Customer service in the driving seat

6th June 2011 10:19AM

For years, car retailing has been best known for its sharp-suited salesmen, dubious customer service and in-your face advertising campaigns.

Now, however, one leading North East motor group is hoping to change all that by proving that it has ditched the traditional approach to “car dealing”.

Newcastle-based Benfield Motor Group will today embark on a major new marketing and branding campaign as part of it’s drive to deliver a “world-class” customer service experience. It says it wants to emulate what John Lewis has achieved in high-street retail, in the motor industry.

Gone are the adverts featuring the latest best-buy deals, to be replaced by an upmarket “lifestyle” campaign focused on images of car owners rather than the vehicles themselves and featuring the firm’s new strapline “enjoy the journey”. The company will also be highlighting its long history in the North East with some adverts using images from the firms achieves.

The new campaign – which will run across the print and broadcast media – receives its first airing in the commercial break during Coronation Street on ITV Monday 6th June 2011.

Mark Squires, Chief Executive of the family-owned business, which has 30 dealerships across the North East, Yorkshire, Cumbria and Scotland, reckons it is a first for the industry which has not always had the best reputation for customer service.
He said the campaign was aimed at developing the identity of the Benfield brand and further improving customer loyalty.

“Our new brand identity and campaign clearly demonstrates that Benfield is different from other car dealers, that we understand our customers and are putting them at the centre of our business”.

“A unique training and cultural development programme, which has incorporated staff training in core service skills and comprehensive set of customer service standards across the business, has been underway for the past 12 months to ensure Benfield is delivering the best for its customers”.

He added “Our aim is to be regarded as a truly world-class retailer and today is a very important and significant step along that journey”.

New customer initiatives include a 30 day exchange on all used vehicles, a “lifestyle test drive” that enables would-be customers to see how a car might fit into their lives, and an enhanced aftercare service.

The new identity and campaign has been devised and developed by Newcastle based agency Different. Its Managing Director Yousaf Khalid said “The inconsistent customer service delivered by a lot of the motor industry is well known. What makes this campaign really exciting is that for the first time, Benfield is tackling the problem head on and, in doing so, moving beyond being a motor dealer to being a retail brand such as John Lewis, with the same level of customer service expectations”

The regions largest independent car dealer saw its pre-tax profits jump from £3m to £7.1m in 2009, with revenues also up from £287m to £313m.