Sunderland SEAT retailer named UK’s best for second year running

Sunderland car retailer Pulman SEAT is celebrating after being named as the dynamic Spanish brand’s Dealer of the Year – for the second year running.

The stunning achievement is a major coup for the dealership, especially as it has only been trading for two-and-a-half years.

Pulman SEAT’s Site Manager, Chris Slater, was on hand to receive the award at a showpiece  gala evening hosted by musician and TV celebrity, Myleene Klass.

Delighted staff popped open the champagne at their showroom in Burntland Avenue, Southwick, after hearing they had triumphed again.

Ecstatic Chris Slater said: “I would like to say a massive thanks to all our fantastic staff and customers. We will be continuing to work hard to deliver the best possible customer experience in 2013. Our staff understand what delivering a fantastic customer experience is – everything from ordering a part to making a cup of coffee.

“The Dealer of the Year award is particularly pleasing to win because we are judged not only on our results as a business but also for our performance in meeting the high expectations of our customers. It is important to us that we make the experience of buying a used car every bit as enjoyable as buying a new car.”

Awards judges analysed all areas of operation for all SEAT UK’s 132-strong dealership network before choosing Pulman SEAT, which has 27 staff, as their winner. Scoring centred on the retailer’s performance against sales targets as well as its customer service results.

Chris added: “We want to establish a lifetime engagement with our customers. We want to sell them their first car right through to their last car. It is difficult to differentiate yourself on price these days, as everyone has offers. However, we believe our fantastic customer service is giving us an edge in the marketplace.”

The awards ceremony took place at the BT Convention Centre in Liverpool.

Pulman Volkswagen showcases the new Golf and its six predecessors.

Pulman Volkswagen Durham

Friday 11th January saw the dawn of a new era at Pulman Volkswagen, introducing the New Volkswagen Golf. The 7th edition was presented to 150 exclusive Pulman customers, giving them a sneak peek before the big Test Drive Weekend. Guests enjoyed food, drink and live music while having the chance to check out the new Golf and to reflect on the predecessors with all six joining in the showroom.

Golf MK1 to the new Golf MK7 at Pulman Durham

The Golf was initially launched in 1974 and is now Volkswagen’s most popular model. Surpassing the Volkswagen Beetle in 2002, the Golf is now a public favourite, overcoming many in both design and technological features. 

To welcome the New Golf to the Volkswagen range, Pulman decided to bring back all the old favourites. Surrounding the Golf, were the six predecessors painted a perfect picture as to the journey the legendary hatchback has made. Along with a fantastic competition to win a brand new Golf.

Mr Larkin (MK1 owner) & Keith Ramshaw
(Pulman Durham Sales Manager)

Mr Larkin along with Mr Reed, Mr Young and Mr Smith kindly leant Pulman their Golf’s MK1 through to MK5 for their showroom launch. Mr Larkin said “It is a fantastic site to see all the Golf Models under one roof and alongside each other. This is the perfect way to celebrate the New Model”. Being the proud owner of not only a MK1 but also the MK4 he said “I am pleased to see the MK7 hasn’t deferred from the same quality and performance. Visually the MK7 and MK6 look similar, but it’s what’s underneath that makes the new MK7 a much more advanced car over and above its predecessor.” 

The new Golf at Pulman Volkswagen Durham

The fantastic Brian Moore from Metro Radio was also broadcasting live at the Pulman Volkswagen Durham showroom on Friday 11th in which Brian tweeted: “Having a brilliant time in Durham doing my show on Metro Radio. @pulmanvw we had a great time thanks.”

Delivering a fantastic customer experience, Pulman wanted their customers to have an exclusive taster of the new Golf before the general public. Mr Rolland Thompson, a Pulman Customer who was interviewed by Brian Moore said “Pulman is the name for quality service. When you buy a car from Pulman it is like being accepted into the Pulman family”. 

When asked why guests came to see the New Golf at Pulman Mrs Turner said “We have been coming here for years, we’ve bought all our Volkswagens here and wouldn’t go anywhere else, everyone is so helpful and nothing is too much.”

Live music from The Longsands

When guests were asked what they thought of the New Volkswagen Golf, the verdict was unanimous. Mrs Doran said “The one thing that stands out to me is the new design, not only is the Golf a reliable car but looks good on the road. My favourite experience with Pulman was buying my Golf.”

However every customer had their favourite feature as Mr Ducan said “I always relate to the Golf as Luxury Driving and high quality, the new Golf has kept that reputation”.
The event created a fantastic start to the National test drive weekend for Pulman customers. The New Volkswagen Golf is now available to order from Pulman Volkswagen. 

New year cash boost suits charity to a tee!

The NSPCC in the North East has kicked off the New Year with a cash boost thanks to a charity golf fundraiser organised by car retailer Pulman.

Natalie Wilson (Pulman) & Wendy Bates (NSPCC)

The charity which aims to keep children safe from harm took delivery of a cheque for £15,000 following an annual golf event in Chester-le-Street organised by the leading Volkswagen and SEAT retailer in September 2012.

Pulman, which has showrooms in County Durham and Sunderland, has organised the golf event for the past seven years, raising over £100,000 since 2006. The money raised has been split in half, with 50% going to the Freeman Hospital and 50% going towards the NSPCC centre in Newcastle which offers services to help some of the most vulnerable children and young people in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and County Durham.

September’s event saw over 88 enthusiastic amateur golfers brave torrential rain to do battle on the golf course, followed by a charity auction where guests were encouraged to bid for items including a box for 10 people with hospitality for the infamous Newcastle United v Sunderland AFC derby, hospitality boxes for shows at Metro Radio Arena and luxurious Golfing weekends at Close House.

The event was created by Mike Pulman, Managing Director and keen golfer. He said: “We are so proud to have raised £15,000 for the NSPCC. It’s a fantastic charity and we are so very pleased to be part of it. Every year we hold our Pulman charity golf day and even though it rained all day, everyone was in true charity spirit, defied the weather and played golf.”

Wendy Bates, head of community fundraising for the NSPCC in the North East said: “I’d like to thank Mike and his team at Pulman for putting in such a tremendous amount of effort to once again organise a fantastic golf day. It’s thanks to supporters like Pulman that we are able to fund our services for children in the region. Everyone involved in the day, whether paying to enter, bidding in the auction or helping with the planning, has made a real difference to the lives of children in the North East.”

It costs £2,800 to recruit, train and support one of the NSPCC’s volunteers for its pioneering ChildLine Schools Service, an ambitious new service that will visit every primary school in the North East by 2016, to help local children to understand abuse and how they can stay safe.  The £15,000 cash boost could help the NSPCC recruit, train and support five volunteers in the north east during their first year with the Schools Service.