Citroën has merged its van and business centres in a move aimed at improving service to corporate customers and also winning more small fleet business.

The carmaker has 65 dealers on the programme, 40 of which were van centres, 25 of which were business centres.

It hopes to increase the number of participating dealers to 90 by the end of the year.

If this target is met, it will mean nearly half of Citroën’s outlets will feature a business sales specialist.

Fleets can expect these Business Centre dealers to employ a dedicated sales person who will undertake product training specific to their needs, on both cars and vans.

The workshop will also include a suitable ramp for van repairs, improving aftersales options.

Neville Staines, Citroën national business centre manager, said: “The business centre programme offers an expanded range of facilities for both Citroën small and medium size LCV and car fleet customers.

"These customers require more specific support and the new network provides this additional service.”

Citroën is looking to raise its van market share from just over 7% last year to 8% this year.

Following the launch of the Nemo compact van, the French manufacturer is expanding its Ready
To Run specialist LCV programme with new models such as a chiller conversion on the Nemo and Berlingo and increased availability of dual-fuel petrol/LPG conversions.

It is also looking to grow car sales to SMEs and public sector companies on the back of the C5 and forthcoming C3 Picasso, due next month.

The changes coincide with Citroën’s complete brand overhaul, which include a new company logo, total refurbishment of dealer showrooms over the next four years and a product plan that will see a new model launched every six months.

This includes three premium-focused models, badged DS and to be sold through a specialist dealer network.

The first, the Fiat 500/Mini-rivalling DS3, goes on sale in the UK in the next year.
DS – resurrecting a classic badge from Citroen’s past – will form a sub-brand to sit alongside regular models.