Alastair Shephard

Content Writer

Group 1 is one of the leading automotive retailer groups in the country, with a portfolio of 115 dealers across the UK. Employing over 7,000 trusted colleagues, the group represent over 21 brands, including Audi, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and many more. 

The network boasts an impressive aftersales care programme, ensuring customers driving away with their new vehicles have access to expert repairs and servicing. 

Unlike urgent red work, many drivers don’t feel an immediate need to have advisory work, such as worn brake pads, ageing batteries, or minor fluid leaks, completed. 

Many perceive it as discretionary spending that doesn’t require immediate attention, especially if cash is tight. 

Trust can also be a factor, with some doubting if the work even needs to be done or even wanting a second opinion. 

Even when convinced of its importance, price can be a blocker, especially if they’re facing large bills for multiple repairs. 

When Group 1 Mercedes-Benz Coventry came to Bumper, amber sales were the biggest hurdle to achieving their ambitious targets. 

PayLater, an interest-free monthly payment solution provided by Bumper, drastically reduces friction for amber sales. 

Drivers can spread the cost of work across a number of months, allowing them to take out work that’s important there and then, without having to wait until a second visit to the dealer. 

In addition, this financial safety net gives advisors more confidence when introducing advisory work into the conversion. 

When comparing year-on-year growth for February 25, the Coventry site increased the number of completed PayLaters by 56% and, despite fewer retail jobs, they saw impressive increases in their key metrics. 

As well as improvements to key performance indicators, the site received positive customer feedback through Bumper’s Trustpilot integration, which can be accessed on all service advisor accounts for real-time customer feedback. 

One driver said, “The process for applying is easy and straightforward. I’ve used it for my 3

Another said, “Quick, easy, and helped me not murder my bank account just before I went on holiday.” 

Following the site’s successful implementation of PayLater, Stuart Johnson, Site Aftersales Director of Mercedes-Benz Coventry, said:

“Amber conversion has always been a tough metric to move, but Bumper has enabled us to give customers the payment flexibility that gets them saying yes to important advisory work.

“This has resulted in a 27% increase in our average invoice value, happier customers, and, with an easy budgeting option in their toolbelt, more confident advisors.

“To anyone looking for a solution that allows you to sell more and keep your customers coming back time and time again, I’d say give Bumper a call.” 

Group 1 Mercedes-Benz Coventry: Moving the Needle on Tough Amber Sales 

Since 1963, D. M. Keith has run a family-first group of dealerships across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Greater Manchester. With a strong passion for motor vehicles, the group prides itself on excellent customer service at every customer touchpoint. 

Across its 22 locations, D. M. Keith has been serving Ford, Honda, Kia, Skoda, SEAT, CUPRA, Suzuki, Nissan, Subaru, and now BYD drivers for over 60 years. 

When searching for a Buy Now Pay Later provider for their aftersales department, D. M. Keith were seeking a solution that would meet three important needs: 

Bumper’s PayLater is an interest-free, Buy Now Pay Later option that lets drivers split the cost of their repair bills into monthly payments. 

Rated 4.9 out of 5, this innovative payment method has been praised by over 30,000 customers on Trustpilot. 

In addition, PayLater identifies new marketing channels for its partners through a one-click marketplace that connects thousands of drivers with over 5,000 available repairers. 

Scott Hammond, Group Aftersales Manager, said: “PayLater has allowed us to supercharge our aftersales experience, providing a solution that delights customers, enhances our conversion rates, and, ultimately, keeps drivers coming back for more. 

“The feedback we’ve received on Trustpilot has been overwhelmingly positive and we’re incredibly proud of how this partnership has allowed us to take our aftersales experience to the next level.” 

D. M. Keith customers commended the interest-free option on Trustpilot. One said: “Once again, a fuss-free and quick service from Bumper. 2nd time I’ve used them. No lengthy paperwork and the whole payment was completed in less than 5 minutes. And best of all, it’s INTEREST-FREE.” 

Another said: “The instalments made my life easier, and I don’t have to worry about 2026." 

Turn your payments onto easy mode with Bumper. For more information about our complete payment platform built for automotive: sales@bumper.co 

D. M. Keith: Payments That Exceed Customer Expectations 

Established in 1953, Halesowen Motor House has been serving motorists in Worcestershire and the West Midlands for over 70 years. 

At the heart of the company’s philosophy is their mission to provide a quality service that exceeds customer expectations. 

Halesowen Motor House were looking for an innovative payment method that would result in more drivers approving essential and advisory work, whilst continuing the excellent levels of service already in operation at the site. 

PayLater is an interest-free, Buy Now Pay Later instalment option that allows customers to split their bills into easy monthly payments.

The pay-monthly option allows drivers to fit their repair bills neatly into their monthly budgets meaning more drivers can say yes to identified work.

A complete digital experience from start to finish, customers can apply via a link sent by SMS or email in just a few clicks, putting more control in the hands of the customer. 

On average, Bumper customers rate the service 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot. 

Lee Sutton, Service Manager, at Halesowen Motor House, said, “PayLater has allowed us to excel our customer experience. With increased payment flexibility, our drivers now have greater peace of mind when presented with work on their vehicle health check. 

“And the benefits don't stop there, the interest-free option has positively impacted our bottom line with huge spikes in red and amber work conversion.”

By offering flexible payments on invoices large and small Halesowen were able to increase the efficiency and profitability of their service department. 

Find out how Bumper’s innovative payment products can improve your dealer’s KPIs. Chat to our payment experts to set up a demo: sales@bumper.co

Boosting Conversion and Customer Experience with Halesowen Motor House

Bells Motor Group is a family-run business operating Kia and Volvo dealerships in Northampton and Bedford. With over 55 years of experience in the automotive industry, the group excels in a customer-first approach. 

Bells has worked with Bumper since January 2023, using PayLater through Bumper’s Keyloop integration to split the cost of customers’ repair and service work into interest-free monthly payments. 

A recent feature update to the Keyloop integration added automatic payment reconciliation. Payments taken through Bumper are automatically reconciled in the Keyloop DMS, negating the need for advisors to double-key payments. 

Automatic payment reconciliation has resulted in tangible results for Bells. Less time spent double-keying customers’ details has resulted in an average saving of 

Considering operational costs, it’s estimated this time saving equates to 

Clive Bell said, ‘Bumper’s new automatic payment reconciliation for Keyloop has massively improved our group’s efficiency. Previously, advisors had to double-key customers' payments; once on the Bumper system and then again on Keyloop. 

‘The process was heavily error-prone and time-consuming for advisors. This new feature automatically updates both systems meaning time can be allocated to other tasks. We’ve found this new feature has saved 4.5 hours per day across our business.’ 

Bumper’s digital payment solutions are built specifically for the automotive market. Register your interest to speak to one of our payment experts now.

Bells Motor Group Case Study: Improving workshop efficiency by harnessing digital tools

Operating from 10 locations across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, and Bedfordshire, the Thurlow Nunn Group is a family business established in 1875. With nearly 150 years of service, the group values its long-standing partnership with Bumper, recognising the platform as a valuable option for customers to spread the cost of servicing, maintenance, and repair work.

Initially, Bumper was used reactively, as a payment option presented to customers only when necessary. However, as customer demand for more flexible payment plans grew, Thurlow Nunn realised the need for a more proactive approach.

Gary Osborn, Thurlow Nunn’s regional director, explains: “Consumer habits changed. People were seeking financial flexibility for brakes, tyres, and additional work. Our customers expressed their desire to use this solution. Consequently, we reviewed our approach and decided to implement changes across the business due to the economic climate.”

By offering flexible payment plans proactively, Thurlow Nunn saw increased average invoice values and improved customer satisfaction.

To make Bumper a core part of its aftersales strategy, Thurlow Nunn shifted from offering Bumper only when customers declined work to presenting it at the beginning of the process. This allowed customers to make informed decisions, knowing they had flexible payment options.

Creating awareness was crucial. Thurlow Nunn integrated Bumper messaging into digital marketing, social media, advertising campaigns, customer text messages, and service emails.

Dave Haskey, Thurlow Nunn’s commercial director, highlights: “Proactively using Bumper was essential because we wanted to support our customers, especially during challenging economic times. Offering Bumper enabled customers to affordably service and maintain their vehicles.”

This approach ensured customers could approve necessary work with the confidence that their vehicle would be safe and reliable, rather than just opting for the minimum required.

To support this change, Thurlow Nunn implemented comprehensive staff training on how and when to discuss Bumper. New processes were established to present Bumper as an option to all customers, resulting in more customers taking advantage of the interest-free payments.

For customer-facing staff, integrating Bumper into service interactions is straightforward. Staff log in to the Bumper home screen, input the customer's details for a quick credit check, and receive a decision in seconds.

Bumper seamlessly integrates with Thurlow Nunn’s Pinewood DMS, allowing the group to send vehicle health checks and videos to customers, who can then choose Bumper when approving the required work. This digital journey speeds up work authorization and payment.

The positive impact of Bumper for Thurlow Nunn and its customers is evident. Osborn states, “We believe this is the right choice for our business and customers. It converts more work on the day and ensures cars are fixed, safe, and back on the road.”

Satisfied customers indicate value, but the real success is reflected in the increased average invoice values as more customers opt for the full recommended schedule of work.

Since adopting a proactive approach to Bumper in April 2023, Thurlow Nunn has achieved remarkable results:

Based on current data and customer feedback, Thurlow Nunn expects these numbers to continue to grow. Osborn concludes, “Offering this solution leads to more work being done and significantly improves customer retention and satisfaction.”

Optimising the Customer Experience with Bumper

Bumper offers a simple solution with seamless integration into existing processes. By listening to its customers, Thurlow Nunn has made Bumper central to its operations, yielding positive results for both the business and its customers.

To learn how Bumper could benefit you, get in touch.

Thurlow Nunn Case Study: Enhancing Average Invoice Values, Customer Retention, and Satisfaction through Proactive Solutions

Real examples of how Bumper helps drivers and dealers.

Case Studies

Group 1 Mercedes-Benz Coventry: Moving the Needle on Tough Amber Sales

D. M. Keith: Payments That Exceed Customer Expectations

Boosting Conversion and Customer Experience with Halesowen Motor House

Bells Motor Group Case Study: Improving workshop efficiency by harnessing digital tools

Thurlow Nunn Case Study: Enhancing Average Invoice Values, Customer Retention, and Satisfaction through Proactive Solutions