Volvo UK to transform retailing landscape

With the imminent launch of the all-new XC90 marking a new chapter in its history, Volvo Car UK is setting new standards for its dealerships nationwide and introducing two new initiatives, Volvo Personal Service (VPS) and Volvo Retail Experience (VRE); designed to remove some of the perceived barriers between dealers and their customers and improve trust, customer service and overall impressions of the brand.

The aim of VRE is to create an environment for customers in which high levels of visual transparency are key. Inside the showroom, there is a balanced focus on physical and digital presentation, making sure the sales and service areas are completely integrated to deliver an open, holistic environment - it’s a new way of retailing designed to make customers feel relaxed and at ease in an environment that informs and provides flexible waiting, working and assessment areas.

Also new to the Volvo network is Volvo Personal Service, which streamlines aftersales functions to improve workshop efficiency, job throughput and revenue opportunities for dealers, while delivering a much more personal service to Volvo customers via a dedicated service technician. It works by utilising teams of Personal Service Technicians (PST) working on cars as groups rather than individually. This allows for work to be carried out twice as fast, nearly halving customer wait times.

Having been piloted in various sites across the UK since 2013, Volvo is committed to launch the VPS programme into all dealerships by 2017, whilst all UK sites are to be converted to the relaxing and ‘more Swedish’ VRE style by 2020.

Bill Ward, Dealer Principal Mill Sunderland, commented: “VPS brings a true collaboration of trust between Volvo, the customer and the dealership staff. Maintaining, extending and nurturing that trust has meant our customers have been able to be included in all processes.”