Urban Science Renews GM Contract for Dealer Network Planning and Maintenance

DETROIT, April 16 -- Urban Science, a retail consulting firm, announced its subsidiary ChannelVantage has renewed a five-year contract with General Motors Corp. to provide location planning and counsel in support of the automaker's dealership network. The contract includes nearly 40 services, such as onsite experts to provide analytical and data support, development of specific market plans to determine optimal retail locations, and preparation and processing of dealer contracts.

"Retail networks require constant nurturing and maintenance, and it's necessary to make the right adjustments as economic and demographic landscapes evolve," said Joe Chrzanowski, executive director -- Dealer Network Planning and Investments at GM. "The ChannelVantage team has been our partner in this effort for almost 30 years. Their expertise in network planning and market analysis is unparalleled."

The ChannelVantage team will work with GM's Dealer Network Planning and Investment department onsite at the GM headquarters in Detroit. Maintaining the automaker's dealership, sales and registration data, ChannelVantage will perform analysis and reporting to determine trends, evaluate markets and conduct return-on-investment studies for special projects.

Urban Science created the system nearly all automakers use today to plan their dealer networks. Using scientific tools and expert analysis, Urban Science recommends where retailers should be located and counsels how they can perform more efficiently and profitably.

Founded in 1977, Urban Science is a global retail consulting firm that takes a scientific approach to help companies identify where they should allocate resources in order to increase their market share and profitability in the most effective and efficient manner. With headquarters in Detroit, Urban Science serves its global clientele from offices in the United States, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Australia, China, Mexico and Japan. For more information on Urban Science, visit www.urbanscience.com .