Tuesday 29 July 2014

Pulman ŠKODA - Simply Clever


Pulman, the Volkswagen Group retailer with sites in Durham and Sunderland has launched a fantastic and innovative new retail concept for its latest brand - ŠKODA.  

Pulman ŠKODA opened the doors on a new pop-up facility in Durham this week offering customers the full ŠKODA experience in the area for the first time since 2008.  The family run business that prides itself on “Delivering a fantastic customer experience” has exciting plans for the brand which it has represented as an authorised repairer since 2008.

The pop-up facility will provide customers with a fantastic selection of new and Approved Used ŠKODA vehicles. The simple and clever idea brings forward the brands representation in the Durham and Sunderland area whilst a fantastic new purpose built retail destination is developed in Belmont, Durham. 
Mike Pulman Managing Director said “We have exciting plans for the ŠKODA brand; a fantastic new retail concept will be ready in 2016 blending the best of the brands products and the latest technology.  We will provide customers with a unique retail experience including the onsite Pulman Café.  In the meantime our new pop-up Pulman ŠKODA showroom will offer customers a fantastic experience showcasing the brands exciting new products.”

Mr Hayes - Pulman SKODA very first customer
The pop-up showroom located on Abbey Road provides customers with a fantastic environment to experience ŠKODA vehicles whilst also offering complimentary refreshments, TV and Free Wi-Fi whilst on site.

Full details of the new site including exclusive special offers to celebrate the launch can be found on the company’s website, www.pulmanskoda.co.uk

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Pulmans’ New Ed chef

Pulmans’ New Ed chef

The fantastic Pulman Café based at Pulman Volkswagen, Durham just got even better with the introduction of new Head Chef Ed. With over 8 years’ experience in the catering industry, Ed certainly has the experience of providing exquisite fresh food and exceptional service, a quality welcomed by Pulmans’ philosophy of “Delivering a fantastic customer experience”.
The Pulman Café is at the heart of the Pulman Volkswagen showroom. A little gem of a place that provides delicious fresh food to eat in or takeaway, from quick snacks to 3 course meals. Open to the public as well as Pulman customers, this café has a bustling and welcoming atmosphere.

Ed Lambe, Head Chef comments, “Working with Pulman is an exciting opportunity, to create and have the freedom to build my own menu and be a part of the fantastic Pulman Café. It’s all about delivering that fantastic customer experience, and that’s why I’m keen to start trialling different dishes to see what our customers prefer.

It’s the first time I’ve worked in a café that is within a car showroom, it’s a brilliant idea! The café and the showroom combined create a fantastic atmosphere for everyone.”
The Pulman café provides freshly made dishes, hot drinks with a focus on homemade delicacies available to eat in, with free Wi-Fi hotspots, daily newspapers and free view TV on our widescreen TV. You can also book tables and dishes in advance so they are freshly made when you walk through the door, or available to takeaway. Service and sales customers also get complimentary refreshments as part of the experience of owning a car or van from Pulman.
Michael Lines, Brand Manager for Pulman Volkswagen Durham comments: “We are very pleased and excited that Ed has joined our team. The Pulman café has always been about providing delicious freshly made food with exceptional service, Ed can certainly deliver and enhance what we currently do.

In the short time Ed has been here he has already made fans amongst our regular customers, with fantastic comments on the new menu trials. So much so that our Trip Advisor ranking has increased from being in the top 100 for Durham restaurants and Café’s to be sitting at number 35! I’m sure this will only get better!”

The Pulman Café is open Monday to Friday’s 7.30am to 5.00pm and on a Saturday 8.00am to 4.00pm. Breakfasts with bottomless teas and coffees start from just £3.95, with lunches served between 12.00pm and 2.30pm where daily specials start from just £3.00. 


Visit www.pulmancafe.co.uk for more information.

 Pictured: Ed head cafe at Pulman Café

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Sunderland car dealer motors off with ‘Garage of the Year’ gong

Sunderland car dealer motors off with ‘Garage of the Year’ gong



/Dealership voted one of 20 most trusted UK garages
                              /Pulman SEAT is focused on offering first-class customer service
                         /Motor Codes’ online garage finder holds over 230,000 online reviews

Leading car retailer Pulman SEAT is celebrating being named as the most trusted main dealer in the North East.

The dealership in Burntland Avenue, Southwick, Sunderland, has been voted the region’s Motor Codes ‘Garage of the Year’.

Chris Slater, Site Manager at Pulman SEAT, said: “This is great news. At Pulman SEAT we are focused on delivering a fantastic customer experience to all our customers so we are thrilled that they have recognised this by voting for us as their number one garage.”

Pulman SEAT was also named as the young-spirited carmaker’s ‘Dealer of the Year’ in January last year for the second year running, even though it had only been trading for two-and-a-half years at the time.

The Motor Codes ‘top 20’ regional Garage of the Year winners are made up of 10 franchised main dealers and 10 independent garages, as nominated by customers of its 8,000-strong garage network.

The garages which made the shortlist – people’s favourite 10 main dealers and 10 independent garages – topped their regions following a month-long competition that generated more than 13,000 online reviews from garage customers.

Motor Codes’ online garage finder holds over 230,000 online reviews and it is this customer feedback that helps direct people to approved garages rather than unscrupulous traders.

Chris Mason, managing director of Motor Codes, sees Garage of the Year as a way of promoting those garages that consistently provide excellent customer service.

He said: “Everybody shops online these days and it’s no different when it comes to looking for a trustworthy garage. By putting themselves in the spotlight and being open to review, Motor Codes garages are helping to boost confidence. People can now make an informed decision about who to trust when it comes to spending on car servicing.”


Motor Codes is the government-backed, self-regulatory body for the motor industry. Its voluntary membership of thousands of garages is committed to maintaining high standards throughout the new car sales process, administration of new car warranties and car service and repair.

SEAT is the only company in its sector with the full-range capacity to design, develop, manufacture and market cars in Spain. A member of the Volkswagen Group, the multinational has its headquarters in Martorell (Barcelona), exporting 83% of its vehicles, and is present in 77 countries. In 2012 SEAT had a total turnover of more than 6 billion euros, with overall deliveries amounting to 321,000 units.
               
SEAT Group employs 14,000 professionals at its three production centres in Barcelona − Zona Franca, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell, where it manufactures the highly successful Ibiza and Leon, amongst other models. Additionally, the company produces the Alhambra in Palmela (Portugal), the Mii in Bratislava (Slovakia) and the Toledo in Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic) at Volkswagen Group plants. 

The Spanish multinational also has a Technical Center, a ‘knowledge hub’, bringing together more than 900 engineers whose goal is to be the driving force behind innovation for the number one industrial investor in R&D in Spain. In line with its declared commitment to environmental protection, SEAT undertakes and bases its core activity on sustainability, namely reduction of CO2 emissions, energy efficiency, as well as recycling and re-use of resources.

SEAT UK enjoyed a tremendous year in 2013, selling 45,312 cars and achieving a 2.0% market share – both company records.