No nonsense

26/01/2021 WebSupport Coaches, Features, Manufacturer Update

Paul Gardner, newly-appointed Regional Sales Manager at Temsa, explains to Peter Jackson why a focus on the fundamentals is needed to build the future of the brand in the UK and Ireland

A number of coach and bus manufacturers have had to find new routes into the UK market in recent months, with Covid-19 spelling the end of some well-known dealerships and forcing others to downsize.

“The minute Temsa realised I was open to a move, they decided it was time to bring some UK-specific knowledge into the business and move ahead with their own sales team,” explained Temsa’s new UK & Ireland Regional Sales Manager Paul Gardner. “So they decided to take me on as their first UK employee to build a future for them here, based on the two-and-a-half years I worked with them at Arriva. My role is to act as a national sales manager for the brand, very much akin to the roles I previously held. I’m responsible for the UK, Ireland and Malta, and there’s potential for that to grow to include other right-hand-drive markets or geographically close markets – once the UK, Ireland and Malta are settled of course.

“What they want from me initially is that knowledge, that data that they were so greatly missing – someone who could warn against legislation changes and give strategic information to allow them to make better decisions.

Whilst Temsa will look to appoint dealers, there’ll always be someone like myself stewarding the market and managing the dealers.”