Spotlight on...the grs logistics team

For busy retailers replenishing their forecourt with new stock, buying vehicles can often be hard enough – without the logistical challenge and additional time required to arrange for them to be shipped to their premises.
“We can take the problem away from retailers, freeing them up to focus on what really matters – running their businesses,” says Andy Bourne, Logistics Co-ordinator at grs. “Our aim is to make buying trade vehicles as easy as possible, and that extends past the actual purchase, to the transportation of the vehicles to their final destination.
“Retailers don’t need the extra hassle of arranging for their vehicles to be moved in addition to everything else,” continues Andy, adding that in addition to efficiency, speed is also of the essence. “Once a vehicle’s been paid for, the retailer needs to get it on site, prepped and on sale as quickly as possible. We understand those pressures and have the know-how, people and equipment to help.”
Aiming to deliver anywhere within mainland Britain within two working days, and within five working days to Northern Ireland is the main objective for both Andy and his colleague Miranda Coombes, and vehicles can either be driven to their destination under trade plates or on transporters, depending on the number of vehicles purchased at one time.
Up to three vehicles tend to be trade plate driven, while a transporter normally becomes the most cost-effective option when four or more have been bought at the same time. grs operates a clear and transparent pricing structure based on the delivery distance, enabling retailers to see exactly how much it will cost.
“On a busy day, it’s not uncommon for up to 40 transporters to arrive at our Cold Meece logistics centre either delivering or loading up and heading off to all parts of the country,” says Andy. “We always plan ahead to ensure that vehicles can be collected as quickly as possible, and it all works like clockwork thanks to the market-leading systems and processes we employ there.”
To help ensure grs is able to deliver on its two working days promise, its trade plate drivers and transporter partners undergo a rigorous selection process. “It’s essential that they sign up to our way of doing things in terms of speed, care and courtesy, since they have an important customer-facing role.”
Once loaded up, the drivers regularly deliver down to the south east, south coast, to the south west and Wales, and as far north as Aberdeen and Ullapool, with the vehicles remaining the responsibility of grs right up to the point of arrival, giving retailers valuable peace of mind.
“Our aim is to make life as easy as possible for retailers, and the logistics side of our business is an important part of that,” concludes Andy.