What this checklist covers
The New Dealer Setup Checklist is a 15-point scorecard for showroom and workshop setup, branding, manpower, systems, and go-live approval. Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on what the auditor sees on the day, and every gap goes into an action plan with an owner and a close date.
AutoSmart tip: New dealer setup audits should be run as a staged checklist — facility and workshop readiness first, then manpower and training, with systems and go-live readiness assessed last and only once the first three categories are fully Green. Approving go-live before facility or training gaps are closed is the most common cause of early post-launch non-compliance.
The checks
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Facility and showroom setup
- Is the showroom fully fitted out per the approved facility design and brand corporate identity manual, including signage, flooring, and lighting?
- Are vehicle display areas, price tag placements, and specification stands set up per brand display standards?
- Is the customer lounge, reception, and waiting area fully furnished and equipped (seating, Wi- Fi, refreshments) per the standard requirement?
- Are all required exterior signage, pylon, and fascia elements installed and matching the latest approved brand guideline?
Workshop and equipment setup
- Are all required workshop bays, lifts, and equipment installed, commissioned, and certified for use per manufacturer specification?
- Is the parts store fully racked, labelled, and stocked with the opening inventory per the agreed stocking plan?
- Are required tools, diagnostic equipment, and special service tools (SSTs) available and calibrated as per OEM requirement?
- Are health & safety, fire safety, and environmental compliance requirements (waste segregation, signage, firefighting equipment) fully in place?
Manpower and training
- Are all key roles (sales, service, parts, management) recruited and in position ahead of the planned launch date?
- Have all customer-facing and technical staff completed mandatory OEM/brand training and certification prior to go-live?
- Is an organisation chart with defined roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines documented and communicated to all staff?
Systems and go-live readiness
- Is the dealer management system (DMS) or CRM fully configured, tested, and ready for live transactions?
- Are all required business licences, permits, and insurance certificates obtained and valid ahead of launch?
- Has a soft-launch or trial run been conducted to test end-to-end customer journey (sales enquiry through to service booking) before go-live?
- Has formal go-live sign-off been obtained from all required stakeholders (OEM/distributor, dealer principal, regional management)?
How to run it
How the scoring works
Before the visit, fill in the dealer or centre, the auditor, the date and the audit cycle. Then score each of the 15 checks from 1 to 5 on what you see on the day, not on what the site aims for, and add them up out of 75.
- 1Not in place
- 2Attempted
- 3Defined
- 4Managed
- 5Fully sustained
- Green60–75 · 80–100%Compliant. Keep the standard.
- Amber38–59 · 50–79%Improvement needed: a structured action plan within 30 days.
- Red0–37 · Below 50%Priority intervention, escalated to regional management.
Then close every gap
Each gap goes into the action plan tracker and moves through four stages until the auditor closes it.
- 1PendingOwner and close date set
- 2In progressWork under way, evidence gathered
- 3CompletedEvidence submitted for review
- 4ApprovedVerified and closed by the auditor
