A manufacturer liaison team has been created at Pinewood Computer Solutions aimed at increasing co-operation between the two parties.

The team will communicate regularly with manufacturers it has already struck deals with a prospective clients as Pinewood seeks to expand the take-up of its dealer management system, C.A.R.S.

Neville Briggs, Pinewood's managing director, said: "If you look back just a few years, franchise dealers would not buy a DMS system unless it was approved by their manufacturer.

"Those days have largely passed, but it is still valuable to hold a manufacturer approval or simply for a manufacturer to be aware of a DMS product and to vouch for its quality."

Pinewood's most recent major approval came when it became an official supplier of DMS systems to Ford's 744 UK dealerships, plus European outlets.