Something's Changing At Volkswagen...

MILTON KEYNES, UNITED KINGDOM – April 24, 2013: Volkswagen is in the process of updating its showrooms across the UK, ensuring they offer customers and staff up-to-date, modern and useable space. Included within these projects are a number of relocations to new, purpose-built sites which will greatly enhance customer experience.

Volkswagen currently has a network of 210 Retailers nationwide. Forty-nine of these have already completed their revisions and a further 70 are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013.

Business has carried on ‘as usual’ throughout the work at all sites. Feedback received to date from customers and staff suggests that any temporary disruption was well worthwhile. All new showrooms have space for at least 10 new Volkswagen cars, comfortable waiting and refreshment areas, merchandise and accessories plus WiFi. There are also ample parking spaces and modern state-of-the-art workshops to provide the best possible aftersales back-up for all Volkswagen cars.

Some Retailers will showcase initiatives such as cafés, children’s play areas, dedicated vehicle hand-over areas and consultation bays, all of which are designed to enhance the experience for customers when purchasing or maintaining their vehicle.

All Retailers are also part of Volkswagen’s ‘Digital Showroom’ revolution. This development, which went live at all Retailers in summer 2012 equipped showrooms and staff with iPads and a range of advanced web tools with the aim of closing the gap between the on- and off-line worlds. As well as making the assimilation of information easier for the customer it also enables him or her to view virtual examples of products and specifications that may not otherwise be available for immediate viewing in the showroom.

Spencer Clayton-Jones, Volkswagen’s Head of Customer Quality and Network Development, commented: ‘We’re making fantastic progress on the project. Where the changes are complete we’ve noticed a large uplift in customer visits, purchases and staff morale. Customers are clearly enthusiastic about coming to the new showrooms and this suggests when they do they’re happy, engaged and serious about buying a car. If they like the environment it follows they’ll want to come back for regular maintenance, which has definite benefits for them, and of course, for our Retailers.’

He added: ‘We’re looking forward to 2015 when all of our showrooms will have undergone the changes and we can guarantee all our customers across the UK the consistency and high quality environment they would expect from Volkswagen.’