An increasing number of dealerships are turning to outsourcing as a result of the pressure to maintain profitability in valeting and vehicle preparation. The task of delivering all cars in showroom condition can be an inflexible overhead if managed in-house.

The employment of staff, their subsequent training as well as controlling the chemicals and the regulations imposed by Health and Safety legislation can run to a high cost.

A Ford dealer in Bradford, outsources its valeting and vehicle preparation to specialist Autoclenz. The company cleans up to 1,800 new and 1,500 used cars for the dealer every year.

“The preparation and presentation of cars is vital to our business, but to have an in-house team supporting this function is not a viable proposition,” said a spokesman for the dealership.

“The volumes can fluctuate so greatly throughout the year, with September and March being peak periods, it would be difficult to resource this internally. Outsourcing enables us to concentrate on our core activities of selling cars rather than managing and training valeting staff in a function that is highly specialised.”

Phil Whiting, sales manager at Rover main dealer Wadham Kenning in Lichfield, Staffs, said that using Autoclenz added up to £500 to the value of each used car, representing £250,000 additional profit.

“By outsourcing the valeting to a professional organisation, I sell cars quicker, easier and for a higher price, thereby adding real value to my business.”