We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Car website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookies at any time
The start point for the best source of fleet information |
If you look at last year's SMMT registrations, 2016 didn't look like a great year for Seat. However, the Spanish carmaker has been working hard to manage its channel and product mix and actually, despite the headline figure growth being minimal, Seat dealers had their best-ever year for profitability.
"We had a specific plan to put in place a more stable foundation for the Seat business so we could take full advantage of all the new products," said Richard Harrison, Seat UK managing director. "We'd much rather go and find a customer than register a car."
That plan was based around focusing more on true fleet sales and major corporate accounts and reducing short-cycle business. And it appears to be working: for the past three months Seat has broken an in-house record in fleet sales.
"For me the strategy is around quality of business and brand development. We've invested a lot of time and energy into telling people about what we're about and it's all coming together," Harrison said. "It's part of playing the strategy of the long game and taking time to develop relationships."
And 2017 looks set to be a busy year for the firm with the revised Leon recently launched, the new Ibiza (revealed at this year's Geneva motor show) open for order in May, and the new Arona compact SUV arriving later in the year.
"The fun thing about 2017 is that we have so many new cars. We're conquesting a lot of new customers at the moment," Harrison said. "Who knows where the market will end this year but it's an exciting time for the brand."
BusinessCar magazine ©2019
Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
