Phone support is losing ground in UK automotive retail. Drivers are no longer willing to wait on hold when they need brake pads, oil filters, or urgent technical advice. The shift toward instant messaging has accelerated dramatically, with nearly half of automotive part consumers now choosing online chats over traditional phone calls.
Imagine the following scenario: your brake pads are worn thin, so you call customer services after a busy work day only to be put on hold with no answer. Most people would eventually hang up and order from a competitor who they can get an instant response from via the live chat. This scenario plays out across the UK automotive retail sector every day.
The transition reflects a fundamental accessibility crisis. Phone support has become unreliable during peak hours, forcing customers to either wait indefinitely or abandon their purchase entirely.
Phone Queues Cost UK Automotive Retailers Customers
UK drivers face three critical barriers when calling automotive parts retailers:
- Limited operating hours – most call centres run 9am–6pm Monday to Friday, precisely when customers are at work or commuting and cannot make calls
- Peak-hour congestion – lunch breaks and after-work hours create telephone queues where many callers simply give up
- No callback option – when lines are busy, many traditional call systems offer no alternative; drivers must dial repeatedly or wait until quieter periods
In automotive parts retail, where margins are tight and competition fierce, every abandoned call represents lost revenue. Post-Brexit delivery complexities only compound the problem. Drivers need instant answers about customs delays, part availability, and alternative suppliers and cannot afford to wait in lengthy phone queues.
Recognising these pain points, major European automotive retailer platforms have restructured their customer service models. AUTODOC reports that implementing comprehensive chat support reduced the proportion of queries taking over 24 hours to resolve from double digits to 13%, with two-thirds of customers now receiving responses on the same day.
This wasn’t achieved by hiring more phone operators, but by offering communication channels that match how customers actually want to communicate. They can send quick messages sent between meetings, upload photos of damaged parts from the garage, and find out the status of orders during their evening commute.
The Data Confirms Dramatic Preference Shifts
Customer behaviour data from across the automotive e-commerce sector reveals the scale of change. A recent survey conducted by AUTODOC via its Instagram pages demonstrates a shift in European consumer preferences:
Communication channel preferences:
- Online chat: 48%
- Phone: 27%
- Email: 13%
- Social media: 11%
Response Time Experience:
- Instant (under 1 minute): 39%
- Within 1 hour: 26%
- Same day: 22%
- More than a day: 13%
Two-thirds of respondents now receive responses within the hour, typically via the online chat. The advantage is clear: a live chat enables operators to handle multiple customer queries simultaneously, which is impossible with telephone support as agents can only manage one call at a time.
Same-Hour Responses Without Being Left On Hold
- Asynchronous communication: drivers can send messages during work breaks and commutes, or later in the evening without staying on hold. They simply return to the chat when convenient to read replies
- 24/7 availability: AI chatbots handle common queries outside of business hours, such as those relating to order status, part compatibility and delivery tracking. Complex issues are seamlessly escalated to human operators
- Visual context: customers can attach photos of damaged parts, VIN numbers, or error codes directly in chat. This eliminates the lengthy verbal descriptions required on phone calls
- Permanent records: the chat history serves as automatic documentation. Drivers can reference previous conversations without re-explaining their situation to new operators
Major automotive e-commerce platforms have integrated chats with inventory systems, enabling instant parts availability checks, which would not be possible during phone calls where operators must manually search databases while customers wait on hold.
AI Chatbots Filter Simple Queries While Experts Handle Complex Issues
Modern chat systems combine AI filters with human expertise. Simple queries (tracking numbers, return policies, etc.) receive automated instant answers. Technical questions about brake compatibility or oil specifications are forwarded to specialist operators within minutes.
European platforms often integrate their chats with customer databases, allowing representatives to view the order history and vehicle details immediately while eliminating repetitive security questions that extend the duration of calls.
UK-specific adoption includes WhatsApp Business integration and Facebook Messenger support, reflecting British preferences for familiar messaging apps over proprietary platforms.
Two-Thirds Get Faster Answers Through Chat Than Phone In 2026
Although just over a quarter of drivers still prefer to contact companies by telephone, particularly older people and those in need of complex technical consultations, instant messaging is gaining momentum. AUTODOC’s data confirms that more than half of customers now receive faster support through chats than through traditional phone lines.
For UK automotive businesses, the message is clear: drivers will not wait in telephone queues when alternatives exist. In 2026, chat support is no longer a premium feature, but a basic customer service requirement.
