18 March 2018

Korean budget brand Ssangyong is looking to help its retailers to move into local fleet sales, admitting that it hasn’t historically been an area that the manufacturers has worked on.

“Ssangyong has always been a retail franchise and not really focused on fleet, so it was almost starting from scratch,” said key relationships manager Vanessa Cox, who joined Ssangyong in January to manage corporate sales. “We’re starting with a blank canvas and will work with our dealers to help them promote contract hire offers and to understand the overall benefits of fleet sales.”

A pilot programme will work with around 20 retailers, and Ssangyong is looking to change the payment structure from a percentage to a flat handling fee, as well as a still-to-be-defined volume bonus.

The company is also working with leasing giant Lex Autolease, which will provide training for retailers on contract hire over the next six months, as well as supplying finance terms.

“With any contract hire and leasing business for an SME, the dealer should be dealing with, processing, upselling on accessories – particularly on Musso [the new pick-up launching this summer], and they should be local to them so there is an opportunity around aftersales and service levels,” said Mrs Cox. “So there is an opportunity for dealers with this type of business.”

Paul Barker

Tags: Fleet, Ssangyong