PRESTIGE Fleet Servicing has strengthened its technical support team with two new key appointments and increased its network of independent fleet Service Centres in line with its expansion plans.

Prestige,  which provides vehicle servicing, maintenance and repair work for leasing companies, fleet management providers, corporate fleets and aftermarket warranty companies, has seen rapid growth this year on the back of a number of new and significant client wins.

The company has now made two new appointments in its technical support area, designed to bring considerable additional technical expertise and experience to the Prestige team.

Chris Stokes joins as technical services manager, having previously worked for Robins & Day Peugeot and Archie Moss Renault where he achieved Master Technician status for both franchises.

Stokes also spent two years with Jaguar Land Rover working on workshop technical data manuals, handling repair work and refining the labour times used within the Jaguar franchise network.

At the same time, Luke Bradbury has joined as technical services advisor on the Technical Support team. Bradbury completed a Volvo apprenticeship with Marshall Motor Group, and in 2012 was Volvo Apprentice of the Year and, in the same year, Marshall Motor Group Apprentice of the Year.

He joins the business from Marshalls Land Rover, Melton Mowbray, where he was senior technician.

Prestige operations director Nick Hutton, who has management responsibility for the Technical Support team, welcomed the two newcomers.

“These two new highly experienced appointments will help reinforce our technical support team and help us to continue to provide a first rate technical service to our growing client portfolio.

“Our fleet clients have vehicles that range from 0-4 years old, while our vehicle disposal, national breakdown and warranty clients are often working with vehicles of up to eight years old – which represent some different and interesting technical challenges.

“With these two new appointments, we are confident that we can continue to deliver the technical quality and driver service levels so important to our growing client portfolio,” he said.

One of Prestige’s key objectives is to grow its Service Centre network to 300 outlets, extending its national coverage throughout the UK and meeting the extra demand from its increased customer base.

Thanks to a number of high quality additions in recent weeks, the Prestige service network now stands at some 253 independent outlets, and is growing at a rate that indicates it should comfortably meet its target.

The new network additions include Service Centres in Hull, North London, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City and Bognor Regis, and all meet the stringent requirements required to join the network.

For example, all Prestige Service Centres have industry-recognised quality accreditation, all use parts of equivalent quality to manufacturer original equipment, and all offer labour rates at significant savings compared to main franchise dealers.

Prestige has seen a number of key client wins in recent months, and recently announced that it had been awarded a two-year extension to its independent service centre network management contract with LeasePlan UK, which will see it continue to February 2018.