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Mitsubishi targets low-level excellent service
Date: 09 March 2011 | Author: Rachel Burgess
Mitsubishi is differentiating its fleet offering by providing excellent service, according to UK boss Lance Bradley. "We target a small number of customers and because we're small and we're not going for blanket coverage, we can afford to give outstanding customer service."
Bradley said Mitsubishi focuses on "what it is good at". "Where we have a particular vehicle that suits a particular need, for example a police Shogun or an ASX passenger car for someone that wants to be different, those are the niches we fill."
The brand sold 3500 fleet units in 2010 comprising largely of the ASX. This year, it expects to sell 4500 business vehicles and see further growth in the pick-up market, which was up 70% for Mitsubishi in January.
Bradley also discussed the Global Small concept, an indirect replacement to the Colt, which will arrive in the UK in 2013 and be sub-100g/km CO2: "The market is generally downsizing. People are looking for smaller lower-emission vehicles but still want all the features they had from their medium-sized vehicle. But people expect small cars to be cheaper. It's a challenge." He added that an electric version would come a year later.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi's electric i-Miev has sold half of its 200-car allocation, since going on sale in January, of which 50% is fleets. Bradley said: "A lot of fleet business is Government-funded or local councils or organisations that have a need to be seen to be green. Our fleet team is targeting customers that might be interested including big utility companies and hotel chains."
He added that buyers of the i-Miev often spend more than the £24k price to personalise the car. "If you can spend £24k on that size of car, the chances are you want people to know you are one of the early adopters. Personalisation appeals to these customers."
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