Industries / Automotive / Publications

Driving After Sales excellence

How to grow profit & market share through high performance After Sales?

In the current automotive market environment, the After Sales sector represents one of the few remaining opportunities to generate substantial operating profits. However, as pointed out in Arthur D. Little’s recent two After Sales Viewpoints, this remaining stronghold of profitability is already under increased competitive threat. Given the structural complexity of After Sales and today’s fast changing business situation - how should an After Sales company know where to focus on?

Released: April 2009

Download File ADL_AMG_Drivinf_after__sales_excellence.pdf (.PDF, 468 Kb)

Future of Mobility 2020

The automotive industry is caught in the middle of a crisis of a magnitude the industry has never seen before - an entire industry is paralyzed, in disagreement about whether the bottom of the crisis has already been reached or the market will continue to slip downhill. Over the short and medium term, the restructuring actions initiated now will help optimize cost structures, but will the long-term ability to compete be safeguarded? Will the automotive market return to its pre-crisis state or will new business models change the future of mobility?

Released: April 2009

Download File ADL_Future_of_Mobility_2020.pdf (.PDF, 713 Kb)

Delivering the brand

Following dramatic improvements in vehicle quality and reliability over the past decade, OEMs are increasingly focusing on brand rather than product differentiation in order to compete effectively. The customer experience delivered by dealers is an important component of the total brand experience and has a direct impact on overall customer satisfaction. By adopting a structured approach to developing customer satisfaction at key touch points in the dealership, OEMs can reap substantial benefits in terms of customer retention, cross-selling and new customer acquisition.

Released: February 2009

Download File ADL_Report_Delivering_the_brand.pdf (.PDF, 804 Kb)

OEM After Sales Strategy

The case for innovation

With sales of new cars slowing and profit margins decreasing, after sales is becoming an increasing important source of revenue for many OEMs. But they face stiff competition in this arena from new players intent on seizing a share of the after sales market.

Released: October 2008

Download File ADL_OEM_After_Sales_Strategy_02.pdf (.PDF, 1.9 MB)

Automotive After Sales 2015

Are you ready for the battle?

Rapidly declining profit margins in the new car sales business together with the continuous extension of car life are making the after sales business increasingly important. At the same time, growing consolidation in the after sales market is putting OEMs’ market share at risk. In a comprehensive study on the future after sales markets, Arthur D. Little has identified relevant trends and developed strategic options to help the OEMs adjusting their after sales business to meet tomorrow’s global after sales market requirements.

Released: August 2008

Download File AMG_Automotive_after_sales_2015_01.pdf (.PDF, 724 Kb)

Winning the Retail Game

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With cut-throat competition characterizing stagnant automotive retail markets,  high-performing dealer networks are becoming essential to OEMs' market success. Although automotive manufacturers invest heavily in developing and training their retail partners, many programs do not generate the expected results.

Released: May 2008

Download File ADL_Automotive_Insight.pdf (.PDF, 975 Kb)

Meeting the automotive CO2 challenge

The CO2 debate is changing the automotive landscape. While technology solutions will take years to implement, changes in buying criteria and their impact on automotive sales could become a real challenge for automotive OEMs in the short term. While discussion tends to focus on national regulatory developments, we believe that the large global cities will be the real pacemakers of regulation in the short term.

Released: March 2008

Download File ADL-Automotive_Insight_March_2008.pdf (.PDF, 775 Kb)

Challenges & success factors for multinational automotive suppliers in China

Challenges & success factors for multinational automotive suppliers in China

China is the most important emerging market for the Automotive industry - but also a market, where many suppliers currently make no money. This Arthur D. Little study illustrates the current situation of foreign, "multinational", suppliers in the Chinese automotive market. It shows areas of improvement and levers to improve operations of foreign companies in the Chinese market within a mid-term timescale and concludes with a set of specific recommendations.

Released: May 2006

Download File ADL_China_Autostudy_04_2006.pdf (.PDF, 2.3 MB)

Automotive Newsletter - Spring 2006

Automotive Quarterly Newsletter

Released: May 2006

Download File ADL_Automotive_Newsletter_Spring_2006.pdf (.PDF, 903 Kb)

Commercial Vehicle Trend Study Towards 2015

How Technology Will Change Value Chain Structures

While numerous studies have analysed developments in the passenger car industry, the heavy-duty commercial vehicle industry has largely remained a blind spot. That is why Arthur D. Little decided to conduct a technology trend study on the future of trucks. After intensive desk research and interviews with fleet managers across Europe, we elaborated hypotheses on several issues which we then tested in about 30 interviews with key decisionmakers at all European truck OEMs and selected first-tier suppliers.

Released: January 2006

Download File ADL_Future_of_Trucks.pdf (.PDF, 654 Kb)