All articles by Brian Rogerson
Brian Rogerson
Connecting with the customer
The good news for motor dealers this August is that new car registrations rose by some 2.4 percent over the previous month the first increase in sales for 15 months.
How ‘Lena’ boosts sales for Collier group
In a declining automotive market, keeping existing customers and gaining new ones becomes ever-more challenging. Providing an outstanding experience can make all the difference in keeping customers with the brand and helping towards a dealers future economic success.
Simon Bailes Peugeot opts for ‘360-degree vision’
Simon Bailes Peugeot is a 30-year old dealer group based in three depots in Yorkshire.
Insurance on the move
In today’s extremely challenging automative market, more pressure than ever is being put on dealers’ profit margins from selling new and used cars at the point-of-sale (PoS).
Rising from the ashes
The bombshell PPI ruling has brought despair to some- but has engendered determination in many others, finds Brian Rogerson.
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Crunch time for lessors
Brian Rogerson rounds up the many challenges facing the fleet contract hire and leasing industry, from rival forms of funding to the collapse in RVs. These are dark days for the fleet leasing industry. This November, the registrations of fleet and business (i.e. smaller fleet) new cars reported by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) sent a stark message to the industry. In short, the market is collapsing. During November the number of fleet vehicles purchased dropped by almost 30 per cent to 59,721 (Nov 2007: 84,789) and business vehicles by 45 per cent to 4,422 (Nov 2007: 7,976). In the 11 months to the end of November, the number of fleet cars registered totalled 1.05m – or 6 per cent lower than the previous year (year-to-end Nov 2007: 1.117m). Business cars, moreover, showed a decline of 20 per cent to 122,986 (year-to-end Nov 2007: 153,939).
The claw-back begins
The claw-back begins Brian Rogerson finds out how funders policies on commission debit-backs from dealers are changing in an uncertain economic climate As the economic cycle continues downwards, UK automotive lenders are beginning to examine more closely their motor dealer retail packages
Outsource deal win
International Acceptance (IA) the sales aid consumer finance company has selected The Nostrum Group (Nostrum) for the outsourcing of its UK and Ireland business portfolios
Funder bucks profit trend
Funder bucks profit trend Private & Commercial Finance Group (P&CF) has bucked the trend and reports a good years trading for the 12 months to March 31 2008. The group reported a significant increase in pre-tax profits to £934,197 (15 months to 31 March 2007: £388,748, finance receivables (net of unearned income) up 46 per cent to a record level of £132m (31 March 2007: £90.5m) and turnover up some 30 per cent on an annualised basis to a record £51.7m During the year P&CF agreed additional funding lines with Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander, and two other new lenders, which totalled in excess of £25m and are designed to continue the portfolios growth.
New player tackles fleets’ “huge concerns”
All in One Leasing (AIOL), part of UK Car Group, has chalked up a fleet of 2,000 company cars in the two years since its formation Recently it has added to its product range by acquiring Pro-Affinity, a company which developed risk-management software for the cash-allowance affinity market Tony Williams AIOLs managing director tells Motor Finance that with the acquisition of Pro-Affinity, which was established by Linda Upton (now director of AIOLs duty of care and affinity schemes), the company is now able to offer finance packages for affinity partnerships seeking alternatives to company car schemes in addition to its core contract hire package.