Yesterday (when I wrote this) was Easter Monday. Traditionally the day of furniture boulevards, DIY stores and… the car showrooms. At least, that’s how it used to be. When I look around me, I see that more and more car dealerships are choosing to keep their doors closed on this public holiday. Which raises the question: is Easter Monday passé in the automotive world?

Yesterday I simply decided to open up with Ligier in Doesburg. And what did it turn out to be? Busy. In fact: I sold cars! That contrast between my own experience and the trend of closing the doors gets me thinking. Why isn’t everyone open?

The website is the most important showroom, but…

We all know that the customer journey in automotive has changed drastically. The orientation phase takes place almost entirely online. Visiting five different dealers over the weekend is a thing of the past. By the time a customer walks into the showroom, they often already know exactly what they want. The website has become the most important showroom. The ‘Zero Moment of Truth’ (ZMOT) takes place behind a screen.

Does this mean the physical showroom no longer serves a purpose on a public holiday? Absolutely not! On the contrary, the physical appointment is the closing piece of the online customer journey. When a customer takes the trouble to come to the showroom on a day off, such as Easter Monday, the purchase intent is sky-high. These are no longer browsers; these are buyers. The car salesperson is ultimately responsible for cashing in on these opportunities.

Be available (Rule 6)

One of my core convictions, and rule 6 of our Online Rules, is: be available. When the consumer is off work and has time to make that important purchase, we need to be ready. If we’re closed, the customer simply goes to the competitor who is open, or they continue their orientation online, causing us to lose the momentum.

I fully understand the argument that ‘the staff want time off too.’ But in a service-oriented industry, we have to be creative with staffing. Perhaps the whole team doesn’t need to be present. Flexible staffing at peak moments makes the difference between a missed opportunity and a signed contract.

Trial and error

My experience yesterday proves that there are still plenty of opportunities on Easter Monday. It was busy, there was energy in the showroom, and the results speak for themselves. It’s a matter of trial and error. If you don’t try, you don’t know. You learn by doing!

Maybe it’s time we reconsidered our assumptions. Let’s not blindly follow the trend of closing, but look at customer needs and our own results. As a car dealer, you can’t win offline if you don’t first win online, but you do have to open the doors offline to close the deal.

Is Easter Monday passé in the automotive world? As far as I’m concerned, absolutely not. As long as the consumer has the need to buy cars on this day, we should throw the doors wide open. It’s a prime opportunity to set yourself apart.

So, to all my colleagues in the industry: were you open on Easter Monday? And if not, why not, exactly? I’d love to hear your opinion!