DRIVING FORCES
Local service, national strength by Mike Ruff, GW Editor
The Parts Alliance chief executive officer, Peter Sephton explains what ‘local service, national strength’ means for the independent garage owner… THE Parts Alliance is one of the leading groups of automotive parts distributors in the UK and Ireland. The group has more than 300 branches nationwide, boasts a turnover that exceeds £475 million and incorporates several local brand identities, eight of which are owned by Parts Alliance Group. To find out what all of this means for the independent garage, GW arranged an interview with The Parts Alliance chief executive officer, Peter Sephton.
What role does The Parts Alliance play in today’s automotive aftermarket? We’re a market-leader, the second largest by revenue and the largest by branch foot print. In terms of a unified, multi-brand supplier, we provide national coverage and live up to our ethos of local service, national strength.
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change that local brand, we think it’s very important to respect that. That’s quite unique, we bring that national strength and individuality. It’s not the same in every part of the UK, demand and service levels vary region upon region and we adapt our working practises to reflect the requirements of the customer.
Is there a balance to strike between professionalisation of the industry and retaining that local expertise as consolidation continues? You have to retain that local expertise. That’s why The Parts Alliance will always exist as a part-owned network and part-independent network with independent owners. It keeps us very grounded because it’s about servicing your customer on a local basis. As you go through the process of consolidation, you’re helping businesses continue that journey of improvement. It’s quite arrogant to buy a business and say you’ll make it professional. We invest in those businesses with systems and training but that individuality is critically important.
We have multiple local brands that have intimate customer relationships.
I think where a lot of consolidation programmes go wrong, they believe that their own way is right and it must be the right way everywhere.
When we bring new members on we don’t
What we have, respect and what truly adds