5 metrics that every dealership should measure each week

In the world of car dealerships, making decisions without data is like driving with your eyes blindfolded. Measuring performance every week allows you to quickly detect what is working and what is not, react in time, and continuously improve.

A weekly frequency is ideal because it allows for agile adjustments without waiting for the month to end. It helps you identify sudden spikes or drops, understand market behavior better, and keep your team aligned with clear and measurable goals. Ultimately, it is a way to professionalize management without losing flexibility.

The 5 Key Metrics for Dealerships

1. Number of leads generated

This is the starting point for every sale. A lead is anyone who shows interest in buying a vehicle, whether by visiting the dealership, filling out a form online, or calling by phone. This metric shows you the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and visibility.

How to measure it? Use your CRM, online forms, social media, and also a manual record for in-person contacts. Automating this collection saves you time and reduces errors.

Tip: Differentiate between digital leads (web, social media, WhatsApp) and in-person (spontaneous visits, fairs, etc.) to identify which channels are generating the most real sales opportunities.

Dive deeper: If you notice a drop in leads, review your active campaigns, advertising investment, SEO positioning, or even your business hours.

2. Lead-to-sale conversion rate

It's not enough to generate many leads; you have to convert them. This metric tells you how effective your sales team is at closing deals.

Formula: (Number of sales / Number of leads) x 100

Healthy indicator: A rate above 10% is usually positive in dealerships, although it can vary by market segment and type of vehicle.

How to improve it? Train your team in closing techniques, follow up in a timely manner, respond quickly to digital leads, and analyze why opportunities are lost (lack of stock, non-competitive prices, response times, etc.).

Practical example: If you generate 100 leads a week but only sell 5 cars, you are leaving many opportunities on the table. An improvement of 2-3% in this rate can mean thousands of euros extra per month.

3. Average inventory turnover time

Measures how long a car stays in your stock before being sold. The longer it stays, the more costs in space, maintenance, and immobilized capital.

Example: If a car stays in inventory for more than 60 days, it may be affecting your liquidity and reducing your room for maneuver for new acquisitions.

Tools: Inventory management systems, dynamic Excel sheets, or integrated platforms like Dealcar. The important thing is that you can visualize the average time and per unit.

Critical indicators: An average time over 45-60 days may indicate problems in pricing, poor promotion, or low turnover of less demanded models.

Suggestion: Review the oldest units weekly and apply strategies such as price adjustments, specific campaigns, or relocating the car in physical or digital displays.

4. Profit margin per vehicle sold

It is vital to know how much you really earn per sale. This metric helps you avoid the trap of volume without profitability.

Basic calculation: Selling price - (purchase price + associated costs such as reconditioning, ITV, commission, transportation, etc.)

What to observe? Even if a unit sells quickly, if the margin is too low, you are not building a sustainable business. Evaluate if your promotional campaigns are reducing the margin more than acceptable.

Strategy: Establish a minimum margin per operation and review averages weekly. A healthy margin allows you to invest in marketing, team, and better customer experience.

Tip: Review the margin also by type of vehicle, provider, or segment (utilities, SUV, electric). There you could find valuable patterns to optimize your stock purchase.

5. Quantity and quality of generated reviews

Reviews are the new "word of mouth." They directly impact your reputation, the trust you generate, and your positioning in search engines (local SEO).

Why measure them? Because they reflect your customers' perceptions and their level of satisfaction. Additionally, they influence future visitors' buying decisions. A dealership with many positive reviews is perceived as trustworthy.

How to measure? Review your Google Business profile, social media, buying and selling platforms (like Coches.net, Milanuncios), and post-sale surveys if you implement them.

Practical advice: Don't just count the quantity; also analyze the quality. Do they speak well of the service? Do they mention salespeople's names? Would they recommend your dealership? All of this is reputational capital.

Action: Create a system to request reviews naturally and post-sale, for example via WhatsApp or email. Provide excellent service, and the customer will feel more inclined to leave a positive opinion.

Useful tools to monitor these metrics

• CRM for dealerships like HubSpot, Salesforce, or specialized automotive platforms.

• Google Analytics to analyze web traffic and conversions.

• Dashboards in Google Data Studio or dynamic Excel with graphs and alerts.

• Automotive management software like Dealcar, which allows you to centralize leads, sales, inventory, and more, all in one place.

Tips to implement a weekly tracking system

• Assign a responsible person: Someone from the team should be in charge of collecting and presenting the data.

• Have a brief meeting each week: 15-20 minutes to review key metrics, detect trends, and make decisions.

• Compare with previous weeks: This way, you can see if you are improving, stagnant, or declining.

• Visualize with simple graphs: It helps the team understand the data and motivates improvement.

• Act: Measuring is not enough. Define concrete actions each week based on the results.

Conclusion

Measuring is improving. Implementing a weekly tracking system for these 5 metrics will give you a real competitive advantage. You do not need expensive tools, but consistency, focus, and the will to improve each week.

Success does not come just from selling more but from selling better, with data in hand and smart decisions.

Start this week, adjust your processes, involve your team, and you will see the results reflected in your sales and your reputation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a key metric for a dealership?

A key metric (or KPI) is a data point that reflects the performance of a critical part of the business, such as sales, marketing, or customer service. They help make decisions based on real findings.

How many metrics should a dealership track?

Ideally between 5 and 10. Too many can scatter the focus, few can leave you blind to problems. The 5 in this article cover essential areas.

How often should metrics be reviewed?

A weekly review allows for quick adjustments and ensures that no opportunities are lost. It also creates a culture of continuous improvement within the team.