As KCS approaches its 15 year anniversary this summer, we are taking a closer look at some of the automotive organisations and personalities who have entrusted KCS with their business and how their relationship with KCS has developed over the years. In this article, we’re focusing on Eden Motor Group who have been involved with KCS from the very beginning.
Eden Motor Group was one of the first companies to engage with KCS back in 2007, when Eden founder Graeme Potts left motor giants Inchcape and acquired his first dealerships, establishing Eden as an independent dealer group.
Graeme comments: “There were a number of challenges that we faced when first setting up Eden as a standalone motor group. One of the biggest was trying to delink the dealership systems from a larger motor group infrastructure and seamlessly relink to our own. Our priority was to stabilise the businesses as quickly as possible and KCS played a crucial part in getting us off the ground.”
KCS’s founder, Ritchie Kelk, already had a detailed understanding of the Kerridge system that Eden’s newly acquired dealerships were using at the time and so was brought onboard as a consultant to facilitate the integration of Eden’s new, independent dealer management system.
Graeme continues: “Ritchie has always been an expert in dealer management systems. He knows what to do to use technology to bring structure and order into dealership processes. This is invaluable when you’re dealing with complex and difficult acquisitions. We know we can rely on Ritchie to be able to quickly and seamlessly integrate a new dealership and keep everything fully operational during the transition. He’s always on the pulse of what’s happening in new technologies and DMS updates, so we don’t have to be.”
Since those very first acquisitions, both Eden Motor Group and KCS have grown together, with KCS continuing to act as consultants for the group over the past 15 years. Each time Eden acquires a new dealership, Graeme tasks Ritchie and the KCS team with integrating the new dealership into Eden’s Autoline system – ensuring all of the data, processes, systems and upgrades are in line with Eden’s approved guidelines.
Graeme said: “We have never needed to explore recruiting for this type of role in house, because KCS give us everything we want and more.There are a few key things about working with KCS that we have found to be integral to our business. The first is the distinctive and specialist expertise that Ritchie brings to the table. He knows all you need to know about dealer management systems, and plenty that you’d never think you needed to know!
“We also value stability and consistency. The team we started working with all those years ago is the same team we are working with now. They have taken the time to really get to know us as a client and as we have grown, KCS has grown with us. Knowing us so well means that we trust them implicitly and can rely on their guidance and strategic insight when making big decisions about our business.”
Graeme concludes by explaining why the relationship with KCS has lasted for so long: “If I could sum up KCS in three words, they would be informed, effective and informal. They are always up to date, always reliable and responsive and most of all, they are likeable people. The KCS team always put you at ease, and they are fun to work with. And in this business, that is worth a lot. It goes a long way to explaining why KCS have stood the test of time and why we will continue to work with them long into the future.”
To find out more about KCS’s consultancy services, contact us today on +44 (0) 1635 905 985 or drop us a line on enquiries@kcslimited.co.uk
