Showroom

Hand it back early

Hand It Back Early!

Hand It Back Early! https://wvl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/HIBE-featured.jpg 660 300 Anthony Anthony https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a9c4089fd91833b9d9ac3cd2423e0fcb?s=96&d=mm&r=g

Hand It Back Early is WVL’s ultimate deal in future-proof motoring.

Choose one of our selected in-stock vehicles on a 2-year Contract Hire deal and you’ll have the option to walk away from the vehicle at 6 months, 12 months and 18 months – no catches, no penalties.

We all know how life can throw surprises at us, so we understand that committing to longer lease terms can be daunting – especially in the current financial climate. But Hand It Back Early gives you the peace of mind that should your circumstances change and you’d prefer not to keep the vehicle to the end of the contract, you can Hand It Back Early!

We’ll miss you… but we’ll understand.

See the currently available vehicles here, and call our team on 01753 851561 to talk about this fantastic opportunity.

Out of hours, please contact us online, and don’t forget, you can see and test drive these vehicles at our Windsor showroom, where you can also speak to us in person to get things moving!

The small print: Two year contracts only on Nearly New and Used vehicles in stock, with a minimum of 10,000 miles per annum based on full maintenance contract hire with a payment profile of 6+23 months. No ownership option, Contract Hire; eligibility conditions apply.

Hand it back early

WVL's month-long Test Drive Event

#TestDriveYourBestDrive 2016 – the Results are in!

#TestDriveYourBestDrive 2016 – the Results are in! https://wvl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/TDYBD-results-featured.jpg 660 300 Anthony Anthony https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a9c4089fd91833b9d9ac3cd2423e0fcb?s=96&d=mm&r=g

The start of September marks the end of our month-long test drive event – from the early days of #SmallCarWeek through to the grand scale of #7SeaterWeek – our forecourt has been what feels like an Olympic-scale arena for this first-of-a-kind showcase of motoring might!  Now a time for reflection on proceedings, did Windsor Vehicle Leasing also strike gold? It’s a firm ‘YES’ as far as we’re concerned.

Firstly, we’re extremely grateful to all the manufacturers who have provided vehicles for the event – Audi, BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Mahindra, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Peugeot Citroen, Renault, Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Volvo. The collaboration has been much appreciated and the key-for-key swaps worked seamlessly. It showed the strength of our relationships and the confidence all the manufacturers have in their brands. No-one is afraid to stand comparison with anyone else. There seemed to be a consensus that what we were doing was a great idea, with more than one manufacturer pointing out that they couldn’t understand why no-one had come up with this concept before.

We would also like to thank the customers, existing and potential, who made the effort to come along and do the test drives. Hopefully they found the unique opportunity to compare brands and technologies worthwhile. In some instances, it was enough for visitors to sit in the cars; get that feeling which no amount of online research can replace.

WVL Test Drive event Small Car Week

WVL Test Drive Event, week 2 - Family Saloon Week

We’re aware that WVL may not necessarily see the direct benefits of this unique event, though it can only be a positive that we had so many visitors and enquiries. It was our intention to shake the tree during the traditionally quiet month of August and if the fruit fell elsewhere, then the industry was still the winner. It’s a bonus that we have quoted for and won business as a result.

The event was publicised through the local press and via social media across our Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts where each individual car’s arrival was posted online. If some of the puns which accompanied the postings were excruciating, please allow for wordplay fatigue by Week 4! Nevertheless, good old footfall played a key part in us getting as many bookings as we did. Our position on Clarence Road usually guarantees interest from passing customers and there’s nothing like a line of new, gleaming cars to catch people’s attention.

WVL Test Drive Event, week 3 - SUV Week

WVL Test Drive Event, week 4 - 7-Seater Week

There’s no doubt, weeks three and four – the SUV and 7-seater weeks – provoked huge interest, as well as testing our forecourt organisation and parking skills. However, all four weeks, including small cars and family saloons, provided excellent opportunities, both for customers and the staff of WVL to familiarise themselves with the very latest models and technology, meaning Windsor Vehicle Leasing can continue to provide the most comprehensive and tailored customer experience.

There seemed to be a consensus that what we were doing was a great idea, with more than one manufacturer pointing out that they couldn’t understand why no-one had come up with this concept before.

It’s fair to say, the vehicles supplied showed that nowadays, there’s not really such a thing as a bad car. Probably the area of greatest change and progress is the on-board technology. Time in a vehicle is important. It would be easy to become a nervous wreck without exposure to and proficiency in the safety systems, including lane control, collision alerts and integrated braking systems. Even knowing how to start a car these days can be an adventure, though it’s always simple enough once you know! Interestingly, no-one seemed inclined to try the self-parking modes! Seems we still like control!

Of course the selection of vehicles not only gave many of our visitors the opportunity to have a fresh look at classic models, but also a first close-up look at relatively new technologies such as hybrids and electric cars.

For us at WVL, there was the bonus of a visit from a sporting icon. As you may have seen in our posts on the day, West Indian legend Gordon Greenidge, one of the finest opening batsmen of all time, took the opportunity to come by. Just for a while, the gleaming cars were outshone and talk of the off-drive replaced the test drive!

It is our firm intention to repeat this event in the future. Of course, others may try to do so in the meantime… but we’ll always know we were first!

If you’ve spotted something in the line-ups above, or would like a quote on a particular vehicle, please get in touch. Our Configurator allows you to spec-up a vehicle to your exact requirements, though we’d be happy to offer advice and suggestions if you’re at all unsure. Either way, try our online Quote Form, email us at [email protected], LiveChat with one of our leasing experts using the tab at the bottom of the screen, or simply call us on 01753 851 561, and let’s talk leasing!

Test Drive your Best Drive this August at WVL

The Ultimate Test Drive Event at WVL this August!

The Ultimate Test Drive Event at WVL this August! https://wvl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/TDYBD-featured.jpg 660 300 Anthony Anthony https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a9c4089fd91833b9d9ac3cd2423e0fcb?s=96&d=mm&r=g

This August at WVL, we’re hosting an unmissable motoring event! We’ve invited over 20 of the leading manufacturers to provide their latest, greatest vehicles for you to drive in what can only be described as the ultimate test drive event!

Test Drive Your Best Drive

This August at WVL: Test Drive your Best Drive – over 50 vehicles, from over 20 manufacturers over 4 themed weeks.

WVL have always put excellent customer service and insightful advice at the top of the list when it comes to winning and maintaining long term customers. Our event acknowledges that when a customer is in the market for a new vehicle, they’re faced with having to visit countless different dealerships, trying to coordinate test drives between them all, and having to remember all the facts and figures about each vehicle – not to mention how the look and feel of one compares to another. We also understand that brand-specific sales staff are of course obliged to favour their own when customers ask comparative questions.

What’s missing in the usual process?

Customers rarely – if ever – have the opportunity to compare different manufacturers’ vehicles side-by-side, test drive them back-to-back, and to gain objective advice and opinion about the pros and cons of each from truly impartial experts.

And that’s why, this August, we’re hosting this multi-marque, near-‘Olympic’-scale test drive event!

Each week we’ll focus on a particular category of vehicle, starting with Small Cars on the 1st August, on to Family Saloons, SUVs and 7-Seaters, week on week. Customers will be able to view and drive their choice of vehicles from our Windsor Showroom and gain a unbeatable opportunity to pitch them head-to-head.

4 Themed Weeks

Leasing Experts

Don’t forget, we’re leasing specialists and with a savvy team well-versed in how best to make the most of any motoring budget, we’re here to help you find the perfect vehicle for the ideal monthly payment.

Leasing is the smart, depreciation-beating way to drive a new car, and our month-long event this August gives you access to a full range of makes and models – and the very best deals – all under one roof here at WVL.

Book now!

We’re taking bookings already to ensure we can guarantee customers’ choice of vehicles and ample appointment time, so please register your interest now!

Click through to wvl.co.uk/testdrive for a full listing of all the vehicles available each week. Spot your favourites, complete the enquiry form, and book your test drives today!

Click through to full details

WVL featured in Fleet News

WVL – Featured in this month’s Fleet News

WVL – Featured in this month’s Fleet News https://wvl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/FN-featured.jpg 660 300 Anthony Anthony https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a9c4089fd91833b9d9ac3cd2423e0fcb?s=96&d=mm&r=g

We’re thrilled to have been featured in this month’s edition of the leading industry publication, ‘Fleet News‘. Sarah Tooze interviewed our chairman and owner, Philip Newton, about how he’s brought his past experience in retail to the fore here at WVL, and how it ensures our unique selling points keep us competitive against the big players in the lease industry. Read the article below for a great insight into WVL’s key strengths and our firm focus on delivering the very best in customer service.

APPLYING RETAIL PRINCIPLES TO THE LEASING INDUSTRY

Putting the customer first is Philip Newton’s priority – which he learned at Perfume Shop. Sarah Tooze reports

Smaller leasing companies must have a point of difference in order to win fleet managers away from the major providers. That’s the view of Philip Newton, chairman and owner of Windsor Vehicle Leasing (WVL).

Newton founded WVL in 1976, but spent 20 years outside the leasing industry, chiefly at the Perfume Shop. He grew it from a single store in 1991 to more than 100 stores by the time it was sold in 2005.

Newton subsequently returned to WVL, bringing with him a retailer’s perspective – his management team “roll their eyes every now and again when I say ‘when I was at Perfume Shop…’”, Newton says.

The key lesson he applies to WVL is that the customer is paramount. “You could have all the fancy ideas in the world, but if you’re not making an offer that has a point of difference and that appeals to the customer then you’re dead in the water,” Newton says.

“It’s essential for a business of our type and our size because we’re a smaller operator. There is room in the market for us but we have to get our offer right. And it has to be sufficiently different from what the big boys offer.”

Newton believes WVL “ought to be able to offer a better service” because “you can talk to the manager here, you don’t have to go through a number of dependents”.

WVL’s key point of difference is that it has a showroom from which it retails around 95% of returned vehicles. It also acquires about 10-15% of its fleet at auction, and has offered flexible leasing for the past five years. Newton believes that these aspects could see WVL climb to 25th spot in the FN50 in the next five years (up from 47 last year). In the short-term he has a more modest aim: to grow the fleet from 1,396 to 1,500 vehicles in the next year to 18 months. “I have learned that once you start winning it’s easier to win big,” Newton says. “But do it all in bite-size chunks so everyone can digest it, everyone can understand what you’re doing and where you are going.”

At the moment, Newton is looking for the business to grow organically rather than through acquisitions – but “maybe ask me in 12 months’ time and I’ll give you a different answer”, he says. “What I do know from my corporate past is that only one in three acquisitions works. That all comes down to the timing as far as the acquirer is concerned and whether he is absolutely ready to make such a move. And I’m not sure that we would be.”

Organic growth was the approach Newton took at the Perfume Shop.

“When I developed Perfume Shop I only ever opened 10 shops a year,” he says. “That sounds quite a lot but it wasn’t because I had the money to open 30 and there were 30 out there. We were much more focused on growing the business organically, growing the sales from the existing branches. There is much better return if you maximise your existing assets rather than go and buy new ones.”

Newton knows it is essential to have the right team in place. WVL has 22 staff, a number of whom are long-serving employees (managing director Philip Smith and account managers Peter Fletcher and Alan Robinson can all claim 15-plus years at the business, while sales director Allun Wilkins retired in March after 46 years), but it has recently created a new business development manager role and has plans to grow its account manager team.

WVL currently has 198 customers who typically have a fleet size of up 25 vehicles.

“Just from purchasing power and money interest rates, we wouldn’t be competitive for the big corporates,” Newton says. “That’s where the big boys will beat us hands down. But what we can do is provide alternatives. We’ll be really flexible with our customers. We’ll also take a chance on some customers that maybe don’t have the financial strength that the vehicles that they require demand. What we might want to do under those circumstances is dictate the fleet that they have so that we reduce our risk by managing the vehicle types and models to ensure that, if they do come back to us early, then we can move them on.”

When a vehicle is returned, WVL assesses whether it could be usefully re-leased on a short-term or medium-term basis to another customer, or whether it is a good proposition for its retail site.

Around 300 to 350 vehicles are returned to WVL each year and are generally between two and four years old.

Given that Lex Autolease has closed its retail sites in Coventry and Oldbury, and has outsourced the remaining elements of its vehicle remarketing operation to BCA, how does WVL make its retail site successful?

“Lex is a colossus,” Newton says. “Our account managers have responsibility for a vehicle from cradle to grave. They have a personal interest in that individual vehicle, so we can make decisions that Lex couldn’t make.”

He adds: “If one of the big leasing companies has a lease go wrong within three months or six months they have nowhere to store the car, they have no other use for the car so it has to go to the auction.

“We think that is fantastic because we can then buy those. We don’t buy on the same scale as they do, so if we get six to 10 cars back we can manage them. If Lex got 60-100 cars back on the same ratio they couldn’t manage them because space costs you so much money these days.”

WVL purchases anything up to 12 months old.

“There are some customers that may want a specific type of car but can’t afford the new version because of the depreciation hit,” Newton says. “We can buy them a new-used model and we can provide a much more competitive offer as a consequence.”

WVL also uses its own cash resource to spot buy.

“We might buy 10, 20 or 30 vehicles that are new at significant discount where we can offer real value to our customer,” Newton says. “That’s exactly what we used to do at Perfume Shop. A third of our product was always deeply discounted and a third of all of our offer at WVL eventually will provide the same opportunity.”

If I had a start-up business I would absolutely want to lease – it’s budget-proof”

Flexi-leasing (anything from a month to 12 months) offers “a clear market opportunity”, according to Newton, as it suits companies that have a six-month contract or who have employees on short-term contracts.

Currently, WVL has 150 vehicles on flexi-lease but expects this number to grow to 300 within 18 months as it has the facilities to cope with vehicles being “on churn all the time”, Newton says.

His other growth opportunity lies in convincing more SMEs to lease. “If I had a start-up business, I would absolutely want to lease simply because it’s budget-proof,” he says. “If you give the right information from the outset then you absolutely know what your vehicles are going to cost you.”

DAMAGE CHARGES NOT GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Leasing companies should not “rub their hands in glee” when they get big excess mileage charges or end-of-contract damage charges, according to Philip Newton. “It’s negative for the industry because someone with an excess mileage or damage charge is not going to come back to the lessor and they’ll have a bad taste in their mouth about the industry,” he says.

“We’re flexible enough to look at the customer: how long have they been with us, are they going to stay with us? If someone has abused the vehicle, they’ve thrown the keys back us and we’re never going to see them again, we’ll have a completely different view to someone that brings the car in, there is damage but we could get it repaired at much lesser cost than the customer could.”

First published in Fleet News, June 9–22, 2016. Reproduced with permission.

Click below to download a PDF of the article or see online at FleetNews.co.uk:

Fleet News: Spotlight - Windsor vehicle leasing

Windsor Vehicle Leasing… and Sales!

Windsor Vehicle Leasing… and Sales! https://wvl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/WVL-blog-showroom-customer.jpg 660 441 Anthony Anthony https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a9c4089fd91833b9d9ac3cd2423e0fcb?s=96&d=mm&r=g

Here at WVL, we pride ourselves on offering motor solutions for everyone.

Aware it still suits some people to own their own vehicle, we are pleased to be able to offer a wide range of competitively priced cars for sale from our Windsor site and showroom.

From small economical runarounds, to large executive makes and models, we have something for just about everyone… All from a company with a long history of quality service and customer care.

Most of our vehicles are ex-lease – this means that we know their full history, they’ve been expertly and regularly maintained, and as a rule, have only had one driver.

In short, great cars at great prices! See all available cars for sale here at wvlsales.co.uk – and why not pop along to our Windsor showroom, talk to our vehicle experts, and take a test drive today!

WVL – we’ll get you motoring!