Pentagon Group has develop into the newest dealership chain to herald Sunday closing to assist enhance the work-life stability of its workforce.
The brand new and used automobile dealership group might be introducing the initiative on a brief foundation as of November 6, following suggestions from an worker survey wherein its gross sales workers mentioned they needed a greater work-life stability.
Pentagon mentioned the three-month trial would ‘discover how this works for our workers and prospects’, and would successfully transfer the corporate from a 5 ½-day gross sales working rota to a five-day cycle.
Pentagon Group managing director David Peel mentioned: ‘I feel that is nice information for our folks.
‘We now have a rigorous and ongoing programme of actioning suggestions from our annual surveys taking a look at worker satisfaction ranges in all areas, and are delighted to have the ability to announce this necessary trial.
‘We now have a fantastic group throughout our 30 websites, and serving to them with an enhanced work-life stability is necessary.’
He added: ‘We now have been aided in our planning by a altering sample in buyer behaviours.
‘Our personal expertise parallels current findings of industry-wide surveys that present the variety of folks buying critically for automobiles on a Sunday is now right down to round simply eight per cent of the weekly whole.
‘That’s extremely wasteful, not solely of our proficient gross sales and help groups’ time, but additionally of the vitality required for opening every of our amenities to the general public for such a small degree of attainable enterprise.
‘In these occasions of nationwide want for vitality conservation and restraint, this appears an extra win for us all.
‘Much better for all involved to focus our groups’ efforts and numbers on the Monday-to-Wednesday interval and Saturdays that at the moment are comfortably our busiest durations in showrooms.’
Pentagon’s showrooms are unfold throughout Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Cheshire and Merseyside.
Its transfer follows on the heels of Burrows Motor Firm doing the identical factor on a everlasting foundation.
Pentagon mentioned it will proceed to have a robust digital presence for stay chat and on-line ordering on Sundays.
David Peel says closing Pentagon Group’s showrooms on Sundays will save time and vitality
In the meantime, its name centre, which already handles all incoming gross sales and aftersales calls, will nonetheless be absolutely manned for Sunday hours.
Pentagon will analyse remark from prospects by way of the decision centre, and if gross sales drop off past the anticipated degree, or if it finds that prospects are sad with the Sunday closure, it mentioned it’ll contemplate reverting again.
Pentagon Group’s preliminary LinkedIn put up asserting the transfer drew widespread reward.
Among the many feedback, mindset management coach Tim Hargraves mentioned ‘in my view it’s FOMO [fear of missing out] that stops retailers from closing on Sundays. I closed a dealership on Sundays 18 years in the past and it didn’t make any distinction to gross sales charges’.
Bentley Hatfield gross sales govt Andrew Slatter mentioned: ‘Examples of supplier teams experiencing extra revenue and productiveness when closed on Sundays are extra frequent than folks realise.’
Allen Motor Group gross sales supervisor Benjamin Delnevo mentioned: ‘We now have been closed on Sundays now for a couple of months. We now have seen a rise in income, much less illness and the vibe/vitality within the showroom has elevated. Win win.’
In the meantime, Adrian Ball, of Inchcape Audi, mentioned: ‘What a fantastic transfer and I sincerely hope it really works out.
‘With extra folks working from house normally, I’ve observed a shift in footfall.
‘Extra persons are visiting in the course of the week. If the idea was adopted by the {industry}, I don’t consider it will make any distinction to the annual gross sales.
‘If supermarkets have been closed on Sunday, would you run out of meals?
‘Sadly, retailers at the moment are caught on the hamster wheel of 24/7 operations. The {industry} wants a shake-up. Nicely performed Pentagon.’
Pictured at prime is Pentagon Group’s Rochdale website
