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A northern presence

13th december 2012
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Page 37, 13th december 2012 — A northern presence
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Renault Truck Commercials has been through several developments in the past 18 months. The latest investment in its dealer network is a new site in Northampton The biggest alteration to the Renault Trucks network over the past 18 months or so has been the arrival of Renault Trucks Northampton. Opened in August and costing more than £750,000, the new dealership occupies a 1.6-acre site at Kislingbury, just two miles from Junction 16 of the Ml. However, network development director Derek Brinklow says this isn't the only change to the manufacturer's marketplace presence.

"We've also seen Norfolk Truck &Van start representing us in Ipswich, and Welch Group relocate to new premises in Peterborough," he says. Operating under the WTL Truck & Van Centres (CM 19 April) banner, Welch succeeded Fengate Commercials as the city's dealer in 2009 and waves the flag for the manufacturer in Cambridge too.

Also representing Renault in Southampton and Portsmouth, Sparks Commercial Services took over W Belben Commercials, the Renault service agent in Poole, a few months back, according to Brinklow.

Sparks has recently set up an authorised testing facility (ATF) at its Portsmouth dealership. "We've now got seven or eight ATFs around the network and other dealers are looking at making the necessary investment," he observes.

ATFs do not come cheap. The one established last July at the Enfield branch of Norfolk Truck & Van, just three miles from Junction 25 of the M25, cost the dealer more than £200,000 but is in use three days a week. There are plans to increase the frequency to five days a week in early 2013.A marketing campaign to promote the facility to operators across north London is now underway.

"An ATF pulls in firms that run makes of truck other than the one you represent, and gives you the opportunity to show them what you've got to offer," Brinklow says.

"It generates incremental service and repair business and means that vehicles don't have to be sent miles away to a Vosa station to be tested. That can cost a lot in fuel, downtime, and having an employee tied up for hours on end."

Given that sales people sell the first truck but aftermarket support sells the one after that and the one after that, Brinklow is eager to maintain and expand the manufacturer's parts and service coverage.

"We've got 67 service points around the UK. That's been the total for quite some time, but I'd like to increase it to 75 over the next couple of years," he says. At present, he is trying to identify open points.

Brinklow would like the company's existing dealers to set up the extra service outlets in line with a strategy developed some four or five years ago, but is more than willing to entertain applications from suitable businesses outside the current network.

"We have to take potential dealer profitability into account when we're considering network expansion," he continues. "End up with more dealers than there is business to go round and they will start to make a loss."

Extending opening hours Making greater use of existing locations where possible and practical makes sound sense, and that is what Renault Trucks Essex is doing at its West Thurrock depot. It has decided to extend the opening hours of its eight-bay workshop from 6am until midnight from Monday to Thursday. Friday opening hours are 6am to lOpm, while the doors are open from 6am to lpm on Saturdays.

Dealer point manager Paul Ayer says: "Customers are calling for extended opening hours to meet their operational needs. By remaining open until midnight, four days of the week, we are giving operators greater flexibility and allowing them to maximise their uptime.

"It also gives us a greater chance of completing all the repairs required by the customer at once, ensuring a high percentage of first-time fixes with no need to re-book work. Vehicles are ready to go back on the road first thing in the morning."

Forty-three of the existing service points are run by Renault's 24 dealers, 13 of which, including Renault Trucks Northampton and Renault Trucks Essex, are owned by the manufacturer through Renault Truck Commercials. The remainder are run by independent businesses.

Sitting in a 5,700ft2 building, the Northampton outlet carries a stock of more than 100,000 parts and incorporates a four-bay workshop open from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 7am to lpm on a Saturday.

"We're aiming to recruit an aftersales rep to help us build business and we may eventually open until lOpm on weekdays," says dealer principal Martin Clark. "However, I suspect that 24-hour opening is still some way off."

Although there are no immediate plans to set up an ATF, a dedicated tachograph bay was due to open at the time of writing and Northampton is involved with Volvo's Roadcrew all-makes truck and trailer parts programme (Renault Trucks is part of the Volvo Group).

The workshop employs four technicians, but Clark does not anticipate any problems recruiting more as demand builds. "That could be one of our easier tasks," he remarks.

"We had a positive response from potential employees when we had an open day," he says. Much of the interest has been prompted by the attractive working conditions provided by new premises with new equipment.

The response of existing and prospective customers to the opening of the dealership has been gratifying, says Clark.

"Northampton is a big place with a lot of people who run trucks, so we're picking up plenty of sales, service and parts business," he says. Previously Renault relied on a small service dealership in Wellingborough.

"Vehicle sales should certainly benefit because operators can see we've got a solid base in the area and that's bound to give them confidence," he adds. It should also mean that Northampton will be able to take full advantage of the sales potential of the new line-up of Renault models set to arrive in 2013. •


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