Manheim is restructuring the three businesses that make up its Retail Services division, following a comprehensive review of its consumer-facing activities. All will now adopt the Manheim brand and will share common services including sales, marketing, HR, finance and IT support.

From the beginning of March, Manheim Retail Services will comprise:

Manheim Retail Marketing – formerly Portfolio Europe, http://www.Portfolio-Europe.com

Manheim Lead Management – formerly e-GoodManners, http://www.E-goodManners.co.uk

Manheim Aftersales Solutions – formerly Real Time Communications, http://www.RealTimeCommunications.co.uk

The rebrand forms part of a strategy to integrate these previously separate businesses into a single joined-up entity which can deliver its specialist products and services on a modular or holistic basis. John Simpson, Manheim Retail Services Managing Director, will head up the newly enlarged Management Board which also includes the current business heads of Alan Hazelhurst and Tim Baumfield.

Commenting on the restructure, Simpson said “The products offered by the previously separate business entities are so closely linked that it makes so much sense to provide them through a single function. Whilst the broad range of services we offer is ever-expanding, the proposition remains very simple – we generate consumer interest in dealer’s retail inventory, manage that interest to the point of sale and then maintain the new customer relationship after the sale. These exciting changes will create a highly customer focussed business structure and the consolidation of customer contact points will ensure a more consistent approach to serving the increasingly expanding needs of our customers. The integration will also allow us to pool our innovation and product development resources which can only be to the benefit of our customers.”

The key services offered by Manheim Retail Services are dealer websites, used car stock locators, professional vehicle photography, showroom systems, sales lead management software and innovative aftersales customer contact systems. Already in the UK, over 30 motor manufacturers and 2,500 franchised dealers are customers of Manheim Retail Services.

Manheim’s recently launched used car portal for consumers, Carmony, is not affected by these brand changes.

Source: Manheim Rebrand