ICDP
Automotive distribution and retailing research, insight, implementation
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Member events

Member events

Member events

Our meetings, workshops, and webinars are open to ICDP programme members only

For more information, please contact us.

Members can also download presentation material from the Member events archive page.

 
Webinar NSC vs Importer role - is the choice changing?
May
12
10:00 am10:00

Webinar NSC vs Importer role - is the choice changing?

One of the first decisions facing a brand when planning entry into an export market is what kind of import and distribution arrangement to use, and how to balance a need for control and consistency of approach against on-the-ground experience and willingness to shoulder risk.  In the automotive sector, the traditional path (although there are some very notable exceptions) has been for brands to kick off by using an independent importer, before switching to a wholly-owned national sales company once the market is sufficiently developed.​

However, this is far from a universal rule of thumb, and in recent years, a number of developments have served to complicate the picture.  The European market is now crowded with new entrant brands, all looking for a distribution approach that will give them the best start possible.  Some of the incumbent OEMs have rethought their 'NSCs everywhere' strategies, and have passed markets back into independent importer hands.  A number of the large independent importer/distributor businesses have continued to internationalise, and in some cases now partner with the same OEMs across multiple continents.  And a selection of Europe's largest dealer groups have moved to add import/distribution franchises to their portfolio, and now work with a range of different OEM brands.​

In this webinar kicking off our latest research in this area, we will explore these developments across Europe, and will start to examine the range of factors that now drive the choice for an OEM between a wholly-owned NSC and an independent importer.  The webinar will be of interest to all those involved in network strategy, whether at OEM or dealer, or indeed at importer level too.​

If you would like to attend, please send an email to projectoffice@icdp.net and a Zoom invite will be sent to you.

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Webinar Defleet and remarketing – how to get cars from one owner to the next efficiently?
May
26
10:00 am10:00

Webinar Defleet and remarketing – how to get cars from one owner to the next efficiently?

The used car market remains a key source of revenue and profitability for dealers, independent used car retailers, NSCs and fleets alike, and also constitutes a rare point of stability and positivity in an uncertain market, with used prices rising into 2026 as the market continues to see the feed through of the period of short supply of new cars in 2022 into 2023. An efficient de-fleet and remarketing process is in the interests of used car buyers and industry players alike, and applying lean thinking to the used car supply and sales chain should help minimise the ‘key’ to key’ handover from one owner to the next. In this webinar, the first output on this topic this year, we shall explore the de-fleet and remarketing process, and elements of known good practice.

If you would like to attend this webinar, please send an email to projectoffice@icdp.net and a Zoom invite will be sent to you.

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Summer event
Jun
16
to 17 Jun

Summer event

  • London United Kingdom (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

  • Topical and relevant insight for all involved in the downstream automotive sector

  • With particular focus points on new entrant brands, on the EV transition, and on the changing face of the aftermarket

  • Workshop format, with plenty of opportunity for informal debate, plus face-to-face networking with peers and the ICDP team

  • Guest contribution: Knut M. Breivik, Head of operations and business development, Norges Bilbransjeforbund

  • Auto West London, a convenient venue near Heathrow airport (25 minutes by taxi)

 We look forward to welcoming you to our new format ICDP Summer Event 2026, where we will host an evening exploring the first year of operation for a dealer entering the UK market with a new entrant brand, and a morning workshop session exploring the potential aftermarket impact, for both franchised and independent operators, that electrification and other wider trends will have on the service, mechanical repair, and tyre replacement markets.

Please download the flyer below and book your place with Jane on projectoffice@icdp.net

 

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Open Webinar Retail Standards Audits in the AI Age, Guest presentation MSX International
Apr
21
10:00 am10:00

Open Webinar Retail Standards Audits in the AI Age, Guest presentation MSX International

Webinar Retail Standards Audits in the AI Age, Guest presentation MSX International

Digital tools underpinned by AI are growing ever more pervasive across the automotive sector, with their impact being felt by customers in both their sales and aftersales journeys.  There is a tendency to think of the opportunities in terms of cost reduction or process automation, rather than the opportunity to totally rethink a process with which we may all be very familiar.  In this open webinar, we will be joined by Jayesh Jagasia, Commercial Director - Automotive & Mobility at MSX International, to explore how, behind the scenes, AI could transform franchise effectiveness for both OEMs and their dealers.

Research shows that customer experience and retail sales performance are strongly correlated. It is no surprise that automotive brands invest heavily to ensure that the retail experience aligns with the brand’s prescribed facility and customer experience standards. Yet, the traditional dealer standards audit - once-a-year on-site audits, heavy travel costs, and lagging reports - can’t keep up with the speed of today’s market. It’s expensive, reactive, and often leaves manufacturers flying blind for months at a time.

Rapidly evolving capabilities of AI have created new opportunities to rethink how retail standards audit programs are designed. Integrating AI into the standards audit workflow can improve auditor productivity and efficiency, while delivering real-time visibility, massive cost savings, and a much smaller carbon footprint. 

Join us for our upcoming webinar, Retail Standards Audits in the AI Age, where MSX International reveals how they are using AI to reimagine retail standards compliance audits from the ground up.  This will be thought-provoking not only for those directly involved in this process, but for anyone who wants to better understand the potential for the application of AI within the distribution eco-system. 

Please send an email to projectoffice@icdp.net to book your place and a Zoom invite will be sent to you.

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Webinar top 300 European dealers
Apr
14
10:00 am10:00

Webinar top 300 European dealers

As the final data has become available for 2024 or 2024-25, we have just updated our Top 300 dealer group ranking for Europe.  This identifies by name 300 of the largest dealer groups (including combined distributor/dealers) in Europe.  It includes data on the brands they represent, the European markets or regions within which they operate, and the data or our best estimates on turnover and sales volumes.  In the webinar we will share insights into the profile of this elite ranking, how that has evolved over the last three years, and our thoughts on future trends.  For anyone planning a network or targeting a B2B sales effort in the dealer world, this is invaluable information.  The ranking and an accompanying commentary will be available shortly to buy (special rates apply to ICDP members).

If you would like to attend, please send an email to projectoffice@icdp.net and a Zoom invite will be sent to you.

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