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Tipton P800 dealer is now owned by MAN
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• Tipton, West Midlands-based MAN dealership P&O has been acquired by the manufacturer and is now trading as MAN West Midlands. Based on a 2.5acre site, it sells about 25 0-30 o trucks a year.
"P&O wanted to concentrate on their core activities and it was the only automotive business they had," says MAN executive director Des Evans.
MAN now directly employs all the 'new truck' sales people in all but five of its independently owned dealerships, as well as those in its wholly owned depots.
The only independent dealers who have retained their own sales force are Lex at Derby, Meo Commercials in Peterborough, Frank Tucker in Exeter, Cordwallis near Heathrow Airport, and RK Trucks in Northern Ireland.
"We first suggested to dealers that we should employ their salesmen about three years ago, although we haven't made it mandatory," says Evans.
Dealer margins are narrow, he points out, and it's expensive for them to run their own sales departments. Taking this cost out of the equation leaves them free to concentrate on the provision of parts and service, and selling used trucks.
Evans dismisses concerns that this spells the end of the entrepreneurial truck salesman who can think on his feet, and that it compromises the independence of privateer dealers and reduces customer choice.
"Sales of new vehicles are becoming commoditised, with little room to manoeuvre," he contends. "The manufacturer has to get involved in the vast majority of deals, so it's only logical that we should own the sales channel."