At least, the corporate message at the city dealership is positive and upbeat.

Which is some achievement given the general downturn in the motor industry.

UK wide, new car sales figures for September – one of two new registration months – slumped by more than 21 per cent.

So, when I learned that the Peugeot operation registered 193 new cars last month, including fleet and rentals, which was 111 per cent of the manufacturer's head office target, I thought the Marshall business was clearly doing something right.

Its year-on-year figures are also up, equating to 1,100 sales for the full 12 months.

"At the heart of our success in these difficult times is the commitment of staff, who regularly give up their days off to help," said franchise manager Matthew Callow.

"That's not forgetting good, old-fashioned customer service – half of our new car sales are to previous customers."



And all this is being achieved without resorting to extraordinary finance deals.

Matthew is very much a hands-on manager, one who sees himself as a coach to other staff.

He is keen on promoting the right interpersonal attitude with customers.

The importance of the smile – the signs are dotted throughout his office – and being pro-active are essential.

"We go that extra mile, and within these four walls there is no credit crunch out there," he said.

The slogans of 'back to basics' and 'own the problem' are not just sales mantras. They help people to stay positive – "we do have our down days," said Matthew – and try to stave off the negativity outside.

"This is seen as very very important in the current climate when people "want more for less."

Thus, quality staff are key to current and future success.