Leading Nottinghamshire Vauxhall dealer, Walkers Motor Group, is reporting a 100% growth on its sales conversions on Vehicle Health Checks (VHC) as a direct result of offering its consumers the ‘Drive Now, Pay Later+’ consumer finance programme from EMaC.

Walkers Motor Group initially joined forces with the UK’s leading provider of Service Plan and consumer retention schemes to the automotive industry, EMaC, with the ambition of improving consumer choice with flexible payment options. The benefits of this collaboration have however, exceeded expectation.

Paul Cummins, Aftersales Manager, Walkers Motor Group explains: “By introducing EMaC’s Drive Now, Pay Later+ scheme, our prime goal was to help our consumers by enabling them to pay for unexpected repair bills on a schedule to suit them.  We are now seeing our Vehicle Health Check business more than double.”

After an easy consumer credit application process with real time decision-making, the Drive Now, Pay Later+ flexible monthly instalment plan allows consumers to pay for vehicle repairs and accessories over time.  Walkers Motor Group is reporting fantastic consumer feedback, both from those who could easily afford the repairs but see the financial sense in spreading payments, as well as from consumers who would have otherwise struggled to pay for an unforeseen repair.

Juliette Samuels, EMaC’s local Sales Development Manager, helped Walkers Motor Group to set up the programme, providing onsite based staff training, ongoing performance reviews and best practice advice.  This has enabled Walkers Motor Group’s service advisors to offer Drive Now, Pay Later+ to potential consumers with the utmost confidence and has become a natural part of the front of house process.

Paul Cummins continued, “Traditionally, we would have to rely on signing consumers up to the Vauxhall Service Club, offering a 25% discount to secure agreement to carry out extra work. Whilst attractive to some, even after discount, not every consumer has a spare £200 – £300 for unexpected repairs.

Now, our consumers have a choice as they can take advantage of Drive Now, Pay Later+ for a flexible, interest-free monthly payment solution.   I would definitely recommend that dealers make EMAC’s Drive Now, Pay Later+ an integral part of their VHC strategy”.

John O’Donnell, Managing Director of EMaC concludes, “Helping dealers to help their consumers is what our business is all about.  It’s satisfying to see Drive Now, Pay Later+ deliver an improved consumer experience and greater revenue opportunities for Walkers Motor Group in such an effective way.  As a leader in our field, we will continue to develop bespoke consumer service solutions to improve both profitability for dealers and enhanced consumer service for motorists.”