The importance placed on getting invoicing right explains why leasing companies, who have online reporting suites available to small, as well as large fleets, are having an effect on the criteria set by SMEs.
The ability to track and identify costs earlier during the lifetime of a contract has become a key requirement of smaller companies. They need to control overheads in these challenging times.
One factor heading in the other direction was the importance of brand in influencing the choice of a supplier, down three places.
It follows a trend among 50–200 size fleets polled in the same survey.
With this group, brand rated slightly higher than SMEs but was also down three places – a clear signal that factors such as good service rather than high media visibility are seen as more important.
The table below shows the factors by rank wanted by SMEs – with figures in brackets showing the ranking of the same factor by larger companies in the same survey.
What do SMEs look for in a leasing company?
1 (2) Speed of response to quotation requests
2 (6) Flexibility and accuracy of invoicing
3 (3) Order and delivery updates
4 (5) Management reporting
5 (7) Online services
6 (1) Knowledge and competency of staff
7 (4) Proactive account management
8 (8) Brand image
9 (9) International coverage
Source apd Landmark CSI 2007 rolling survey of fleet decision makers, sample 11,500
Further information
- For more information on the survey visit www.apd-rd.com
