.

Regardless of the age group, the opinions have become decisive when choosing a garage. For 75% of the drivers, the online business reputation is essential. In conclusion, the majority of drivers that are looking to repair bodywork damages on their vehicles look to the Internet before choosing a garage/shop in order to know the opinions of other drivers in regards to the quality of the garage’s services.