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HR Owen’s Bentley Berkshire is showcasing the luxury brand’s CI ahead of the debut of the Bentayga SUV
The launch of the Bentayga SUV in early 2016 will be the most significant event for Bentley since the luxury carmaker was acquired by the Volkswagen Group in 1998. With this car Bentley moves into a new era and so a new, more contemporary corporate identity is being rolled out to its dealerships, with HR Owen’s Berkshire site the first to unveil it.
The general manager of the redeveloped site, which also features Aston Martin, Lamborghini and a used prestige car operation, is Ian Barrow. He joined HR Owen in June having previously spent 18 years in Jardine’s prestige car operation where he helped set up Bentley Kent.
How important is the new CI to your operation?
It’s an exciting time and it’s right that it should be launched at an HR Owen outlet – we are the luxury and supercar dealer group with five Bentley dealerships, responsible for probably around 40%
of the home market.
HR Owen stands for prestige premises, we do things properly with no corner cutting. The development here in Pangbourne, which is basically a village, is an example. We are effectively a Bentley dealership with a few houses round it, but with a showroom that would be appropriate to central London. The new CI provides a fresh contemporary look and dovetails very well with the launch of the Bentayga – the leather and the wood shows where the Bentley brand is going with the SUV.
How challenging was it to look after your clientele while the rebuild was going on?
It was an 18-month rebuild – we don’t talk numbers but it was a significant investment from HR Owen. While challenging, the clientele we attract expect luxury premises but I can’t produce and deliver a premium luxury experience working out of non-luxury premises. If you look at prestige hotels, for example, such as the Savoy, they’ve all had major refits in recent years.
How much are the needs of premium buyers different to mainstream executive brands
Our business is successful because we develop and nurture long-term business relationships with our clients. A good employee would probably sell two to three cars to the same client over the years and at some stage there will be an awkward conversation over money and values.
These people are used to making informed decisions and they rely on quality advice. If they trust you they will continue the conversation, if you lose that trust they remove themselves from the negotiation very quickly. You get one shot to prove your trustworthiness.
I always say to my staff that I want the kind of relationship with our clients that they feel compelled to just drop in for a cup of coffee because they are in the village. They may not be here to do any business with us but when we have the follow-up conversation it’s part of that long-term partnership.
How do you approach staff training?
We are very strong in training, right down to ensuring every new member of staff undergoes a half day’s driver training course. They have to learn how to conduct themselves, to prove when representing the company that they look after a car, don’t drive aggressively and react politely to the poor driving of other motorists: the Range Rover they drive close to the rear bumper of could be a customer considering buying a car from us.
How do you use lead times on new cars to develop the sale of added value products?
We have a robust CRM programme based on treating Customers Fairly. All our clients are kept fully informed, we do a product presentation, but as I’ve said we listen and recommend the products the customer requires. We have our own HR Owen insurance now, for example, allowing us to keep the whole process, the experience, inside the company. An average sale is around a 30 day gestation process.
What is the take up of paint protection products on new and used Bentleys?
Very high: 81% on new cars, 40% on pre-owned. We organise a factory tour for our customers and this helps. Customers are blown away by the attention to detail given to the paintwork, the surfaces, the leathers and as a result they want to protect them.
How have HR Owen’s Bentley service plan
been received by customers?
They are Bentley-specific plans and are all about offering convenience to our clients – they haven’t become to be wealthy by wasting money and the beauty of a service plan is to peg the cost. It’s a good area for Bentley to move into.
How do you approach marketing?
It’s not marketing as such but building client relationships, brand awareness. HR Owen has a database to die for of high net-worth individuals who we communicate with through our networking and affinity partnerships. We like to put on money-can’t-buy experiences, tied in with driving cars. We recently linked up with Sunseeker for an event which involved a drive over a carefully-planned route to the Southampton Boat Show where our clients enjoyed
a VIP experience.
Do you think the Bentayga will bring a different kind of customer into your showroom?
Yes, it’s aimed at those with a sporting lifestyle. We have many diverse clients and many will have, say, a Range Rover in their fleet. Bentley won’t become a four-door, off-road or sports-utility company, it will remain a luxury car company. It’s more about giving our clients what they want.
It’s a great time to be in the Bentley network, with the launch of our new showroom and CI, the launch of Bentayga, and some great products around at the moment. The last 12 months have been very positive and that’s been shown in the amount of investment HR Owen has made in the Bentley brand.
Factfile
Bentley Berkshire
Established: 2003 (part of HR Owen since 2011)
Brand: Bentley (Aston Martin, Lamborghini and pre-owned supercars also on site)
Staff: 42 on site, 15 Bentley-specific,
8 Bentley aftersales
Ramps: 4 Bentley plus wheel-alignment bay
Personalfile
Ian Barrow
Position: General manager, Bentley Berkshire
First job: Apprentice technician
First car: 1959 Austin Seven (Mini)
Current car: Audi A6 S-line
Best business decision: “Joining H R Owen”
Worst business decision: “Some staff decisions, backing a staff member for too long”
Newspaper: The Times
Film: “Anything with James Bond”
Book: Winning by Clive Woodward
Downtime: Sailing
Gadget: iPad
Andrew Charman
