His vintage VW Camper is 49 years young – the same age as he is – but the Coventry WAV Superstore that Simon Guilliatt manages is much newer and shinier!
Allied Vehicles Group acquired the premises just over a year ago and spent around three months clearing it out, doing some renovations to make more space, and just getting it all prepared.
Simon, the Coventry Branch Manager, who looks after its day-to-day running and facilities, says the work has paid off, “We’ve got three showrooms now, big showrooms, so room for plenty of cars. We’ve got potential showrooms next door, which we’re going to look at putting Wildcat Campervans in”.
“I fancy taking one out, but we’ve got a small one, a little Volkswagen which we take out occasionally. I haven’t seen a Wildcat close up, only on a video and stuff, but I think they look great, and I think they’re going to be very popular as well”.
As well as Simon, the Coventry site has a sales manager, two salespeople, two valeters, a transport manager and an administrator, which Simon says is quite different to some of the dealerships they have nearby.
“They might have 30 or 40 people in there, but we’re not that type of dealership”, he says. “We’re not inundated with hundreds of customers walking through the door. What you do find is that the customers who walk through the door tend to be ones who are serious, you don’t really get browsers. They tend to be the ones who are interested in buying, because it’s a necessity”.
The clients who come into the Superstore do so because they need a WAV, not because they simply prefer a particular manufacturer and, according to Simon they have a good range in Coventry, having escaped the worst effects of the current shortage of new vehicles.
“We’ve got about 50 or 60 vehicles in stock, vehicles which are all prepped and can be taken away quite quickly once all the all the details are sorted out”
“Vehicle supply hasn’t affected us hugely at the moment in used vehicles, compared to new vehicles. We still have a pretty decent stock, but they are becoming harder to buy when we’re purchasing from auctions and the like. They are getting harder and harder to purchase, but at the moment, we still have a decent supply of stock down here”.
The main highlight of Simon’s job is working with people, and he says he is kept busy, not only with looking after the branch, but also with the events side.
“I get out and about organising the marketing events throughout the UK and It’s been quite a busy season so far”, he says.
“We normally start that in March, and it lasts till about November, and then the three months over Christmas are more about choosing events and whereabouts for the following year. I enjoy working with people, the team, meeting the people coming into the branch. It’s a lovely showroom as well. We moved from a place a few miles away where we were for over 15 years, and this is a completely different place”.
“It’s all glass fronted and light, bright, and airy. It’s just a pleasant place to be and that’s rubbed off on the team as well. They agree and we get some good positive feedback from customers as well”.
At home, Simon became a keen gardener after buying a house with a big garden over 10 years ago.
“I’d never been into gardening before that, but because we’ve got such a big garden, I decided to have a go at it. I enjoy that and grow my own vegetables”.
“We’ve got a 10-year-old son Alfie, so he keeps me busy. I’m also a coach for the local football club under 10s which Alfie belongs to, so that keeps me busy in the season, although we have got a month or so off just now which is good – a bit of a break”.
Simon also likes cycling, camping, and travelling around the country in his vintage VW camper, which he’s owned for over 20 years.
“She’s 49 years old, the same age as me”, he says. “Born in 1973 and I’ve had her 22 years, and she spends most of her time tucked away in the garage”.
“I don’t do huge amounts of mileage especially in the winter, but I like to take it out every now and again, give it a blast”.
“We’re booked to go to a four-day music festival in August, like a family version of Glastonbury. It’s quite near here, in Warwick, so we’re going to get off to that, complete with a big awning to put on the side – and we’re looking forward to it”.
