HYUNDAI'S new approach to selling cars to fleets will take effect from October 28. Following the company's decision to axe the role of national fleet sales manager, a role occupied by Tony Barlow, further details of the company's business review by managing director David Walker and his management board have been revealed.

The review included investigations into why potential customers were rejecting the marque. They found customers liked being treated as individuals but also felt dealerships didn't match their expectations for service.

Marketing director Ken Lee said: 'We have come up with a long term project requiring a new attitude from everyone in the organisation.' The new head office operation will consist of what Hyundai is calling 'cross-functional teams', operating on a regional basis to give direct support to dealers. There will be three teams each headed by a regional director.

The dealers will handle small fleet business and one of the head office teams will be tasked to deal with the small number of large fleets on the books. Instead of different head office departments such as sales, fleet, marketing etc, business teams will contain a wide selection of specialists. Barlow's team of three will stay with Hyundai, taking on other responsibilities. Barlow himself is considering a number of options.