New editorial with reference to car sales being added to the business...

Dack Motor Group expands its sales presence
In just seven, short years, the Dack Motor Group has expanded organically from a solitary brand service and repairs specialist to selective multi-brand outlet, in Lincoln, now it is tackling used car sales and history says it will succeed.
Is it ‘legacy’ that warrants commercial attention? In some cases, it does, although it is related more to what occurs in its wake. Is it ‘longevity’ that attracts custom? It might be, even though staying power is only an element of commercial success. Yet, with a history that is brief, by any definition, the Dack Motor Group has grown by means of both gaining reputation and careful business management, factors that have made Leo Dack, at 31 years of age, the still youthful owner of the company, an intriguing entrepreneur.
Having ground his teeth by specialising in the Vauxhall brand (‘Vauxalist’), he broadened the service and repair activities to encompass BMW, Mini and Land Rover products as well. By avoiding the premium charge-out rates of the main franchises, Dack Motor Group was able to offer fully-skilled technical support to owners of those vehicles seeking a better value maintenance proposition. Perpetually keen on maintaining high standards, Leo ensures that his entire team undertakes regular training courses to remain abreast of developments, at the same time investing in the often specialist tools needed for them to work on the different brands.
Naturally, this type of tailored service is costlier to run but he can guarantee that ‘bodging’ is not a remit of his company and never would be. As he states categorically, “Constant training and exercising our passion for learning is what keeps our business strong, impresses our customers and ensures that we retain them for the long-term.” A customer database of more than 8,000 supports that practice and Dack Motor Group is highly regarded and respected locally.
Yet, Leo would never be entirely happy, unless he were exercising his innate business development skills. As a result, the latest positive and logical direction for the company is a subtle move into used car sales. While Leo’s long-term intention is to specialise in that arena too, in order to build a sensible platform for car sales, he is endeavouring to acquire only good quality, desirable stock, to a maximum of eight years of age and 80,000-miles. “Most modern cars are engineered soundly enough to run without major issues for upwards of 150,000-miles,” he outlines. “While I intend to sell cars that I am comfortable in covering with our own comprehensive warranty package, in order to avoid those ‘oh, sorry, your warranty doesn’t cater for that’ episodes, of course we have to up the game a bit.”
Leo has engaged the services of local used car specialist, Paul Tipping, as his sales manager, knowing that he possesses the right attitude towards presenting the stock of around 25 cars immaculately, as well as an ability to communicate fluently with customers. As to premises, he has been fortunate to be able to return to the same unit in Sunningdale Trading Estate, just off Dixon Street, where his first business had been established; useful, as the enlarged Dack Motor Group service centre is also located just across Dixon Close. Naturally, in providing practical and secure under-cover storage, it limits the stock availability but, at this stage, it is highly convenient.
“We are still finding our feet,” he explains, “but gradually, we shall gravitate towards the brands that we already know very well, supplemented by Audi and Mercedes-Benz, although, should a customer make a request for a specific model, we shall consider it a great opportunity to source it for them. As we have a solid customer base of people that trusts us and that drives three to six years old cars, the used stocks we hold need to follow a similar pattern.”
Leo is already perceiving the value of that customer database, as a fair percentage of the company’s turnover already has been to customers that he knows personally. Rest assured, he will work the oracle. Yet, a final development in the Dack ‘empire’ lies in the Van Rental business. “We dipped our toes into car leasing territory recently,” Leo highlights, “and, as so many new vehicles are being acquired on PCPs and leases, which are little more than rental programmes, we have invested in three new light commercials to kickstart our rent-a-van business.”
Whether this will grow into short-term car hire too remains to be seen but, as Leo is very good at keeping his cards fairly close to his chest, no confirmation has been provided as yet. It is inevitable that this new aspect of the Dack business portfolio will generate profits quite quickly, despite the initial financial outlay. “After all,” he comments, “just about everybody needs a van on hire from time to time and we are already receiving referrals from existing customers.”
For a local business to be riding the crest of a wave during what can only be described as a ‘difficult trading period’, is immensely laudable. Leo Dack has always known how to make his business work and how to grow it and he is demonstrating, once again, that he is a businessman possessing both resilience and competence, in providing high levels of customer satisfaction that ensures a strong level of expanding business consistency.