HARTWELL has its sights focused on future business and has taken on three new managers to help drive forward its car sales and after -sales in Southampton.

This week, Hartwell Southampton unveiled a new, customer focused business strategy and key management appointments all aimed at restoring the Vauxhall dealership to its former, pre-recession levels of service.

Steve Alexander, general manager at Hartwell Southampton during its heyday in 2005-2006, recently returned to the dealership in The Avenue to oversee the new team and a new approach to customer service.

He said: “There is a new spirit at Hartwell and we want to tempt our old customers back with a combination of unbeatable new and used car deals, excellent value for money and customer-friendly service.”

The new focus on customer service is already bearing fruit, says Steve, with Hartwell reporting servicing business up by 30 per cent and new and used car sales doubled on the same period in 2009.

Central to ‘fixing’ the servicing and aftersales side of the business has been the appointment of Kevin Bartlett as Hartwell Southampton’s new service manager. He joined the dealership last month and brings more than 20 years experience.

Another key appointment is that of Shaun Fay, Hartwell’s new general sales manager, who has worked with local car dealerships since leaving university and looks forward to the challenge of driving forward new and used car sales.