• Car Dealer Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
No Result
View All Result

Volvo showrooms to have a bright new look

Colin Channon by Colin Channon
April 14, 2015
0
Home News

cc4bd314-7c56-4b45-8c6a-4bba469f1e63VOLVO dealerships are to undergo extensive renovations to make them fit for the 21st century.

Nick Connor, Volvo’s UK managing director, spelled out the changes at a dinner at a London hotel last night.

He was outlining the manufacturer’s plans and hopes for the next four years to a small gathering of journalists – and Car Dealer was among them.

Connor said the new showroom look would not be glass and steel palaces – but would be open and transparent, a comfortable place for consumers.

‘We’re calling it our VRE – the Volvo Retail Experience – and we started rolling it out in Sweden,’ he said.

‘It has proved very successful with customers there, and the first dealerships have been completed in the UK – and they’re going down well here, too,’ he said.

‘We want dealerships to be relaxing and comfortable places. We want customers to be able to meet and talk to the technician carrying out work on their car, and to look through the glass partition to see the work actually taking place.

‘We want to do away with desks, and let customers use iPads to configure our new cars to see what suits them best.

‘Dealerships should be warm and welcoming places.’

Unlike some other manufacturers, Volvo will not be subsidising the corporate identity work at dealerships.

Connor said it was difficult to put an average figure on the CI work, as it would depend on the age of the dealership, how much work needs doing, and whether it was a rebuild.

But he added: ‘Any work that is carried out has to be sustainable to the dealership. If some dealerships have worries, we’ll have a discussion with them.

‘Of course we sometimes get an argument from dealers that if they buy a new sofa, how many more cars would they sell. But if they never replaced a sofa, in time the dealership would look pretty shabby and customers would stop buying cars there.

‘We are being sensible with the work that needs to be carried out. In reality, we find dealers are very competitive – they see the work that needs doing, and they always want to do that little bit more to outdo each other.’

Connor said no dealer so far had said the work was ‘too rich for my blood’.

He added that Volvo was popular in the industry and although he had received enquiries from some dealers about taking on the marque, he was not looking for more outlets.

‘We have 108 sales points at the moment with two more we are currently filling, so we will end up with 110 – and that’s where we want to be.’

He said there was a lot more to bricks and mortar, though, to selling cars. ‘Having good sales people, and giving people the right customer service, is vital,’ he said.

‘We mystery shop many of our dealerships, and we see lots of things we like, and lots of things we don’t. And when we don’t, we tell the dealerships what is expected of them.

‘But a lot offer a very good customer experience.’

 

 

 

 

 

Previous Post

New S90 will be something special, says Volvo chief

Next Post

Brave Wessex Garages trio get ready for charity skydive

Related Posts

Designer Gerry McGovern joins JLR board
News

Designer Gerry McGovern takes seat on Jaguar Land Rover board of management

January 27, 2021
Used car market stronger than ever as August sees sales up by nearly 50 per cent for Big Motoring World
News

Customers around the world shun public transport with 1 in 2 intending to buy a new car in next 12 months

January 27, 2021
A Peugeot e-208 on the road
News

Top 20 most searched for used electric cars revealed as Auto Trader predicts EVs to overtake combustion models by 2025

January 27, 2021
The Peugeot Partner electric van charging
News

Jan 27 round-up: 50,000 more Covid deaths possible; First private space crew; Holocaust remembered; Peugeot e-Partner

January 27, 2021
Stratstone reveals multi-million-pound plans for redevelopment of BMW sites in Derby and Hull
News

Stratstone reveals multi-million-pound plans for redevelopment of BMW sites in Derby and Hull

January 27, 2021
News

Lamborghini London celebrates delivery of two super-rare Sian hypercars

January 27, 2021

Want to receive the latest news?

Sign up to the Car Dealer daily news briefing for the latest news and advice during these unprecedented times.

Subscribe Now
Video: How do you buy a used car online and get it delivered to your house? We put online car dealer Carzam to the test
Car Dealer Live

Video: How do you buy a used car online and get it delivered to your house? We put online car dealer Carzam to the test

January 23, 2021
Used Car Awards Shortlist: Find out who made it through mystery shopping and are now in running for our gongs
News

Used Car Awards Shortlist: Find out who made it through mystery shopping and are now in running for our gongs

January 6, 2021
Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK
Car Dealer Top 100

Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK

January 20, 2021
Car Dealer Live: Data shows there are buyers out there and they want new cars via click and collect, say What Car? team
Car Dealer Live

Car Dealer Live: Data shows there are buyers out there and they want new cars via click and collect, say What Car? team

January 20, 2021
Stellantis: What is it? Which brands does it have? And what does it mean for customers and dealers?
News

Stellantis: What is it? Which brands does it have? And what does it mean for customers and dealers?

January 26, 2021
Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice
News

Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice

January 15, 2021
Car Dealer Live: Top tips for car dealers to keep business and spirits high during national lockdown
Car Dealer Live

Car Dealer Live: Top tips for car dealers to keep business and spirits high during national lockdown

January 23, 2021
Car Dealer Power

The best car dealer suppliers named in the Car Dealer Power Awards 2020

November 26, 2020
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
Call us: 020 8125 3880

© 2020 Blackball Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Car Dealer Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100

© 2020 Blackball Media

Log In
Register
Register
Server C