An all-new, customer-friendly showroom environment will be revealed for the first time in Europe when Dagenham Motors re-launches its flagship Ford dealership in Plaistow next week.

The 4½-acre East London site, which has been extensively redeveloped at a cost in excess of £1/2 million, is the forerunner of a new approach by the manufacturer when it re-opens to the public on October 11. The new corporate style will then be rolled out to Dagenham Motors' other Ford dealerships over the next 3 years with a multi-million pound investment for the group.

The new showroom environment includes easier access to product information, redesigned and standardised product information and literature racks, improved colour and trim displays and new 'spec pods' containing all the information customers require about the models on display in the showroom.

Dagenham Motors is half-owned by Ford Motor Company and is part of the Lancaster dealer group, number two in the AM100. Bob Grant, Dagenham Motors' group operations director, confirmed that the Plaistow site will be the first of many similar 'new-look' Ford dealerships throughout the UK.

"Dagenham Motors has been working closely with the Ford Motor Company to help create a thoroughly modern, stress-free purchasing environment for our retail customers for the future.

"Our new, customer-friendly approach is intended to provide Ford customers with a comfortable, clearly laid-out retailing environment that will make it easy for them to learn about our products and services.

"Dagenham Motors' philosophy is all about responding to the needs of our customers and we will be extending this new concept to our other sites before the end of the year," he said. The other significant aspect of the Plaistow dealership is the new on-site 'service advice centre' where the customer offering includes fixed-appointment times, personal and immediate reception, a free vehicle health check conducted by an advisor, a fixed price before the start of the repair, a waiting area, a 'right first time' vehicle guarantee and ready at the agreed time, and an explanation of the work and charges.