Recall campaigns drive £1.2m aftersales uplift as retailers re-engage lapsed customers
The digital marketing initiative, delivered by Marketing Delivery across 19 UK dealership sites, saw targeted recall messages sent to customers who had not visited in over two years.
Automotive retailers have generated an additional £1.2m in aftersales revenue over the past year by using vehicle safety recall campaigns to reconnect with previously inactive customers.
The digital marketing initiative, delivered by Marketing Delivery across 19 UK dealership sites, saw targeted recall messages sent to customers who had not visited in over two years.
Of those contacted, 21% booked a recall appointment, with 5% going on to return for regular service work.
More than 120 recipients also made new car enquiries after re-engaging with their retailer via recall campaigns, returning to the sales cycle.
The campaign was powered by Marketing Delivery’s VoiceBox Safety Recall solution, which integrates with dealer management system (DMS) data and cross-checks it with official Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) records via Auto Data Solutions.
This enables retailers to identify customers with outstanding recalls and automatically issue personalised email and SMS messages encouraging them to take action.
Charlotte Murray, managing director at Marketing Delivery, said: “Outstanding recalls provide an entirely legitimate and GDPR-compliant basis for proactive communication with lapsed customers.
“Previously, identifying and contacting these individuals was time-consuming, but automation now allows for tailored communications that are proven to boost engagement and conversions.”
The recall messages include links to GOV.UK for added reassurance, and frequently offer complimentary vehicle health checks, which in turn generate further upselling opportunities.
On average, each activated recall customer accounted for an additional £134 in upsell revenue.
Marketing Delivery said these campaigns could help retailers maximise workshop utilisation during quieter periods and may become even more important in future.
Murray added: “It has been proposed that a vehicle could fail its MOT if it has an outstanding recall. If this change becomes law, it will drive further demand for these checks.”
Over the past three decades, more than 5,000 recall notices affecting 39 million vehicles have been issued in the UK.
