LELY TURFCARE TO OPEN FIRST SCOTTISH SERVICE CENTRE
Part of "direct route to market strategy"
Toro distributor Lely Turfcare is opening its first service centre in Scotland on 1 June.
This follows the agreement reached with three dealers to relinquish their contracts at the end May. The previous dealers for the location were Henderson Grass Machinery, Hamilton Bros and Thistle Groundcare Equipment.
A new van for Toro distributor Lely Turfcare’s first service centre in Scotland
The new centre is based in Livingston, West Lothian which the company says was chosen for its strong transport links and central location. Lely Turfcare says the new facility 'represents its commitment to local customers and provides them with the benefit of all customer support and after-sales service in one easily accessible place'.
“This is a hugely positive development for our customers, the region, and the company,” says managing director David Cole. “We have spent time recruiting an experienced, nine-strong specialist team with good local knowledge of the market to oversee and manage the centre and meet the needs of our customers, existing and new.”
Mr Cole says the Scotland centre is based on the same business model used by Lely Turfcare for its service centres in other parts of the UK, including Lely Turfcare South East and Lely Turfcare East Anglia. In all cases the emphasis is on 'dealing directly with customers, adding value and building relationships'.
Previously the distributor has used independent turf machinery dealers in the region to provide this service.
“Our priority is always with our customers and this move will provide them with access to our own experts in their fields, offering advice and guidance straight from the manufacturer and distributor, but with a local perspective; plus direct access to maintenance and servicing, and operator and parts support as well," said David Cole.
The move is at the heart of Lely Turfcare’s new direct-route-to-market strategy for Toro products in Scotland, which they say is 'aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening the market position for Toro’s range of golf, sport and groundscare machinery'. This as well as TYM compact tractors which it also sells. It says channelling resources for growth in this way will realise its long-term aims for the business, also bringing with it a valuable contribution to the local economy in terms of new recruitment now and in the future.
When this change was announced back in November 2015 a joint statement from the ousted dealers said, "As independent family businesses we are proud to have firmly established the global Toro brand locally in Scotland over the last 15 years. This has been achieved by nurturing our clients, building their trust in the Toro brand and in that of our respective companies.
"Whilst we are disappointed at Lely's decision to move the operation in-house, we shall embrace the change and reassure our immensely loyal customers that we will continue to maintain our exemplary standards of service until the cessation of their contracts."
Contact details for the service centre will be announced imminently.
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