John Hill Coach Sales has carved a niche for itself in the competitive world of coach sales. Director John Hill puts its success down to honest and family values
From humble beginnings as a bus driver doing school runs as a second job to supplement his monthly income, John Hill has risen to be Director of his own thriving business selling around 150 coaches a year
His past career working as a mechanic for Volvo, followed by a successful sales career with Plaxton, EvoBus and MAN Truck and Bus, has given him the experience and knowledge of the coach and bus industry needed to drive his own firm, John Hill Coach Sales.
After being made redundant from his position as General Manager for Coach Sales at MAN in 2013 he decided to take a chance and go it alone.
He says: “I set up John Hill Coach Sales with my daughter Gemma Hill, doing a few bits and bobs. Initially I was working from home because there were no overheads.
“The first vehicle I sold was a Lucketts Travel team coach which went to Anthony’s Travel. I’ve still got the picture on my phone from when we agreed the deal.”
John was cutting the grass at his home in Melton Mowbray one day when he took a phone call and sealed the deal on two vehicle sales. It was a lightbulb moment.
“Suddenly it occurred to me that if I could sell two vehicles at home cutting the grass what could I sell if I was actually more focused?” he says.
Building a reputation
John asked Market Harborough-based Caged Fish to set up his website. It didn’t take long before it became the top website to come up if the google search term ‘coach sales’ was keyed in.
John recruited his best friend Alan Wade, as trust was key in those early days. Office premises were found and John Hill Coach Sales became official.
John says: “We offer a service, that’s the key thing.
“If we’re selling other people’s vehicles we go and take the pictures ourselves. That way we can see the condition the vehicles are in and be honest.
“Honesty is our best policy. I don’t want people to come and see a vehicle and say ‘it’s a pile of rubbish, why have you brought me all this way?’
“That’s one of the reasons why, if we’re selling vehicles, we want to go and see them. It’s vital because then we can give an honest appraisal.”
John is selling around 150 vehicles a year and over the years has had many regular clients such as Lucketts Travel, Dews Coaches, Sea View Coaches and Irizar UK.
“Obviously we have to try and maximise the return for the customer,” he says.
Most of the coaches he sells have come to the end of their life with that operator. John likes them to have a quick turnaround time so there’s no chance of bits rotting or wiring corroding.
He also offers a reduced fee as an incentive if a coach sells quickly.
The website is easily navigated and has around 120 vehicles for sale, divided into coach, bus and minibus. In addition to the vehicle sales the firm also offers procurement, consultation and valuation services.
Buying and selling
For the last 18 months John has branched out into buying and selling coaches himself and keeping a number of vehicles on site to show customers.
“Times change,” he says. “Other people are doing similar things so it’s important to diversify.”
He works closely with Mistral Asset Finance and Praetura Direct Finance and has a number of local sites available to store coaches. They can then be brought to the parking spaces near his office at Pera Business Park, Melton Mowbray.
This March the firm opened a workshop on site. John says: “Because of my engineering background if anything needs doing in the garage I can usually go and sort it out.”
He adds: “We have recently invested in some column lifts from RWT so if people want to come and look at the vehicles they can properly examine them.”
His most successful purchase so far has been 20 Caetano Levantes from National Express which have all sold – five of them to Cumbria County Council and seven of them to Sanders Coaches in Holt. One had exhaust retrofit equipment put on to make it Euro VI.
“This has completely changed the dynamic of the business and where we are,” he says. “It has changed the business significantly over the last 18 months.
“But our focus is as always remaining loyal to current customers.”
Minibus operation
John’s latest project is his new venture G&G Minibuses which is named after his two daughters Gemma and Georgina.
He has bought two 16-seater Mercedes-Benz Sprinters with UNVI bodywork and handed the business over to Dougie Elliott to oversee.
“No-one else in Melton Mowbray has 16-seater minibuses,” he says. “It’s only been three months and we’re already picking up some work.
“This is for my daughters in the future. John Hill Coach Sales will be theirs, but it’s complex and the minibus operation is easier for them to run.”
Industry respect
Over time John has built good relationships with operators and dealerships alike.
Don McIntosh of Tally Ho! Coaches says: “We have been working closely with John Hill for several years as we try to bring an ancient fleet up to date. They are a very friendly bunch who really seem to care.
“We initially talked to John about our exact requirements and since that time he looks out for vehicles that match. He knows the market really well and is totally frank when it comes to negotiating prices and understanding quality. Recently we have bought vehicles based on his advice without even inspecting them, and it’s worked.
“They have become our friends and I can tell you, John Hill Coach Sales comes with a big sense of humour!”
Future plans
In his current premises John has a modern airy office with room for his team comprised of himself, Alan, Gemma, driver Mark Elliott, Wilf Lewis and part-time administrator Lynn Prenderville. Downstairs he has another smaller office for his minibus operation and driver Jordan Pawley.
John Hill Coach Sales is confirmed as a routeone Awards partner for next year.
“I love working in the industry,” he says: “I’ve got some very good friends in it and I’m very optimistic about the future.”
For now, John is staying at his current location, but future plans may include moving to a different premises with more room for coaches.
He would like to expand the buying and selling business.
“Mainstream dealers aren’t particularly holding used stock – they’re trying to move it on quickly,” he says. “This is affecting the market significantly but it’s good for us because we can buy them and we become more active.”
“We’re doing what the mainstream dealers aren’t doing.”
Despite John having a big birthday next year, he is still as ambitious as ever.
“There aren’t many specialist coach and bus repairers out there and that may be the next step for us,” he adds.
