The newly-formed consulting division of Remit says it is beginning to win business in the industry, despite the market downturn.

While most vehicle manufacturers are laying off out-sourced teams, Remit Resourcing is doing business with other automotive sectors and building contacts ready for when the market “switches back on”.

Remit Resourcing, headed by ex-Carter & Carter executives Rod Castle and Daniel Emery, was launched in March.

Joining them is Steve Yardley, operations director, who has considerable experience in running automotive apprenticeship programmes.

They said the new business will have many of the strengths of Carter & Carter.

The three bring more than 60 years’ experience of working in the automotive sector to Remit, the training and business arm of the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF).

Remit Resourcing provides consultancy and outsourced teams in a range of areas such as vehicle sales, people development, aftersales, finance and insurance, accident repair and parts in the retail sector.

Rod Castle, director, said: “At the moment VMs are clearing out outsourcing staff which is sensible when the market is in a poor state.

"But in the next six to 12 months – and we can’t be more exact – some of that headcount will be switched back on.

"We want to be ready for that and are making contacts throughout the industry now, helping inform decisions around what resources will be needed.”

Castle and the team are re-establishing the contacts Carter & Carter had with VMs, but have also won contracts elsewhere in the industry.

Details are not being revealed.

Reflecting on the success of consultancy and outsourced services at Carter & Carter, Castle said it had won 60 manufacturer contracts, some of which had lasted nine years before the company folded in 2006.

“We’re not trying to recreate the Carter & Carter business, but apply the lessons learned.

"We know how to provide a value-led outsourcing proposition. Clients will demand value – our pricing will need to be competitive.”

But Remit Resourcing will not be looking to use contract wins for PR purposes and brochures and other marketing material are a no-no.

“Such material suggests we know where the problems lie in a business and in the first minute you start talking to a potential client they become irrelevant because we are not interested in offering out-of-the-box solutions,” said Castle.

While manufacturers are not in a position to invest in consultancy and outsourcing Remit Resourcing is working on projects involving segment two servicing and OEM parts sales to the independent sector.

Conversations relate to maintaining brand loyalty at a time when people are most likely to be disloyal and maximising interaction between a retailer and customer when the classic contact point of car purchasing is not happening, said Castle.

“Typical areas to consider when a dealer asks why they’re not winning segment two servicing are pricing structure and the lack of fixed pricing historically, brand loyalty and the presence of competitors,” he said.