Ballyvesey Truck and Van division is redefining service for its customers across the UK 

Having operated in the UK logistics sector since 1970, Ballyvesey Holdings is a trusted partner to some of the biggest names in trucking and transport. As Group Managing Director, Richard Hudson, begins: “The Ballyvesey Truck and Van division is one of the largest and most well-established Truck and Van Dealer Groups in the UK. It’s part of Ballyvesey Holdings, a privately owned business established over 50 years ago, and is still owned and operated by the Montgomery family, best known for the Montgomery Transport Group. 

“The Truck and Van division consists of four operating businesses — these include West Pennine Trucks for Scania, HTC for DAF, Midlands Truck and Van for Mercedes Benz, and Sapphire Vehicle Solutions, which oversees customer depots for major supermarkets throughout the UK. Today, the business operates from Manchester down to Shoreham, with 26 dedicated truck and van workshops, plus 14 customer own depot operations maintaining over 2500 assets. 

“Combined, the brands we work with make up over 50 percent of the truck market in the UK. We have eight depots in the Midlands, eight West Pennine Trucks, and ten HTC depots. In recent years, the Truck and Van division has grown considerably. We now have a £600 million turnover, and 1600 colleagues operating across all 40 workshops, parts depots, and sales divisions. Each business is dedicated to its respective brand franchise and is led by a dedicated management team with multiple years of experience and customer knowledge.” 

Exceptional customer service 

The company delivers a range of services through its industry leading Truck and Van division, as Richard details: “The Truck and Van division offers a comprehensive range of manufacturer dealer services across 26 UK locations, to give customers the highest availability of operation. These services include full preventative maintenance inspections, comprehensive repair and maintenance packages, spare parts, manufacturing services, emergency repairs from mobile technicians, 24-hour extended operating hours, and full sales consultation, including design, specification, and ordering.  

“We also offer a range of services unique to our manufacturing partners, and we can offer customers bodybuilding procurement and liaison, manufacturer vehicle funding solutions, and a range of safety testing services including Tacho and ATF. Many of our depots are equipped with ADR bays, and we can offer on-site vehicle driver training. Our training programs are built with the goals of optimizing fuel efficiency, expediting technology integration, and developing telematics and reporting skills.” 

Over the course of the last 50 years, Ballyvesey Holdings has built a reputation for providing reliable and comprehensive customer service. “Customer service excellence is non-negotiable for us here at Ballyvesey Holdings, and it all starts with the culture. Our company culture comes from the leadership team; they set the tone, set the direction, and ensure that our colleagues have the skills, resources and commitment to deliver a high level of customer support. Simply put, that means vehicle off road time is kept to an absolute minimum by quality work being completed on time, the first time and our customer kept fully briefed at every stage. 

“The work our teams put in each and every day is the foundation of our success. To deliver an unparalleled level of quality in the services we provide, the different divisions work together and communicate regularly. Our leadership teams consistently deliver constructive feedback to identify what can be changed and improved.  

“We’re always investing in our colleagues, as we believe that rewarding and retaining them is essential. We have a regular intake of apprentices, and together with the manufacturers, we train and develop them as part of our future talent. 

“Of course, delivering great customer service is also about being easy to do business with.  Our comprehensive repair and maintenance packages take a lot of the budget management, concern, and time-consuming administration tasks away from customers, allowing us to keep everything ticking over behind the scenes,” Richard asserts.  

Investing in people 

Internally, Ballyvesey Holdings supports its people through dedicated development programs, as Richard reveals: “Career development is personal to everyone, and we all have a different part to play. As company leaders, we take time to understand each colleague’s situation, their skills, capabilities, and their ambitions, and then work on ensuring the right pathways for professional development. 

“We aim to support our teams all year round, not just at an annual appraisal. It’s an essential part of a manager’s job to provide consistent, reliable leadership. One element of that is being a coach, and helping colleagues work to the very best of their ability.  

“Our training and development policy can be broken down into three areas. Firstly, manufacturer training, secondly, dealership training, and thirdly, practical experience. To begin with, manufacturer training is an essential part of representing all of the brands we’re in partnership with. Their training is first class and is a mix of in-person and online. It covers all aspects of vehicle maintenance and preparation, complex diagnostics and repair, as well as sales consultation and customer support.  

“Dealership training is an addition to the manufacturer training. This is where we work with our teams to identify ways that we can deliver improved customer service and smoother operations. We like to get everyone’s input, identify solutions and then roll these out to improve each business.  

“Finally, often the best way to develop talent is through ongoing, on-the-job training. This is where the regular, constructive feedback from our leaders pays dividends. Each business is supported by dedicated HR leaders and health and safety experts. We also invest in attaining the various ISO accreditations, 9001, 14001, 45001, to ensure we have the highest standards in quality management, environmental standards, and health and safety. These are not just important for maintaining the highest standards in each area, they are also a clear demonstration of our commitment to our customers.”  

Backed by a dedicated team of professionals and 50 years of expertise, Richard considers what’s next for Ballyvesey Holdings: “Quite simply, I want customers to regard each of our truck and van dealers as their number one partner for servicing and sourcing their vehicles. Regarding our manufacturing partners, our mission is to remain as their dealership of choice, working together to elevate and support their brand identity. Achieving both goals will ensure the long-term success of Ballyvesey Holdings and allow us to continue delivering excellence to our customers across the UK,” he concludes.  

www.ballyvesey.com