A luxury weekend away and a lively newsieffer are part
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of a truck dealer's strategy to sell more lorries, by wooing drivers rather than simply owners.
• A truck dealer is hoping to win the battle against falling commercial vehicle sales by starting a club for those who often decide which lorry is bought — the drivers.
Crossroads Commercials, of Yorkshire, offers a free holiday weekend and a quarterly magazine to the 1,000-plus customers who have joined the club, since it started in September 1989.
Winning the hearts of drivers and fitters, rather than simply their employers, is vital, says the club's founder Mike Bland (below), the parts manager at Crossroads. "Drivers are influential in purchasing trucks," he says.
"We have always looked after managing directors, with trips to Sweden (Volvo's headquarters), but all drivers could hope for was the odd freebie. Now we hope the drivers will realise we're doing something for them too." Crossroads started the club at its Cleckheaton branch. It has now been taken up by its other outlets in the UK at Rotherham, Hull and Thirsk.
Although membership is restricted to Crossroads' customers it has been so successful that Volvo is encouraging other dealers to try similar ideas. Volvo provides a quarter of the club's cash.
The biggest attraction is probably the free hotel accommodation, but members also receive free cab accessories and are encouraged to contribute to the club magazine, Trucker. It covers news on Volvo trucks and users within the area.
Bland wants readers to be as controversial as possible. "They will be able to write in with their views on the industry, drivers' needs and the service we provide. We want to build on the good two-way contact we have with our customers and their drivers," says Bland.
Crossroads also plans to involve drivers' families in an open day at its premises. "Because of the nature of our industry, families are often separated for long spells. We want wives to appreciate the business their husbands are in," says Bland.
The recession is beginning to bite at Crossroads. Although Cleckheaton increased sales from 306 to 344 during 1989, the group's overall total sank from 700 to 625. This year it will move its main offices to Birstall in Leeds and take on 30 new staff.
It is recruiting a financial services manager to look after contract hire and leasing. Another outlet, in Skipton, will open next year and the group is looking for a further site in Malton.
Volvo is not the only manufacturer whose dealers have launched a club for drivers. Renault has run a similar scheme for 10 years. It has about 400 members, but the manufacturer admits it has been neglected. "We feel we should do more to support drivers, either by reviving the club or doing something else," it says. o bt Murdo Morrison