Thrifty has signed a deal to provide Affinity Leasing customers with its Flexi Fleet rental offering to help bridge any gaps when clients are without a vehicle. Available to leisure and business users, it can be used for up to 26 weeks at a time. Thrifty has adapted the terms of its Flexi Fleet product so that Affinity Leasing customers can exclusively book their vehicles on a weekly basis.
Affinity Leasing’s Michelle Howles said: “Around 60-70% of our customers may find that they need the temporary use of a car before their long-term lease vehicle is available. For example, Japanese car manufacturers are currently struggling to deliver their shipments on time as a result of the effects of the earthquake.
“In summer, when European manufacturers have their long holiday shut down, then we can sometimes experience delays with the provision of cars if customers haven’t submitted their requests with enough notice. For new customers, it is often the case that they underestimate how much notice is required, so they could have sold their own vehicle or it may have failed its MOT and they need a new vehicle almost instantaneously. We overcome this issue with existing customers by making sure we contact them in plenty of time.”
Users of the scheme go to the Affinity Leasing website, select the Thrifty link, choose the group of vehicle they require, determine their average weekly mileage and the anticipated number of weeks. Customers are then provided with a quote to choose which vehicle to opt for.
Linda Paul from Thrifty said: “The flexible arrangements mean that their customers are provided with an affordable option while they wait for their new permanent vehicle. So we’re helping Affinity Leasing overcome some of the barriers to sale as people may be put off from leasing a vehicle if it means they may be without a car for a short period.”
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