John Hill Coach Sales marked five years in April. It’s grown in that time, and it recently launched a new website. But honesty, trust and quality remain the business’ cornerstones as it looks towards the future
Various appreciative emails are saved on John Hill’s office computer, but he has one in particular that stands out. It’s from Don McIntosh, MD of Devon-based Tally Ho! Coaches. In it, Don thanks John for his services in locating a used coach, describing him as “a human search engine.”
Finding new owners for second-hand stock is what John Hill Coach Sales has been doing for five years. It’s not unique in that, but extensive connections and hard work mean that it has grown into a appreciated, respected and integral part of the coach industry.
“When I founded the business I planned to largely work as a one-man band, with some part-time help from my daughter Gemma,” says John.
Things didn’t quite happen like that. A year in, Alan Ward joined, followed by former Caetano UK man Wilf Lewis, who gives invaluable assistance as webmaster. Gemma has taken on more responsibility and Lynn Prenderville now deals with administration on a part-time basis.
Alan’s appointment as the first full-time employee was significant. He is John’s right-hand man, but the two are also best friends, and that trust element was key to Alan’s arrival.
Now, the two men are the faces that customers see. Despite growth to a point where around 150 coaches are rehomed per year, each is viewed and photographed. Along with an accurate description, the images are uploaded to a recently-revitalised website.
Back to basics
The business has one purpose: To achieve the best price for the buyer while delivering to the seller exactly what is described. Once the deal is done, the coach is not released until all money changes hands; John’s fee is calculated on a percentage basis.
Besides reducing work for both the seller and the buyer, using a sales specialist’s services helps to filter out the tyre-kicker element that can bedevil used coach negotiations. John and his team can also deal with export sales that are time-consuming, but which can otherwise be a useful outlet for less-popular vehicles. John’s client list also contains some big names, such as Dews Coaches, Lucketts Travel, National Express and Weardale among many others.
Attention recently afforded to the website coincides with the business’ fifth anniversary. It has been completely refreshed, with a focus on making it both mobile-friendly and as rapid to load as possible. “Our website is the go-to resource for operators looking for used stock, and we pride ourselves on selling at realistic prices,” John says.
As of last week, around 200 coaches were listed. They extend from 16-seat Mercedes-Benz Sprinters to Van Hool double-deckers with almost everything in between. It’s as accurate a snapshot of the used market as a visitor is likely to find.
Six of a kind?
70-seat school coaches are popular buys in the period leading up to the school year, while a slow burner is the joint project with National Express to convert tri-axle Caetano Levantes to 90-seat layout.
What have generated strong interest are the handful of used Euro 6 coaches that have passed through. Most have sold for a price above what was expected, but uncertainty surrounding air quality measures is doing the used market for Euro 5 coaches few favours.
“London’s ULEZ is well-known, but there remains a great deal of uncertainty surrounding how operators will be able to retrofit older coaches to comply with it,” John adds.
“We are a year away from its implementation, yet there is still nothing concrete available to inform them how retrofit will be dealt with, what will be acceptable and how Transport for London will manage it.”
Predictably, that has led to a degree of caution among buyers who may be looking at used Euro 5s. They also have an eye on what may follow in other cities.
Demand increasing
John sees a consistent demand for his services. Busy months fluctuate year to year, but clients now expect more when moving used coaches. “Buyers know what they want. The bad old days of shoehorning them into something that was not quite right are long gone, but a big part of what they will accept is down to two things: Age and condition.
“For example, we recently sold a Volvo to an operator that traditionally would not run the type, but the coach was very clean and tidy and it had a low mileage. The price was reasonable and we had described it accurately.” Sellers, meanwhile, expect – and receive – a comprehensive service.
Honesty and trust have served John Hill Coach Sales well over its first five years, and it is ready to move on to the next stage in its history. There will be no huge increase in volumes, but John hopes to work with more new coach suppliers and finance houses. A reveamped website, new offices in Melton Mowbray complete with coach parking, and a focus on quality, not quantity, have set the scene for the future.
