Van operators in Liverpool can look forward to industry-leading levels of customer care following the opening by Mercedes-Benz Dealer Roanza of a stunning dedicated sales and service facility.
The £1-million development on Derby Road has been designed with retail customers in mind and is ideally located, close to a number of car retailers. It comprises a smart showroom for presenting the Mercedes-Benz Vans range, as well as a fully-equipped, four-bay workshop and a display area for up to 30 new and Approved Used vans.
Roanza set the seal on its investment by staging a launch event last night (18 February) for customers and representatives of Mercedes-Benz Vans, as well as colleagues. Joint Managing Director Brian Kempson told guests: “The launch of our Liverpool Van Centre represents the dawn of a new era for the Mercedes-Benz Vans business on Merseyside.
“The Sprinter, Vito and Citan are widely acknowledged as the finest light commercial vehicles on the market, and this impressive new dealership means we are now perfectly placed to deliver the outstanding service that customers for vehicles bearing the famous three-pointed star are entitled to expect. It underlines our commitment to the Mercedes-Benz brand, and our confidence in the future.”
The Liverpool Van Centre has been key to Roanza’s achievement of a coveted ‘stamp of approval’ from the manufacturer. Its success in securing accreditation as a Mercedes-Benz Van ProCenter also reflects the quality of its people and procedures as they relate to new and used light commercial vehicles.
Van Pro Dealers keep extended opening hours and meet strict requirements on everything from sales staff numbers, their training and expertise, to bodybuilding advice and vehicles for trial. They demonstrate ‘best-in-class’ brand and product presentation and retail a broad range of top-quality Approved Used as well as new vans. And they have specially trained service advisors and technicians, and offer replacement vehicles and collection and delivery services.
Roanza’s Mercedes-Benz-trained technicians undertake ‘fast fix’ maintenance and repairs at Derby Road – bigger, more time-consuming jobs will be assigned to the Service team at the company’s main workshop on Rathbone Road, Wavertree.
Roanza also offers MoT tests on vehicles in the Class 4 and 7 categories at the new van centre. These can be undertaken outside normal working hours, so customers need not lose the use of their vehicles at times when they should be on the road and earning.
Not only is the new Van Centre more attractive and welcoming to visitors but it also represents a huge improvement for members of the company team, who previously worked from a number of portable office units at the same location.
Heading the operation as Derby Road Site Manager is recent recruit Mark Patterson, who spent 10 years building his Manchester-based commercial vehicle rental and leasing business before selling it last year. Mark, whose CV also includes stints with a truck manufacturer and as a vehicle remarketing manager for a bank, is relishing the challenge.
“We have some very ambitious growth targets, particularly in terms of Approved Used vehicle sales,” he said. “But I’ve inherited an experienced and highly motivated team, while having operated Mercedes-Benz Vans in the past I know all about the quality of the product. The key to achieving our ambitions will be ensuring that retail customers receive the very finest levels of service – I’m confident that this superb new facility gives us the perfect platform from which to do just that.”
