What this guidebook covers
Dealer networks are judged by their weakest outlet. This guidebook turns the audit checklist into one shared picture of what good looks like, written for the people who audit and the people who are audited, so both work from the same page.
It covers 50 standards and 86 checkpoints in five programmes: Customer Experience, Mystery Shopping, Sales, Health and Safety, and Dealer Operating Standards. Every standard has illustrated right-way and wrong-way examples, the evidence an auditor needs, and a target resolution time, so action plans are prioritised by risk.
The 5 audit programmes and their 50 standards
- Customer Experience Audit (CEA). Reception and greeting, customer lounge, showroom presentation, test drive experience, digital touchpoints, complaint handling and feedback, restroom cleanliness, follow-up communication, appointment management, service advisor interaction
- Mystery Shopping Audit (MA). Initial contact, product knowledge, needs assessment, test drive offer, price and finance discussion, objection handling, closing attempt, contact exchange, showroom impression, post-visit follow-up
- Dealer Operating Standards (DOS). Primary signage, corporate identity, facility layout and zoning, uniform and grooming, opening hours display, documentation and record keeping, pricing and promotional display, workshop equipment and tools, parts inventory, customer data privacy
- Sales Audit (SA). Showroom vehicle readiness, sales process, enquiry and lead management, finance and insurance documentation, vehicle delivery, demo vehicles, sales KPI boards, trade-in appraisal, CRM follow-up, order and stock management
- Health and Safety Audit (HSE). Fire extinguishers, emergency exits, first aid, PPE, hazardous materials storage, vehicle lifts and equipment, electrical safety, housekeeping, fire safety systems, waste management
How to run a dealer standards audit, step by step
- Plan the audit. Schedule the visit and assign the programme's checklist, so the auditor and the outlet know which standards will be checked.
- Audit the outlet. Walk the outlet with the guidebook and score each checkpoint Pass, Fail or N/A. N/A only where the standard genuinely doesn't apply (for example, no customer lounge), with a reason.
- Capture the evidence. Back every pass or fail with a photo, record or time stamp, not an opinion.
- Build the action plan. Every fail gets an owner, a fix and a due date from its resolution tier: immediate (life-safety), 24 hours, 72 hours, 7 days or 30 days, counted from audit submission. OEMs can tighten these targets.
- Resolve. The dealer fixes the issue and uploads proof of closure.
- Verify and sign off. The auditor checks the proof, closes the finding and signs off, and the reports update.
Who this guidebook is for
- Auditors: consistent scoring, evidence rules and the common misses
- Dealer GMs and centre managers: know what will be checked and self-audit before the visit
- OEM regional teams: compare outlets fairly and track fixes against target times
A reference document, not legal advice. Fines and rules change: check the current text with the regulator or your legal adviser before acting.
