I managed to catch up with Peter Leyden recently at the excellent Wharf restaurant, close by to Teddington Lock on the Thames.

It’s a marvellous location for a restaurant.

I’d been interested to meet Peter. He was recently appointed head of SME sales at Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions. And I was keen to know what Peter, and Hitachi, would be offering small businesses by this appointment.

Peter explained that Hitachi was taking a three-pronged approached to the small business market. Peter said Hitachi had a telesales team that has been trained up for the small business market; small businesses could come direct via sites like CompareContractHire.com; or through car leasing brokers with Hitachi funding.

I asked Peter if he was going to get Hitachi car leasing brokers to follow the lead of LeasePlan’s Network group – and require BVRLA accreditation to raise broker standards (see story New approval standard for Network car brokers).

Peter said he wanted to encourage those car brokers with Hitachi funding agreements to become BVRLA members.

“I don’t think we’ll give it away – that gives it no value. But I think we will subsidise BVRLA membership,” Peter said. “It’s a good thing to have, as long as there are genuine two-way benefits. Because ultimately we want to service the small business sector better.”

Which is exactly the sort of thing I wanted to hear. But well-intentioned words are one thing. Let’s hope Hitachi has the muscle to make sure those words are actioned.
Small business focus for Hitachi leasing company