I NTERNATIONAL Management and Investment Consultants (IMIC) opened a
fully-equipped Land Rover Customer Service Center on Norodom Boulevard on July
9.
The new center's first task was to provide sorely-needed overhauls
for British Embassy vehicles, including Ambassador Paul Reddicliffe's
armor-plated runabout.
The new 700 square meter facility has been
designed to accommodate future expansion and features four service bays
dedicated to Land Rover vehicles.
As well as providing servicing the
center will sell genuine Land Rover parts for Defender, Discovery, and Range
Rover models.
"Having been visited by executives from Land Rover earlier
in the year, we are delighted by the launch of the new service center, which
marks the culmination of the first phase of a fast track investment program,"
said IMIC director Jules Thomas.
He declined to comment on how much
money had been invested in the center.
Craig Martin, Land Rover
operations manager with IMIC said: "Providing pre-delivery inspecting, warranty,
and servicing facilities to an international standard is very much part of the
Land Rover philosophy.
"We will continue to invest in training and the
building up of a highly professional team led by expert expatriate engineers
over the coming years.
"The new facility is dedicated to Land Rover, and
our training program is very stringent, especially over the first six months, so
servicing is by appointment to start with."
Martin added that genuine
Land Rover parts could be supplied within four days from England if they were
not in stock in Cambodia.
IMIC is already starting to supply new vehicles
to the Cambodian market, mainly in the workhorse Defender range, which has
achieved world acclaim for its durability and vastly superior off
road-capacity.
"The Defender is infinitely more rugged than any of the
Japanese and American four-wheel drives. As it is less well recognized in
Cambodia at the moment, there is little of the expensive security risk
associated with other brands. This is becoming a key issue for many potential
buyers, adding to our overall advantage," said Martin.
In the development
of a strategic marketing plan for Land Rover in Cambodia, IMIC has invested
considerable resources in market and consumer research.