Alex Heselton talks about life, business with BMW and how he was in the jewellery industry before moving into the car industry.

Valerie Prentice: Hi everyone! This is Valerie Prentice from Humber.TV. We have got Alex Heselton from BMW and MINI and this section in Humber.TV is new releases and this is a new section, so it is going to be interesting how we go. Alex welcome!

Alex Heselton: Hello! How are you?

Valerie Prentice: Very good, very good Alex. Tell me what is actually your role in the cars like BMW MINI section?

Alex Heselton: I actually look after corporate sales manager at Stratstone BMW in Hull and I look after small medium size and blue chip businesses within the region.

Valerie Prentice: So, are you like the liaison between the businesses and the sales person, like do you make sure that the businesses is getting exactly what they want?

Alex Heselton: That’s right, I am either working direct with the users or between them and may be their funders.

Valerie Prentice: Okay then, so, I guess you know all the best deals, best way tax managers and all that sort things.

Alex Heselton: That’s right. Tax advantages are linked to CO2 machines of the vehicles. That’s part of my job remit.

Valerie Prentice: Yeah, and I guess it is always like lease or not to lease, is it? That is always a big question.

Alex Heselton: Companies have different profiles on whether they look at leasing vehicles or ownership at right purchase. I can work with both sides of those.

Valerie Prentice: And any particular number of people in the business or it can be one man?

Alex Heselton: I actually look after companies that may only have 1 or 2 vehicles on the fleet, particular area, I am looking at the moment is obviously businesses that run less than 50 vehicles, so you are a small local business in and around the region. At the same time, there are obviously a number of well known brands within the area that I look after where I am dealing on a national basis as well.

Valerie Prentice: All right, so you get around?

Alex Heselton: Yes.

Valerie Prentice: Yeah, so the big thing, the reason why we are really here is having chat to you is because there is a new launch with BMW, but before we start to hit the launch, again the car industry generally, how often do they all bring out cars? Like a new car.

Alex Heselton: Manufacturers generally probably work around about 6 or 6-and-a-half years from a model coming out to a model finishing. They may, over that period of time, do an upgrade or the general public will probably call a price lift, that may help mid life cycle half way through, but that is very roughly rule of them.

Valerie Prentice: And do you know, do the public actual e-mail company and contact and say like this part of the car is not good, can you improve. Do the customers get involved in your cars?

Alex Heselton: The manufacturers themselves obviously they like BMW. They actually speak with the customers on a regular basis. So, obviously if they feel those areas that a product can be improved, then that feedback is given by the people that actually drive the product and obviously they then pull forward into any changes with new products as it comes out.

Valerie Prentice: And I can tell everything from the style, I guess the style and what patterns you get to present and how it drives in the fuel efficiency that is again so taken care of.

Alex Heselton: That’s right and obviously everyone always expects certainly with the new products that it is always better than the previous model, expectations are always greater. At the same time, I am very fortunate I work for a manufacturer that is right at the cutting edge of technology both in world CO2 emissions as well as miles per gallon which effects the person in the street or it effects them in the pocket and obviously for business uses, what if it effect them in company contacts, which is another area that I actually look after with those businesses.

Valerie Prentice: Okay, so got quite a bit of responsible, particularly like the money side.

Alex Heselton: That’s right. It is quite a broad spectrum to what I have to do, but obviously at the same time, I get through various training with the manufacturer and also brought up to speed with latest probably tax changes as well.

Valerie Prentice: So, how long you have been doing this thing in this role?

Alex Heselton: I have been with BMW for 10 years. I have been corporate manager now with Stratstone for 8 years, but I have been within the motor industry for 22 years.

Valerie Prentice: Oh, really, you have been around. So, I guess it is really, is it a big bulky industry or is there is lot of women involved in it?

Alex Heselton: I think predominantly there are more men within the industry probably doing my role. After saying that, within our particular organization, we do actually have 2 ladies do the same role as me in other areas of the country. So, yes you girls are making a way into the industry probably more and more.

Valerie Prentice: And is it like we need them in the sales side. Who actually makes the final decision, if you say a couple is looking at the car, is it? Because we had like Jeff Brooke from Brooke Ceramics and you were saying like they are looking at bathroom, looking at the tiles and it is like the woman actually she makes, heterosexual couple situation because we had transsexual, so all the concept of sex is all completely changed. So, I am going to be very specific, like a heterosexual couple, they look at the bathroom, they look at the tiles, so the woman actually makes the final decision, he brings is all out. So, is it the same situation in the cars or does the men pay, because men look under the bonnet, women look at the color?

Alex Heselton: I think the thing you have got to always remember, if it is a purchase between a couple, you have to appeal to both people that are involved in the purchase. You cannot go for the gent, you have got to work with both people and at the end of the day, if the lady is buying the car and it is her vehicle, then at the end of the day, she is the one that makes the main decision and you have got to appeal to them with going through with the facts and information that they require.

Valerie Prentice: Does the woman I assume really make a blank assumption that women have completely different criteria oppose to men.

Alex Heselton: They can do, but after saying that, you will specially deal with companies. You could find those equally as many men out there that the vehicle is at all to get from A to B and as long as he does the job, it is reliable and they are happy with it then that is probably about as far as some people make up, other people is quite an emotional. So, a purchase of a vehicle, whether it be private or for a business, it is an emotional and possibly in some cases, it can be political within companies as well, because you get different hierarchy through a business. So, our product range can appeal to a broad spectrum of customers.

Valerie Prentice: So, I guess when you talk with the hierarchical concept of the car like whoever gets the worst color of the car is one at the bottom of the run.

Alex Heselton: It might be to do more with the model range, going from the more an entry price product through to may be a flight ship. So, what you find with companies, they may limit kind of pending what drivers can go for.

Valerie Prentice: Okay, we are going to have a break now. So, you are listening the new launches on Humber.TV and we are talking to Alex Heselton from Stratstone BMW and MINI.

Hi everyone! Welcome back to new releases. We have got Alex Heselton from BMW MINI Stratstone in Hull and we are going to talk about the new car that is being released on 20th March, 2010.

Alex Heselton: That’s right. BMW launched the new 5 Series Saloon on 20th March, 2010, World Launch, but obviously in this region, it is a big product for us especially in the corporate sector, so, interesting times.

Valerie Prentice: So, why is that? Why is it a big thing? Why should we be excited about this one?

Alex Heselton: Well the 5 Series Saloon has generally won most of the top executive awards through a lot of national motoring magazines over the generations of the products being out. It is very popular with business users, because it is a good 4-door Saloon, good sized boot and obviously would accommodate good size family and things like that. The product is one of our main flank ships within the range and within the business sector. It is probably my second most popular model that I will sell.

Valerie Prentice: Oh, okay then, it is a 5 series.

Alex Heselton: Yes, key to involvement with the corporate market.

Valerie Prentice: Okay, so then what is going to be this series going to be better than the last one?

Alex Heselton: Well, the product has obviously improved in general performance. It moves the ball game on CO2 emission because the company uses, that is important. At the same time, the actual taxation is also important for the user, equipment levels have been increased on the product. Obviously, it is taking to account any rivals that may be outlined within the industry and the product is slightly larger, but it is completely new vehicle.

Valerie Prentice: Okay, so it is more sleek and looks good. I am going to important question like does it look good, you know.

Alex Heselton: It is more slippery of shape. It is a pretty car.

Valerie Prentice: Pretty car. So, it goes faster with its fuel.

Alex Heselton: It can do, but within the legal law.

Valerie Prentice: Oh, you are going to be really PC on that one. So, inside is it like, I guess when you order one of these, I have options like leather standard and all sort of things.

Alex Heselton: Leather of course is standard, integrated Bluetooth phone system standard. The product itself will give most things that most drivers would generally want in that segment, but there are some quite nice new features that have come out, which I think

Valerie Prentice: This is really, this is the best thing. This is the most important feature for you blokesout there, which feature is this one?

Alex Heselton: BMW launching a new option on 5 series called park assist. Basically, what happens is you are driving along in your high street, below 20 miles an hour, the car scans out the side of the vehicle, the size of parking base.

Valerie Prentice: Because men have nice special perception, they have no idea.

Alex Heselton: Well the product scans out to about a meter and half away from the vehicle. It then highlights to you that the parking that you have just driven past is large enough for the vehicle to go in.

Valerie Prentice: Isn’t that great.

Alex Heselton: So, you then stop, pull the car into reverse and you then take your hands off the steering wheel.

Valerie Prentice: I think this is amazing.

Alex Heselton: You control the acceleration of the vehicle and the braking of the vehicle, but the car will then steer itself into parking bay and park itself.

Valerie Prentice: So, how much space, like how tight can it get? Like 10 cm of

Alex Heselton: They haven’t actually given us the actual dimensions, but the car works within the steering geometry of the vehicle, so it will actually weighs itself up where it needs to be to get into the parking space. You then just apply the brake to stop the vehicle. At any time, you do have total control on it because you can always overwrite by touching the steering, but the car will actually park itself.

Valerie Prentice: I see, no more scratching the alloys on the gutter. That’s the thing. No more blaming us women for it, you blokes are doing it. I am going to get sick and tired if I get laid for that one.

Alex Heselton: So, that is being launched from 20th of March.

Valerie Prentice: I think that is great. That is amazing. That is like space-age stuff, isn’t it?

Alex Heselton: It is.

Valerie Prentice: Yeah! That’s going be is it that is an option in this new car.

Alex Heselton: It is going to be an option, but it is going to be available through the 5 Series Saloon range and I suppose like in time you will probably see appearing of the models

Valerie Prentice: Yeah! but do you like such a like this like that concept in cars that actually have the car taking control they must be bits of .do you think the market is ready for that like the people

Alex Heselton: I think it is. The technology has been around for a long time. I think the biggest issue with manufacturers is probably to get it to a price that is affordable and they have obviously done some key changes to make sure that falls into the market and built in a number of safety features, but the car also uses the standard front and rare parking senses which are build into the car anyway.

Valerie Prentice: Yeah! So have you had a go in this?

Alex Heselton: I get to try it shortly.

Valerie Prentice: Really, yeah!

Alex Heselton: I get to go on a driving event with BMW with a new 5 Series Saloon during March.

Valerie Prentice: Are you going to be okay about releasing the steering wheel with that the kind of are you or you one of the control freaks.

Alex Heselton: No. If the technology is there and it works I am trusting the technology.

Valerie Prentice: Yea! So that’s really that’s really I just find it it is just like mind blowing you think actually now you can have this in the car and it is really like and guess it like what’s like what’s like where does the pricing start off.

Alex Heselton: Well the 5 Series range starts from just over 28, 000 and obviously goes up through the product range. There is a number of diesel engines and patrol engines. It is quite complex range because obviously the market place requires choice, but obviously the information on that is all out with the dealerships now.

Valerie Prentice: So, it’s like the colors like I guess that you are going wider range with colors of new series or that’s like these colors colors is there are fashion in colors.

Alex Heselton: There are always probably three or four popular shades, obviously, you see a lot of black and silver cars today and probably colors grey metallics and blue metallics, however, big surprise within the industry over the last probably 18 months to two years white is very popular with the market place today.

Valerie Prentice: Is there any theory like you need to have any theory on this one?

Alex Heselton: I think it is probably because people fancy change as well and vehicle colors have probably been very similar for lots of years and having something that is fresh and new within the range and at the same time, because people are buying into the product with white, it is not affecting kind of what we call second-hand residual valve because normal if it say poor color then the car may not be worth as much in the second‚ hand market. So, that sometimes governs why you see more of certain types of color, but no keep a look out you will saw a lot more motor vehicles.

Valerie Prentice: I think that is good because you will have a lot of great days in this country and as soon I think it is good to have something that has bit of brightness about this.

Alex Heselton: What you find is that sorry the white will also show the counsel with car off very well. You just see shape in better instead of shadings.

Valerie Prentice: It’s to .it to keeps to cleaner it keeps cleaner than the black. The black just seems to be impossible

Alex Heselton: Yes. Black can be a labara of love, looks super when it cleaned for those you know where the weather convey.

Valerie Prentice: Oh! That’s great that’s great. We are going to stop there. Everyone we have been talking to Alex Heselton from the Stratstone BMW in Hall and we are talking about this wonderful feature of the 5 Series and now all you [15:08] said that they have poor special perception cause not our skills at all. I refuse to put my hand up on that. Now, you can park that car easily in the valet without even having to touch the steering wheels, which I think is great.

[ADVERTISEMENT]

Valerie Prentice: Ok! Hi! Everyone welcome back to new releases. We have got Alex Heselton of Stratstone BMW in Hall. We are going now talk about the man himself because really at the end of the day you are dealing with the companies and you get all these options of different cars and that well for me personally if I do not think the person is particularly if I am not keen on them I am more likely to work for somebody that I like so lets have a chat about you.

Alex Heselton: Well, it is all about at the end of the day building relationships with people and obviously people deal with people. People deal with recommendations. So, it’s all of those things that factor in the relationship that you have with customers and businesses.

Valerie Prentice: And with your background so, you have been in the car industry for 20 years.

Alex Heselton: Just over 20 years nearly 22, but prior to that I was a qualified jeweler.

Valerie Prentice: Really! you were a goldsmith.

Alex Heselton: I was in the jewelry industry. Yes, I did a period within manufacturing and just over six years within the retail side of the business working for a local family jewelers.

Valerie Prentice: Really, what made you get into that one. So how old were you can I ask you how old were you .

Alex Heselton: I was probably leaving school.

Valerie Prentice: Leaving school what made to take that career path?

Alex Heselton: I think at the time when I left school, the job opportunities in the UK were not very school. We go back to the early 80s there was an opportunity came up at the time so I decided to take it straight away. I enjoyed it. The chap that I worked for nice family and it lead on to another job. And then I actually qualified as a I actually got my diploma within the jewelry industry from there I have met quite a number of customers in those days that are customers today.

Valerie Prentice: Oh! Really

Alex Heselton: So, cause the area is very loyal it is very loyal to it’s customer base and obviously.

Valerie Prentice: The whole Humber region.

Alex Heselton: That is right, yes.

Valerie Prentice: It is, it’s a very solid and they show when they like you they like you.

Alex Heselton: They do and they like to deal with local people and as long as you can deliver the result the pack is right then they will deal with it.

Valerie Prentice: So, in the jewelry industry was it something like you were gold man, were you diamond man, and you seen as precious stone man or you .

Alex Heselton: Well, you covered all aspects of it, but I was actually based in the watch and clock division so, I did all kind of the buying and selling that within that side of things.

Valerie Prentice: Isn’t it a history in your family with a clock or something.

Alex Heselton: If you back through the generations my kind of great grandfather and his father were in the clock industry within the town.

Valerie Prentice: Look at that see that that’s in that bloodline. Did you know that at that time?

Alex Heselton: I did. It is just really strange that I went in to that particular industry for period of time and I enjoyed it, but like anything new challenge came along and grasped it and moved on from there.

Valerie Prentice: So did you find that the customer service that’s expected in the jewelry industry you can transpose that into car industry.

Alex Heselton: You can to a degree, obviously, within that particular industry quite a lot of it is spontaneous purchase. There something they like it they purchase it things like that, however, in the same way that when people buy vehicles, they have got to like what they buy and at the time within the cooperate side of the industry you are in a vehicle for probably maybe three or four years so you have got to make sure that decision is the right decision.

Valerie Prentice: So, what makes you good at what you do? What makes you stand out? Why should I like say, ¢â‚¬Å“Okay, I need a fleet of cars, I need like 10 cars?¢â‚¬ Why should I deal with you as opposed to somebody else?

Alex Heselton: I like to think that myself and the team at Stratstone give a personal service to what the end user wants whether that be from initial inquiry, demonstration through to fulfillments of probably obtaining them exactly what they want when they require it and then at the same time, just looking after them because we are not in it for the short-term we are here for long whole. We are here to sort of supply them this car the next vehicle and so on. So, it is actually the service levels that we offer afterwards and making sure that if anytime customers have got questions. They want to find out latest piece of information be invited to launches of new products, we are also involved with co-sponsoring of other business within the area. So, we may invite them along to preview evenings things like that. It is all about the service level that you give to the end user and that is that that will bring them back to you.

Valerie Prentice: So, have you actually had anybody ask you some blizzard request and you think I can’t believe this one.

Alex Heselton: We have obviously we have been asked from time to time if we can supply vehicles outside of the UK, but there is nothing that I can really think

Valerie Prentice: Like a blizzard color like they want the doors pink and blue

Alex Heselton: We have supplied cars through BMW’s individual range which are quite bespoke and probably quite electric gold metallics and in the past and previous years we have even had cars that have been in a pink metallic.

Valerie Prentice: Oh! Pink metallic?

Alex Heselton: Yes many-many years ago we had a three series BMW we supplied, the name escapes which are the particular color, but I remember it at the time and the lady owned it for many years.

Valerie Prentice: Oh! Really was it representing a company was he .

Alex Heselton: No, it was a private purchase.

Valerie Prentice: It was a private purchase metallic pink. Wow! They should definitely never do that car. I don’t think that color would be stolen very often either. So, it anything that there is nothing really so, people pretty-pretty standard what they wanted with car. They sort of just want the good service they know they are going to get the cars when they want.

Alex Heselton: They do and at the same time the product range offers them a wide and varied choice so they can actually enhance the vehicle to their particular requirements. So, you can tailor the vehicle to their personal needs. BMW’s particular option range allows them to make that care quite bespoke and with a technology that is around today there are some rather interesting features.

Valerie Prentice: Yeah! Definitely I think that is a great one. We are just going to round up here, so, if people are actually interested in this new series as being launched in the 28th of March so, they just what do they do they rang up make an appointment or

Alex Heselton: By all means, obviously they can contact myself for the dealership or the rest of the team we are having a preview .an actual open launch on the 25 March. If they express an interest into the car they can come along see it and obviously if it takes them further we can gladly do a test drive.

Valerie Prentice: Yeah! it will be great. I am going to come and have a test drive and see how good my parking is .that is great Alex thank you very much

Alex Heselton: Thank you, Valerie.

Valerie Prentice: Thank you very much everybody and that was Alex Heselton from Stratstone BMW in Hall and we are just being talking about the new release in this series 5 of BMW. You just going to go down and just try this feature that has parking. I think it is fantastic. Okay we will see you soon.