Setting the standard for others to follow may 2007

Wexford Renault Van Centre deservedly hit the headlines by capturing the coveted Renault Van Dealer of the Year award for 2006. Managing director Yvonne Sidney made a huge financial commitment when establishing the standalone commercial dealership under the management of Conan Shanahan in 2004, but the investment is paying off handsomely as Wexford Renault Van Centre has established itself as an innovative trendsetter and a true market leader.

Located in the expanding Kerlogue Business Park just outside Wexford town, Wexford Renault Van Centre had the distinction of being Ireland’s very first dedicated commercial vehicle specialist within the Renault family when it was established in 2004; three years later, it is still leading the way…

Commercial Sales manager Conan Shanahan has generated phenomenal business in the three years since Wexford Renault Van Centre was born

From spacious state-of-the-art headquarters, Wexford Renault Van Centre provides commercial vehicle users with a full range of dedicated LCVs under Europe’s most respected banner. Renault is the leading van manufacturer in Europe and Wexford Renault Van Centre is a flagship business in terms of its absolute commitment to customer care. A winning partnership!
Backed up by unmatched product knowledge and expertise, WRVC is ideally placed to provide precise solutions in a comfortable and hassle-free environment. The Van Centre benefits from an exceptionally high level of repeat business, which is testament to the range of vehicles offered as well as the market awareness of commercial sales manager Conan Shanahan and the team assembled by managing director Yvonne Sidney.

The strong sales team at Wexford Renault Van Centre: Conan Shanahan (left) and Jason Foley

Yvonne took a real leap of faith when she opted to set the business up a few years ago – her faith in the concept is already paying off. The first standalone facility of its kind in Ireland, Wexford Renault Van Centre comprises a generous 4,500 square feet and has grown rapidly in a short space of time to become one of the marque’s leading outlets.
Shifting more commercial vehicles than any other Renault dealership in ’06, the Van Centre caters meticulously for a broad customer base that includes everyone from small builders with a single van to corporate clients operating large fleets. Regardless of size, each customer is guaranteed the same attention to detail.

The full range of Renault’s cutting edge commercial vehicles – from the Kangoo to the Trafic – is available, as well as a huge selection of pre-owned vans, all of which have been tested, inspected and serviced to the highest level and are supplied complete with generous warranty. Renault is constantly upgrading its commercial range, with superb new versions of the Trafic and Master currently available, while customers can also avail of the exciting new Renault Mégavan (based on the award-winning Mégane Hatch).

An expansion of the Centre means economies of scale, such as an increase in the number of technicians and parts available from stock, ensuring a seamless back-up facility that businesses can depend on in an ultra-competitive everyday environment.
Business customers are provided with courtesy vehicles free of charge while their vehicles are being serviced or repaired – not that this happens often, such is the unrivalled reliability of the market-leading marque! Thus, with downtime eliminated completely, the Van Centre offers its clients a vital edge on the competition.

Providing both the right products and an unparalleled, trustworthy service – all at an affordable price and on time every time – Wexford Renault Van Centre also boasts a thorough knowledge and understanding of finance and corporate taxation, which can be of immense benefit to customers in enabling them to maximise allowances and minimise overheads.
As well as a three-year warranty and AA membership with all new commercials, the Van Centre arranges financial packages to suit individual client needs. This keen attention to customer detail is one of its great strengths.
Wexford Renault was established as an all-in-one dealership in 2004, but the commercial business was set up as a separate entity later that same year. Conan Shanahan had worked in the retail commercial vehicle trade previously (Winning a Van Dealer of the Year award previously in 2003) but agreed to join Wexford Renault as commercial manager in ’04, shortly afterwards the MD decided to divide the car sales and commercial outlet into two separate businesses.
“It’s a completely standalone business,” he stresses. “We have a separate building, separate sales team and separate facilities. This was a first for Renault. We have a vast showroom dedicated exclusively to commercial vehicles and nobody within the Renault network in Ireland had done this before.”

Conan was sure he was onto a good idea and Yvonne agreed with him. Between them, they have built an outstanding business in a short space of time and the Van Dealer of the Year award for 2006 underlines the stunning success achieved already.
“A lot of dealers simply didn’t have the space or the personnel to make this happen,” Conan continues. “It’s not easy to source guys with exclusive experience in commercial sales. I was brought up in the motor trade and had six years’ experience selling commercial vehicles - I was confident that we could make a real go of this business.”

Whereas many dealers throw in the commercials as an afterthought, with vans parked to the back of the showroom, Wexford Renault Van Centre was a different beast entirely from the outset. “It’s a specialist area and you need to know what you’re talking about,” Conan agrees. “While cars can be an impulse buy, commercial vehicles are all about business. They have to be able to do the job and fulfill requirements. You need to know the product inside-out … everything from weight to carrying capacity and fuel consumption.”

Conan has built many contacts over the years and they know they can rely on him to provide the right solution each and every time. This is why Wexford Renault Van Centre benefits from an enormous level of repeat business as well as a steady flow of referrals.
With the entire south east earmarked as its catchments area, Wexford Renault Van Centre has customers from as far a field as Dublin and Cork. Conan realises that repeat business is the bread and butter of any dealership and to ensure this he guarantees an exceptional back-up service.
With Jason Foley making quite an impact on the sales team, all the signs suggest that the future is an incredibly bright one for Wexford Renault Van Centre. They have the product; they have the facilities; and they have the expertise. It just goes to show that a bit of vision and courage can go a long way in any walk of life.
By selling more commercial vehicles than any other Renault dealer in Ireland in 2006, Wexford Renault Van Centre proved that it has well and truly arrived.