Peugeot and Citroen dealers will undergo a new LCV (light commercial vehicle) training and support programme to improve knowledge and professionalism across the network, and deliver a better service to fleet customers.

The training coincides with order books opening for the new all-electric Peugeot e-Expert and Citroen e-Dispatch vans.

All 180 Peugeot dealers and 145 Citroen dealers will receive the same training on electric vans. However, non-Business Centres (140 Peugeot dealers and 105 Citroen dealers) will complete a wider training programme.

The latter will cover product knowledge/specification, LCV terminology, LCV financing options, the UK LCV market, taxation and LCV “customer consultation” to ensure suitability for user needs.

Practical support will be offered by the business field teams and LCV product managers.

Initially, the training will be delivered virtually. However, face-to-face sessions may be added next year, depending on the Covid-19 situation.

The training was due to take place in quarter two but was delayed due to the UK lockdown.

Martin Gurney (pictured), PSA Group’s director - fleet and used vehicles, said: “Vans continue to be an important part of what we do, particularly with the arrival of the electric vans.

“We want to make sure there is a certain level of knowledge and professionalism surrounding vans in the wider network.

“There are non-Business Centre dealers who are very knowledgeable and successful in the sale of LCVs.

“But we still have dealers in our networks, both Peugeot and Citroen, that hardly sell any vans and it’s those in particular that we're reaching out to, to give them the skills and knowledge they need to be able to provide that service to our customers and also capitalise on the opportunity.”

The Business Centres are now planning their e-Expert and e-Dispatch launch events, with invites due to go out to their local business customers in the coming weeks.

All of Peugeot and Citroen’s electric vans and passenger versions, including the Peugeot e-Traveller and Citroen e-Space Tourer, are expected to be in showrooms before the end of the year.

• To find out Gurney's views on trends in the fleet market since Covid-19 and his thoughts on the future, look out for the full interview in the upcoming August digital issue of Fleet News.