AN supports its dealer network IN by Peter Lawton
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MAN remains totally confident in its dealer network despite the disciplining of five employees over rogue sales tactics, according to marketing director Alistair Williamson.
MAN's investigation found a Sheffield dealership, then independently owned by IC Harrison, had removed parts from four trucks to satisfy Rugby Cement's weight criteria and secure their sale in January, a month before it was bought by MAN.
The parts, including brake shoes and drums from the centre axle and the anti-roll bars, were then refitted before the trucks were delivered for use, in fully roadworthy condition but above Rugby Cement's specified weight.
The deceit came to light four months later when a fifth truck, also modified, was submitted.
Buyers
Now that the dealership is part of the MAN-owned network, Williamson says buyers can be assured of getting a fair deal from the sales force.
"This whole transaction was started under a previous organisation and MAN has acquired that dealership in the interim," Williamson explains.
"In 28 years in this business, this is first time I've come across such a creative approach to meeting the customer requirement—it's way outside the realms of my experi
ence," he remarks. "I can't see where the gain is.
"The direct management control we have over our branches is so tight that I can't imagine how this would happen—fm mystified as to why anyone would think they could do such a thing...We as MAN will not tolerate or condone any action by any MAN dealer or branch to in any way deceive an operator or put the reputation of the company at stake in any way," he says.
"We've got so many checks and balances in place, honestly, if it wasn't so serious I'd find it ludicrous that any individual would do such a thing," Williamson adds.
Because MAN owns 65% of its dealers outright as MAN Direct, he believes the company is able to keep a tighter reign on its salesforce than some rival manufacturers. Even so, a modified truck was sent by the dealership when it was owned by MAN to Rugby Cement for weighing.
"MAN is a reputable manufacturer, It has a properly managed organisation—probably better so than some of our competitors because we are responsible directly for the actions of our sales force in a more complete way, a more direct way than our corn petitors," he says. Williamson feels there is no need for a review of the checks and balances in place to make sure another breach does not take place in the future.
Duties
"The action we've taken is to write to the dealers concerned and point out their duties in this regard—I don't think we need to do anymore than that within the existing framework," he says.
Williamson defends MAN's network, citing the company's five-year-old Dealer Operating Standards Programme, which offers substantial bonuses for achieving various targets. He also highlights the detailed franchise agreement MAN dealers must sign, the money that has been invested in the network and the complaints structure for disgruntled operators or buyers.
Commercial Motor understood that ore employee at the dealership had been sacked, as reported last week, but Williamson refuses to confirm this: "There are legal issues here and it's not wise for me to comment about that. I don't think there's any need to personalise this."
But he does say: "Action has been taken against the staff involved. It would be inappropriate for us to comment. It's an internal disciplinary matter and I don't think it's really for the public domain," Williamson also declines to comment on MAN's discussions with Rugby Cement, but says a joint statement will be issued today (6 July). He is confident that the two firms will be doing business again in the future.