DS Salons in the UK

[DigitalCal]

Further to the post that was started almost a year ago, regarding the separation of DS from Citroen and the way this extends to the dealerships, I thought I'd get in touch with DS to enquire whether any DS Salons would be opening in the North West of England, or if indeed there are any already. Establishing this via Citroen and DS' websites is quite difficult.

I emailed asking (abridged version): Where would I find a DS Salon in the North West? And are there plans to expand DS Salons or remove DS sales from existing Citroen dealerships?

I got a hopeless response this afternoon which went as follows:

"Every dealership is allowed to sell DS as well as Citroën brands.

At this point I have no further information regarding any separation of Citroën and DS brands."

The question has been completely avoided. Are the DS staff not trained to provide customers with required information? Is something else going on preventing DS from rolling out their brand properly (it appears to be happening *very* slowly)?

The current Citroen dealerships just aren't sufficient for where DS claim to be positioning their brand. Obviously this will differ depending on your location but there are plenty of more budget brands that have long been offering better service, cleaner and nicer premises.

DS don't really seem to be aware, and this is where my issue lies with them claiming to be a premium brand that wants to be seen as separate from Citroen, right down to the entire buying and after sales experience.

Anyone else able to offer up locations of these new DS Salons, or dealerships with DS zones?

[WTF]

The question has been completely avoided. Are the DS staff not trained to provide customers with required information? Is something else going on preventing DS from rolling out their brand properly (it appears to be happening *very* slowly)?


The current Citroen dealerships just aren't sufficient for where DS claim to be positioning their brand. Obviously this will differ depending on your location but there are plenty of more budget brands that have long been offering better service, cleaner and nicer premises.


DS don't really seem to be aware, and this is where my issue lies with them claiming to be a premium brand that wants to be seen as separate from Citroen, right down to the entire buying and after sales experience.

Anyone else able to offer up locations of these new DS Salons, or dealerships with DS zones?

The staff within each dealership are there as car salespeople, not official spokesmen for the DS brand. Within most companies I doubt every single member of staff knows the full plan for locations and what the big bods in HQ have planned. It's like going into Tesco's and asking the lady on the till if she knows when the next local Tesco express will be opening locally....

I think in most dealerships you will have a DS champion, that knows more than floor staff about the DS cars (not necessarily the brands marketing plans) so there will always be someone on hand to answer questions.

I don't think your question has been completely avoided, and I think its unfair to just presume that they staff aren't trained well enough when infact they just might not know the answers to your question. I think if you ask different locations they might know more or less than the dealership in the next town, but this could all be dependent on what the manager knows, and how much he has told his staff about.

I appreciate having this information to hand might be handy, but when someone walks into the dealership to buy a DS3, a member of staff who knows their Ultra Prestige from their Performance Black is much more reassuring than someone who knows when the next DS location might be.


I've been to the DS Poole Salon. Citroen Preston has a DS area, as does Sale. And I know that John Grose in Ipswich have plans to open a DS Salon. This is only from visits to locations and friends/contacts at each one.

What was it that you where hoping to gain from visiting a DS Salon that isn't already at your local Citroen Dealership?

[Dangerousfish]

I'm intrigued too; what is it you're hoping to ask at a DS Salon that you couldn't ask the customer service rep you spoke to or any other Citroen dealership?

[DigitalCal]

DS Salons in the UK

The staff within each dealership are there as car salespeople, not official spokesmen for the DS brand. Within most companies I doubt every single member of staff knows the full plan for locations and what the big bods in HQ have planned. It's like going into Tesco's and asking the lady on the till if she knows when the next local Tesco express will be opening locally....

I think in most dealerships you will have a DS champion, that knows more than floor staff about the DS cars (not necessarily the brands marketing plans) so there will always be someone on hand to answer questions.

I don't think your question has been completely avoided, and I think its unfair to just presume that they staff aren't trained well enough when infact they just might not know the answers to your question. I think if you ask different locations they might know more or less than the dealership in the next town, but this could all be dependent on what the manager knows, and how much he has told his staff about.

I appreciate having this information to hand might be handy, but when someone walks into the dealership to buy a DS3, a member of staff who knows their Ultra Prestige from their Performance Black is much more reassuring than someone who knows when the next DS location might be.


I've been to the DS Poole Salon. Citroen Preston has a DS area, as does Sale. And I know that John Grose in Ipswich have plans to open a DS Salon. This is only from visits to locations and friends/contacts at each one.

What was it that you where hoping to gain from visiting a DS Salon that isn't already at your local Citroen Dealership?

Sorry you might've misread my post, I emailed DS UK with my question. This wasn't a conversation that took place in a dealership. Not suggesting that staff within each dealership were "DS spokesmen" - not arguing with the fact that they're trained salespeople - but I'm not referring to any salespeople in the first place. Sorry if that wasn't clearer.

All I wanted to know from DS UK (via email) was whether they had any plans to open any DS Salons in my neck of the woods, and the question wasn't answered.

Sorry if my original post has been lost in translation.

Didn't know that about Sale - handy to know and it's not well signposted on the websites

[DigitalCal]

DS Salons in the UK

I'm intrigued too; what is it you're hoping to ask at a DS Salon that you couldn't ask the customer service rep you spoke to or any other Citroen dealership?

Where in my original post does it say that I asked a Citroen dealership or DS Salon? My post is about an email with DS UK.

The bigger context is that DS are supposed to be separating from Citroen.

[lfcrule1972]

I have to be honest I hadn't realised that the 'seperation' would mean seperate dealerships around the country. I'd have thought that was v risky for the parent Company to be opening more dealerships.....

[cyclone]

Who cares anyway, If someone wants a DS they will buy it, even if it is from a "GASP" duel Citroen/DS dealership.

[Bigfeet]

At present all Citroen dealers are continuing to offer DS through their showrooms, the plan is that eventually the showrooms will split either into separate areas via a divide or indeed as separate buildings. As the transition of the DS brand continues the ultimate goal is to have only DS showrooms which means that Citroen will no longer offer the DS cars via their showroom. This also means that any dealer will be able to apply for a DS franchise very much in the same fashion as now.

These things take time to full implement and DS have a 20 year plan in play.

So in the mean time every dealer has a appointed a DS Champion who is there to represent the DS brand and help show the brand values that DS which to give to it's customers. Think of it as a stepping stone.

[DigitalCal]

Who cares anyway, If someone wants a DS they will buy it, even if it is from a "GASP" duel Citroen/DS dealership.

Interested, that's all.

[DigitalCal]

These things take time to full implement and DS have a 20 year plan in play.

So in the mean time every dealer has a appointed a DS Champion who is there to represent the DS brand and help show the brand values that DS which to give to it's customers. Think of it as a stepping stone.

So I'd come across this article: http://www.am-online.com/news/car-ma...representation

"Fairgrieve also confirmed that the changes to the DS dealership offering would have to be completed by 2018, when the brand expects to launch another new model."

A 3 year plan seems much more in line with Dacia, for example, who rolled out dealerships alongside or within existing Renault ones fairly quickly.

[Dangerousfish]

Where in my original post does it say that I asked a Citroen dealership or DS Salon? My post is about an email with DS UK.

The bigger context is that DS are supposed to be separating from Citroen.

With that sort of attitude I'm not surprised they didn't give you the response you wanted.

Where in my post did I imply you asked a Citroen Dealership or DS Salon?

[DigitalCal]

DS Salons in the UK

With that sort of attitude I'm not surprised they didn't give you the response you wanted.

Where in my post did I imply you asked a Citroen Dealership or DS Salon?

I'm sorry if that's how it comes across but it's not intended.

You implied that I was wanting to ask questions at a DS Salon, when all I wanted to know (from DS UK) was some info on these new salons.

I'm just trying to establish where I have very obviously confused people in my original post.

[Dangerousfish]

I'm pretty sure the majority in this thread are still unsure of your question. Is the question simply, "Where are you next opening a DS Salon in the North West?"

If that is the question I'd suggest that you're probably wasting your time. It's a pretty irrelevant question to anything.

DS Salons can sell you Citroens or DSs. The same applies to Citroen dealerships, they still sell both.

The DS range isn't exclusive to DS Salon's which means that you could visit any Citroen dealership in the north west or worldwide and would still be able to obtain the same information you require, dependent on the person you're speaking to. (That's not to say that DS Salesmen/women are more knowledgeable on the DS range, my point is that some sales people can simply be rubbish..)

[DigitalCal]

DS Salons in the UK

Yes, that was my main question. I was just emailing DS to ask that - following on from reading the article I've posted above and the thread from last year regarding the new DS salon in Poole.

I don't think it's irrelevant, I was only asking because I'm interested to see how they're developing this rollout of standalone areas for DS. The dealers near me sell DS, e.g where I bought my DS3 from, and are fine in their knowledge on the cars, but the showrooms are very much in a time warp and the service slightly lacking in some areas.

Just someone that's interested in how DS are rolling out, that's all, and whether these changes will affect customers' overall experiences...

[Old Bloke]

Usual bonkers "Blue Sky" manufacturer thinking. DS is a halo effect for the Citroen brand and should enhance it. It is not economically viable to have a Citroen franchise and a separate DS salon. It may work for the BMW and Mini brands, but not for Citroen, who are frankly still in the dark ages with customer service, a greater investment in which would be a far better proposition.

VW group have separate brands for the makes which they have acquired over time but don't have a separate brand for the Golf.

That said I think the DS3 is a great small car and Citroen were always good at those.