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Rydin cro
Page 72
Page 73
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Knowledge is power — and being in the know means sales too, for Ryder's used vehicle
division. Emma Penny reports.
Hunter Todd sells used vans and trucks, but never has to buy in stock. How come? Because as a remarketing manager for Ryder he sells CVs which have been retired from the firm's rental and contract-hire fleets. He's not short of stock Ryder has about 12,500 trucks and vans on the road; mostly Daf trucks and Mercedes-Benz vans.
About 2500 ye hides a year are disposed of by Todd's depot in the South-East and four others throughout the UK. Repeat business is the depot's bread and butter:Todd reckons it accounts for as much as 70% of total sales.
"We have a lot of 'man and van' buyers and people who have high street shops, as well as companies who need one or two trucks to move their stock around,"he explains. "We also have some blue-chip companies who'll come and buy from us."
Repeat business
While some customers might only buy a vehicle every three years or so fromTodd, others buy 10 or 12 a year. "Once people have bought from us they tend to come back and say 'have you got the same as I had last time?'," he adds."Usually we do.They'll buy a Daf one year then come back and buy another the next year." Todd's depot in Strood,Kent, has a turnover of about 40 vehicles a month.
When CM dropped in to see him the forecourt was, as expected, full of Dafs and Mercs, with a sprinkling of Ford Transits. However,Todd says he also sells a few Scanias and some other marques: "We sell anything up to 26 tonnes, but Mercedes Sprinter Luton and panel vans and Daf 7.5-tonne boxes and curtainsiders are the most popular."
Most vans and trucks are three to six years old, though some are as young as two, but more specialist vehicles can be up to 15 years old.The stock ranges from panel vans to boxes, fridges, and even lorry-mounted cranes. All liveries are removed and buyers can opt to have them reliveried before delivery.
Before any vehicle gets onto the forecourt all vehicles are thoroughly checked; anything which isn't 100% is noted and buyers are made aware of it. Any vehicles which come back from contract hire in a less that acceptable condition tend to be sold through the trade, but that accounts for only 30% of sales.The rest are sold through Ryder's used vehicle outlets. "We can't expect everything to come back in tip-top condition, so we need the trade,"Todd points out.
The ability to sell vehicles with a full service history is a big selling point for any used truck dealership. All rental and contract hire vehicles are maintained by Ryder's workshops or by approved garages, and that means every vehicle comes with a complete service history from new.
Presumably a service history boosts residuals? "It does add some value, but probably not enough," says Todd."It does, however, givi buyers peace of mind that their vehicle ha been regularly serviced. If we have to do something such as changing tachos we'll customers that it's been done, and what th real-life mileage is."
That ability to tell a buyer exactly wherc a vehicle has been, what it has done and th it has been well maintained is something tl business is keen to build on-We don't do part exchange or take in vehicles from oth people—we only sell our own equipment,' Todd. So unlike many other used vehicle I nesses, he isn't on a constant quest for stoc just keeps on coming direct from Ryder.
Buyers choice
That emphasis on Mere and Daf gives buy plenty of choice:Tor instance, if someone wants a 7.5-tonner, we can give them 15 to look at and drive, with a selection of differ bodies,"Todd points out.
One of the most popular vehicles at the moment is the Mercedes Sprinter 311CD: AW-plated example in the yard with 120,1 miles on the clock is on sale for £7,250,but there are higher mileage examples on the books at a lower price.
"We do sell a lot of high-mileage vehick which is helped by the full service history: Todd points out. "If we didn't have the Ry name it would probably be more difficult to sell them, but we are in a market where customers want to spend £5,00046.000 or van."•
CONTACT
Dealer: Ryder, Whitewall Road, Medwi City Industrial Estate, Strood, Kent; con Hunter Todd on 01534 725435