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As one of Renault Group’s longest serving partners it was only fitting that Arnold Clark opened the brand’s largest site in the UK and locate its alongside its new head office development in Hillington, on the outskirts of Glasgow.
Arnold Clark, the biggest privately owned dealer group in Europe, employs more than 10,000 staff across 200 dealerships and 24 franchises, mainly in Scotland but also with a strong presence in England.
Work started on the new Renault Store in July 2015 and it opened for business on schedule in December. The site brings together two existing Renault outlets into a 15,823 sq ft site alongside the group’s new 90,000 sq ft headquarters.
The move sees Arnold Clark strengthen a relationship with Renault that goes back to 1974 when the group took on the brand as its first foreign franchise. The opening of Hillington takes the group’s Renault representation to 20 outlets. The new centre, which is expected to sell around 1,200 new vehicles a year, includes a 23-car showroom selling Renault and Dacia vehicles, a display area for 400 vehicles and an 11-bay workshop. Richard Kennedy, is the general manager having previously run the group’s former Renault site in central Glasgow.
What was the thinking behind moving two existing Renault dealerships into the new site?
Both existing sites were in need of redevelopment and it made perfect sense geographically to relocate them alongside our new head office development. The new location is very accessible and close to many leisure and entertainment centres, which makes it ideal for servicing our existing customers and attracting new ones.
As a group, we are always looking for ways to offer the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
Not only is Hillington an exciting development for us, it also offers superb new facilities for our customers, including private consultation areas, a brand new café and substantial service capabilities with an 11-bay workshop. The move also means significant investment in the local community, providing up to 100 additional employment opportunities.
A major relocation requires close contact with the customer base to keep them informed and onside, how was this achieved?
We kept our customer base fully informed and onside in advance of the moves through various media including email, mailers and advertising, culminating with a Show and Tell event at both of the existing branches. This allowed us to thank our loyal customers and demonstrate to them how the new branch will look and work.
Our staff has built up excellent relationships with our customers and it was an opportunity for them to speak face-to-face and answer any questions or concerns customers may have had. The events were well attended and it is our intention to hold a similar event at the new Hillington location in the coming months.
Our staff were also kept informed with all aspects of the relocation through a series of centrally held meetings, usually chaired by our group managing director, Eddie Hawthorne. During these meetings we obtained feedback and suggestions on matters such as uniforms, the internal design of the building, parking and commuting to the site. We really listened to our staff and I am pleased to say a lot of their suggestions have been implemented.
How important is digital marketing and how does the group stay ahead of the game?
We have dedicated teams within the marketing department that look after digital and social media, which highlights how important they both are to us. We are Europe’s largest independent car dealership and we have to ensure our digital channels reflect this.
We’ve significantly increased our Search, Video and Display spend over the past few years and invested hugely in improving the user experience for our customers on arnoldclark.com. We stay ahead of the game by closely monitoring the performance of all of our online channels. We’re also investing in the very best talent in both marketing and digital product development, allowing us to constantly innovate and find new and exciting ways to improve our digital presence.
It’s important that we create fresh and informative content online that is interesting and entertaining and we engage with our customers and listen to what they are saying. We understand that our customers don’t always access social media during business hours and we provide out-of-hours assistance too.
Our social media team read all online comments and pass them on to our branches, which helps shape the business and ensures we are providing the best service possible.
How has Arnold Clark ensured the new FCA regulations are implemented?
We became regulated by the FCA in January 2005, and over the past 11 years we have aimed and strived to implement the FCA rules and guidelines as stipulated and required. From an Arnold Clark perspective, the fundamental FCA principle that is core to the day-to-day operation of the business is the principle of Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) at all times.
Throughout 2015 there was indeed significant change in respect of FCA regulation but as an organisation we have embraced the required changes on the simple basis that TCF is at the forefront of everything we do.
How was 2015 for the company and what are your hopes for 2016?
It was a successful and proud year for Arnold Clark. We continued to expand by opening multiple new sites and taking on a number of new recruits and apprentices. We now have more than 10,000 staff members and are continuously hiring.
Getting the new site at Hillington ready was a challenge. With the unpredictable British weather, there have been a few setbacks but the dealership was completed on time and around 500 head office staff are due to move in over the next few months. We expect further growth in 2016 and another fantastic year.
Factfile
Arnold Clark Hillington
Opened: December 2015
Brands: Renault, Dacia
Location: Hillington,Glasgow
Staff: 112 (49 in aftersales)
Ramps: 10 plus 1 MoT
New sales: 1,200 vehicles a year
Andrew Charman
