Nearly half of aftersales customers need to queue to speak to a service adviser

• 46% of UK car owners are having to queue to be seen by a service adviser  

• Those based in London find they must wait the most compared to any other region, with 67% of respondents having to queue 

• 22% believe independent workshops or garage chains might have shorter queues 

• Tjekvik’s Home and in-dealership self-service solutions enable customers to securely check their vehicle in and out, how, when and where they want 

A new nationwide survey has found that queuing remains a common part of the aftersales experience, with 46% of UK aftersales customers having to queue to see a service adviser. The research was commissioned by Tjekvik, a specialist in digital aftersales solutions. 

When asked ‘When dropping off or collecting your car for service or repair, how often do you typically need to queue to be seen by a service adviser?’, 29% responded ‘sometimes’, 13% responded ‘most times’, and 4% responded ‘every time’. Younger customers are most affected, with 80% of those aged between 18-24 reporting that they need to queue.  

These experiences could impact loyalty, as almost a quarter (22%) of these respondents think an independent workshop or fast-fit garage chain might have shorter queues.    

As well as impacting loyalty by leading customers to consider independent workshops, there’s a possibility that dealers will end up paying the price. 19% of respondents felt that queuing made them less satisfied about their dealer’s standards of customer service, while 18% would think about taking their car somewhere else next time work is needed.  

Despite the high numbers of those needing to queue, Tjekvik’s research highlights a significant improvement compared to 2024, when the company found that 67% of aftersales customers reported having to queue.  

At dealerships in London, 67% of respondents said they have to queue, compared to 82% two years ago. Those based in the East of England fared best, with only 36% of those surveyed having to queue.    

The decrease in queuing coincides with growing self-service adoption in the UK. Nearly 3 million customers relied on digital check-in and check-out to drop off or collect their vehicles last year, an 11% increase in digital interactions compared to 2024.    

Christian Mark, CEO & Co-founder at Tjekvik, said: “Aftersales departments are busy areas for most dealers, particularly at peak times, and our survey highlights that queuing to see a service adviser remains an issue for many.  

“Despite this, providing the flexibility of digital check-in and check-out has shown a noticeable difference year-on-year, meaning more customers than ever are choosing to drop off and pick up their keys quickly and securely.”