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BMW Dealerships Rank Second in the 2017 Pied Piper Online Lead-Responsiveness Study

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Meanwhile, luxury brand Porsche received the highest-ranking score from the study for a second year in a row

CAS 2017 BMW i3 5

BMW dealerships did a exemplary job answer customer questions

One of the most important components when determining where to buy a car from is the responsiveness of the dealership. Most drivers are looking for a dealership that will actually answer their questions, preferably in a timely manner.

In this regard, BMW seems to be doing a pretty good job. After all, BMW dealerships ranked second in the 2017 Pied Piper online lead-responsiveness study.


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The Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index Internet Lead Effectiveness Benchmarking Study, which is in its seventh year, measured the responsiveness of 18,277 dealerships of varying brands across the nation. The study examines how quickly and effectively the dealerships respond to inquiries they receive from customers through their websites.

Brands are ranked on a 100-point scale based around four criteria: timeliness of response, dealership or salesperson identification, quality of communication, and forwarding of the sale.

You can examine the results from the 2017 Pied Piper Study below:

2017 Pied Piper Study

BMW was the second-highest ranked brand in the study for this year, with an ultimate score of 63. Last year, BMW was ranked third with a score of 65.

BMW overtook Lexus for the number two spot in the study. Last year, Lexus was ranked second with a score of 66, while this year the brand was ranked sixth with a score of 59, one of the most dramatic changes in scoring between 2016 and 2017.

You can also examine the results from the 2016 Pied Piper Study blow:

2016 Pied Piper Study

On the other end of the spectrum, Mercedes-Benz gained eight points in the 2017 study with a score of 61. As such, Mercedes-Benz tied for third place this year, along with MINI.

Ultimately, Porsche maintained its title of the top-scoring brand for the 2017 Pied Piper study. It achieved a top score of 65 in this year’s study, a three-point decrease from its 68-point score in 2016.

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The overall responsiveness of Porsche dealerships was found to be the best in the industry

Tied for last place in the 2017 Pied Piper study were Fiat Chrysler brands Chrysler and Ram, which both earned a  score of 45. None of the Fiat Chrysler brands scored higher than the industry average for 2017, which was 54.

This is a two-point decrease for the overall industry average, which was a score of 56 in 2016. The lowest-scoring brand in the 2016 study was Buick, with a score of 47.


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Overall, the Pied Piper study found that dealerships responded to customer inquiries within 24 hours 88% of the time. In 2016, that metric was 91%.

Interestingly enough, while Porsche dealers responded to customers 98% of the time, they only answered the customer’s questions 54% of the time. Meanwhile, BMW answered customer questions around 70% of the time.

“There’s tremendous variation by brand and by dealer,” Pied Piper CEO Fran O’Hagan stated. “It’s a difficult part of the car business to do perfectly day in and day out.”

News Sources: Pied Piper Management Co., Automotive News