8:16 am, June 5, 2024
The Independent Motor Dealers Association (IMDA) has announced a new partnership with RAC Dealer Network as the trade body continues to welcome record numbers of members.
The past 12 months have seen huge growth for the IMDA with 450 new members signing up – the highest number since its inception back in 2017.
Those members will now benefit from a new strategic partnership with the RAC, which sees the automotive services company become an approved partner of the association.
The deal will see the RAC Dealer Network provide warranty products, sales training, marketing materials and online tools to the IMDA’s 1,400 members.
In order to agree the partnership, the RAC has agreed to meet a range of standards designed to ensure that the services it offers to IMDA members are of a high quality.
Lee Coomber, RAC client director at Assurant, which partners with the RAC in the aftersales sector, said: ‘The RAC Dealer Network provides not just high quality motor warranty products to its 1,400 members – the vast majority of whom are independent dealers – but support in many ways from sales training to marketing materials and online tools to partnerships with suppliers offering essential dealer services.
‘It’s very much a holistic offering. Looking to the IMDA, we see a similar ethos and a complementary approach.
‘This is not just a typical trade body but one that is all about offering practical support to independent dealers in a manner designed to build a collegiate, supportive environment that leads to long-term business success.’
Umesh Samani, chairman at the IMDA, added: ‘We are very pleased to welcome the RAC Dealer Network to our association.
‘We already have many members in common and are sure that becoming an approved supplier will see more of our dealers choose to work with the RAC in future.’
He also told Car Dealer: ‘Independent Motor Dealers are looking for a support mechanism and that is something the IMDA can provide, not only through its partnerships but the contacts that it has with key industry stakeholders such as the DVLA.’
Samani spoke about the IMDA, and gave his thoughts on the automotive industry more generally, on a recent episode of the Car Dealer Podcast. You can here what he had to say here.
