Its a people thing - re:market talks to Chris Sargeant, Contract Manager

“It’s all about certainty,” says Chris Sargeant, Contract Manager at grs. “We’re able to give vendors certainty in terms of selling their vehicles and in terms of cashflow, both of which are incredibly important.”

With nearly 20 years experience of vehicle buying, Chris has been an important part of the grs team since 2005, and he has also experienced life on the other side of the fence having previously worked for several leading retailers.
Chris is passionate about the grs proposition and how it can benefit vendors. Turning his attention to outright purchase he continues: “There’s no risk to the vendor whatsoever and they have no exposure to changing market trends and the problems of vehicles not selling the first time at auction. We take away the risk and also take the vehicles off the vendor’s balance sheet straight away”
Payment is always quick – normally within two working days – and grs will arrange for the vehicles to be collected as soon as possible. This is particularly important for fleet operators working on a “key for key” basis who need their outgoing vehicles to be moved quickly, to make way for new arrivals.
Chris acknowledges that vendors will continue to send vehicles to auction but says that more and more are choosing to remarket a proportion of their fleet via grs as well. “We have the in-depth market knowledge and expertise that vendors need, across all manufacturers, models, specifications and vehicle ages, from nearly new up to five years’ old, so we can advise vendors on the value of their vehicles at any given moment.”
As you would expect, the market expertise of the grs team is supported by all the necessary infrastructure, systems and processes required to ensure vendors can sell their vehicles quickly and with the minimum of fuss. It’s the company’s network of franchised and independent retailers across the UK that really sets grs apart, as it provides an extensive market for vendors’ vehicles.
However, the scale of the operation should not deter smaller vendors from approaching grs, since they too can benefit from exactly the same level of expertise. “We will buy one vehicle, a hundred and one, or more,” explains Chris. “For example, a smaller rental company may not have the time nor the infrastructure in place to sell, say, four or five vehicles. We may well be able to buy them and take the problem away for them, while also helping to maximise their value”.
Yet it isn’t the market knowledge of the six-strong buying team, nor even the purpose-built logistics centre at Cold Meece which holds the key to success for grs, according to Chris Sargeant. In fact it’s something rather old-fashioned, which so many companies in today’s high-tech business world too often forget – relationships.
“Ultimately we’re a people business and it’s our people that really set us apart,” he explains. “We work extremely hard to build the trust of our customers who know they can buy from us with complete confidence