Steve Le Bas
Business Assurance Partner
Motor Retail
Successfully handling challenges has always been a core skill of any motor dealership. However, today there are a multitude of new, significant challenges that motor retailers must tackle.
Many of these are outside their control, such as the ongoing discretionary commission arrangements case, the who will and who won’t switch to agency debate or efforts made by manufacturers to rationalise their retail networks. Combined with financial pressures on consumers and the changes to National Insurance and Inheritance Tax announced in the Autumn 24 Budget, many motor retailers are feeling that they are working ever harder for less.
AI is beginning to assist in automotive retail, although 'people still prefer to buy from people'. Retailers must navigate the mismatch in supply and demand for electric vehicles, compounded by the ZEV Mandate and VETS, while maintaining strong OEM partnerships. Lastly, they must anticipate changes in consumer behaviour and the impact of decreasing loyalty to specific car brands.
Tackling day-to-day challenges may be bread-and-butter to motor retailers, but this skillset should also be used to look further ahead. For those retailers looking to do more than simply survive the challenges, developing a longer-term strategic approach will not only ensure survival, but also boost profitability and position them for the next stage in their development be that organic growth, acquisitive expansion, succession or a sale.
Key trends and analysis
We work closely with all elements of the motor retail sector. Our experts regularly speak at industry webinars and events. As leading auditors and advisers in the UK, we work with businesses ranging from single site car dealerships to large, privately-owned and listed groups. We regularly conduct research and publish reports demonstrating that we understand and can help the companies we work with respond to, the trends and developments in the motor retail sector. Our relationships with key industry stakeholders and our completion of the AM100 table all contribute to our knowledge and expertise. Ultimately, all this allows us to help you enhance efficiency and protect profit.
How we can help
Our specialist national Motor Retail team includes audit and taxation experts as well as a range of specialists that will add real value to your business even in the most challenging of times. Whether you are investing, seeking operational efficiencies, making new acquisitions, struggling with recruitment and retention, reviewing your approach to tax or simply hoping to improve cashflow and working capital, you will find the expertise you need in our team.
Specific services we provide to motor retailers include:
- Audit & assurance
- Business restructuring
- Support underperforming businesses - forecast preparation and review
- Working capital and cash management improvement
- Performance and profit improvement
- Debt restructure and refinance
- Stakeholder engagement and management
- Crisis management and insolvency threats
- Corporation tax compliance and re-organisations
- Tax due diligence
- Capital allowance reviews
- M&A tax
- Real estate tax, including Stamp Duty Land Tax
- Transfer pricing
- VAT
- Custom duty
- Employment tax advice
- Governance - SAO and CCO advice
- R&D Tax Credits
- Tax Technology
- Employee Car Ownership Plans
- Corporate finance advice and services
- M&A and transaction support
- Due diligence and strategic advice
- Valuations
- Funding advice
- Risk advisory & fraud prevention
- Risk advisory and internal control services
- Fraud prevention and regulation
- Financial services regulatory advice
- Data compliance & cyber risk management
- FCA regulatory assistance and advice
We are already helping many businesses like yours and we are confident that we can help you achieve your goals.
