KIA UK has launched its Business Service Promise, designed to keep fleet and business customers mobile as well as provide the best service and maintenance from across the dealer network.
As Service, Maintenance and Repair (SMR) is mandatory across all fleets, having a complete dealer service and repair history not only improves fleet residual values but ensures business vehicles are kept safe and roadworthy. Kia’s new dedicated dealer network service offering is designed to offer business customers peace-of-mind, ensuring cars are serviced to the brand’s exacting standards, using genuine parts and with work completed according to Kia’s official servicing schedules and best practices.
The Kia Business Service Promise is available across the brand’s 192 UK dealer partners, allowing any qualifying fleet car to benefit from manufacturer servicing at a highly competitive national hourly business-labour rate of just £49 plus VAT. Business customers also benefit from a 10% discount on parts prices, with MoTs priced at £35, as well as cars receiving a free vehicle health check on every visit. Cars are also kept up-to-date, with the latest software updates installed free of charge.
There is no subscription, and the ‘Promise’ is open to any qualifying Kia fleet customer, with vehicles appraised through an automated service booking system.
Additionally, the ‘Promise’ has a no quibble policy to keep fleets mobile, in the event that a car is taken off the road for a warranty issue. Kia will assist with putting a driver in a like-for-like vehicle where possible or offer support with existing hire car costs to ensure continuity of job-need vehicles.
John Hargreaves, General Manager for Fleet and Remarketing at Kia UK, said: “Fleets traditionally miss out on all the benefits associated with main dealer servicing, because there is a fear that they’re more expensive or that they’re mainly focused on retail customers – meaning fleets miss out on Kia-trained service technicians, genuine parts and maximum residual values.
“The Business Service Promise is multi-faceted in its approach, offering businesses several reasons to maintain their vehicles at a Kia dealership. Firstly, the highly competitive labour rates ensure Kia dealerships don’t cost a premium over alternatives. Secondly, fleets can be reassured by fixed costs for typical repair work, as well as that their driver will be kept on the road with our no quibble policy for any warranty work. As a consequence of choosing our Business Service Promise, fleets will also benefit from a main dealer service and repair history, which helps with improved residual values.
“This is costing us quite a lot of money but we have weighed it against the benefits.”
Kia is currently the number one brand in fleet in the UK, with a market share of 8.8% and just short of 50,000 units sold (49,866) year-to-date, at end-September. The brand is also the no.3 best-selling brand this year in the UK, thanks to strong demand for its product line-up and bolstered by the all-new Sportage and all-new Niro. Kia is fast progressing towards achieving one in every two cars sold being an electrified (plug-in hybrid, hybrid or electric) model.
