Offices NW: Alison Ross, Auto Trader

Auto Trader moves to Manchester

Alison Ross

Auto Trader – Incredible Brand

65%

Using the Master slide

Auto Trader – Incredible Brand

Alison Ross, infrastructure and operations director at Trader

Media Group, publisher of Auto Trader, will outline the reasons behind the firm's major relocation from

Warrington to Manchester this year.

Last Issue Ever

June 2013

March 2013 – Circulation 27,000

Jan 2000 – Circulation 368,000

1996

5 people in Devon

Online

Print

Little bit of luck

Visionary LeadershipMassive Investment in Technology

Competitive SalesforceBravery

How?

2013

Everybody

100% Digital

• Top 10 UK website

• Over a billion PI a month

• 11 million unique visitors a month

• 73 searches per second at peak

• 60% visits from a mobile device

Massive Website

• Huge consumer audience

• Auto Trader is a B2B business

• Sell products and services to dealers alongside advertising

• Hugely data driven

• We know what you will buy, when, where and how much you’ll pay…

Our Business

4,5000 Employees

2002

39 office locations3 Print plants

900 Employees

Jan 2014

10 Office locations2 Data centres

NLW – Technology and Service 3 Buildings 450 people – Capacity 400

SJC – Finance 50 people – Capacity 100

Chester – Acquired specialist data company 20 people – Capacity 50

Salford – Non Car and D&I 30 people – Capacity 200

Catherine Street – Tele Sales50 people – Capacity 300

The Trevolution

Think Digital

• Large footplate

• Building already built

• Great transport links, especially mainline rail

• North West based

• Great pool of talent

What we wanted

• Search enabled by Steve Brittle from Matthews and Goodman – August 2013

• Long list of properties:• 2 in Liverpool• 3 in Warrington• 8 in Manchester

• Shortlist of 3 was pretty obvious:

What we found

• Started negotiating with First St and Harman Sq from August through to December

• Great design opportunities• In the heart of the city• Great transport links• Within budget

• Either would have been fine….

Hard choices

It was just more us

• Started consulting with employees in October

• Very controversial• Business reasons accepted• Grave unhappiness about commute times• 90% had increase of 30mins plus

• High risk of losing operational ability

Employee Reaction

• We had to bring the employees on the journey

• We were resolute• Great incentive package• Changes to flexible working policy• Really went for it on the fit out

Carrots and Sticks

• Started search in August• Started employee consultation in October• Partnered with Claremont November• Workplace planning during December• Signed lease January• Worked out design in Feb• Started work in earnest in March• First people moved in in May• Last people in July• Still doing a bit of snagging

• We can feel the cultural change• Recruitment has gone through the roof• Staff very happy “all worth it”• Only lost 10 people through the move• Feel like we’re part of something greater

• Knew what we wanted• Short chain of command• Great local partners• Very supportive board• We are amazing executers

November 2014