Dealer profiles AM's writers regularly interview dealer group bosses to gain an insight into their businesses, from reflecting on current performance to sharing future plans for revenue and profit growth, attracting and retaining talented staff and their franchise partners. Here are our features on franchised and independent dealers.
In an AM dealer profile interview, Otley described how it had taken over a decade to transform what was a solus independent used car forecourt on Pontefract Road, Barnsley, into a cash-rich franchised retail group with aspirations of becoming a £250m turnover business while maintaining its return-on-sales (RoS) figure of more than 3%.
In 2019, Available Car invested in technology across the business, including a new website with increased functionality, workshop equipment, a Traka vehicle/key tracking system and a new dealer management system, Drive, from Keyloop.
Redline Specialist Cars, already the 10th largest UK used car dealer by turnover, is planning to grow following its acquisition by AMT Auto
Like most dealer groups Stephen James went through the pain of cutting jobs – 60 full-time posts were cut from around 363 in the April of that year. The total is now 291 and has not climbed back. “The way BMW UK helped the network with stocking support in 2008 and 2009 made a tremendous difference and got us through the crisis,” said Collins.
Executive View: The co-dependency of a dealership and its local market Dealership leaders may increase the business's profile and chance of success if they run it to support, not exploit, their local community, says professor Jim Saker, president of the Institute of the Motor Industry.