The Business Motoring Week, April 27, 2018

Real business buzz at CV Show as Ford unveils new Fiesta Sport Van

THERE was an undeniable business buzz at this week’s CV Show (April 24-26).

There was a good crowd and more people in business attire wanting to do serious business. That aside, Ford really took everyone by surprise with a fantastically well-kept secret – and that was the launch of the Fiesta Sport Van. Where did that one come from?

The other two themes that came across clearly was the emergence of the electric van as a serious consideration – a message I heard particularly from the leasing companies in attendance, who said corporate customers were now considering the inclusion of electric vans into their business operations.

You only had to look at what was on offer: Renault showed the Master Z.E. which is on sale later this year; Nissan had the extended range e-NV200; and Volkswagen showed its e-Crafter which soon goes on fleet trial over here.

The other theme was fantastic pick-up trucks. None more imposing than the brilliantly sinister Stealth from Isuzu. Built by Arctic Trucks, the Stealth is breathtakingly brutal. More here.

Understanding what to do with customer satisfaction

What does customer satisfaction mean to you? Great scores on FeeFo and the like? Yes, they are undoubtedly good (even if they are potentially open to abuse).

But having got your great ratings and brilliant customer feedback – what then? That was the theme of Rob Whalley at our recent Leasing Broker Federation dinner.

Rob, the Managing Director of APD, gave a fascinating talk about what  you do with customer satisfaction feedback. “It’s continuous business improvement,” he told me.