Independent keen to form alliances
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• by Brian Weatherley Should independent used truck dealers have their own specialist trade association? Trafford Park, Manchester-based leading independent Neil Chapman thinks they should—and he's keen to talk over the idea with other large, non-franchised used truck retailers. "It's something I've always advocated and I'd be keen to find others of a like mind," he says.
An independent dealer organisation could set quality standards for customers, including warranties, as well as advising members on vehicle legislation, says Chapman: "It could also include a Code of Practice on premises and principles that bring more professionalism into the industry. Then customers could see members of such a body as someone to do business with."
An association could help protect members from what Chapman describes as increasing levels of frivolous and annoying litigation.
Ideally, the organisation would
have a full-time secretary reporting to a management committee of dealers. says Chapman.
He retails 250-300 trucks in a good year, but says the used market currently remains unpredictable. While manufacturers continue to struggle with their used operations, Chapman believes there is scope for the major independents to increase their influence, possibly through links with other independents or by working more closely with the manufacturers.
But he is less optimistic about the future for small traders: "I feel the future is large retail operations— anything less will struggle," Chapman warns that if the manufacturers try to ignore the independents, "they'll be dead in the water. They think it's easy—so why do they keep handing the business over to the independents? It's how you do the job."
Anyone interested in the idea of an independent retailer association should contact Neil Chapman on 0161 8T78256.