The customer retention rate for the full year rose fractionally from 95.9 per cent to 96 per cent.

The automotive majors rely heavily on customer retention and brand loyalty to sell new vehicles.

But bosses want to improve customer retention, or 'stickiness', and do more to stop them switching suppliers.

Instead, factors such as charitable work, customer retention and qualifications will be considered too.

Their smartest move was moving into brokerage, and in realising that customer retention would be more profitable in the long run than making easy sales.