Mazda improves competitiveness with short delivery times

While customers currently might experience average waiting times of up to 12-14 weeks at other maufactors, Mazda identified the field as one to improve its competitive position with regards to corporate customers.

The brand developed a ‘fleet vehicle sold order pot’ programme, allowing the most important dealerships to meet corporate demand within 12-14 days of orders placed.

Mazda Fleet and Remarketing Director Peter Allibon claims: “Many fleets and company car drivers are not prepared to wait that long for new company cars. As a result they are increasingly turning to Mazda and 15-20 percent of new business wins are as a consequence of having short lead times."

Mazda has seen sales to Britain’s leading contract hire and leasing companies rise by 20.9 percent in 2010. The programme launched last year, asks the four leading dealers to forecast the model mix they expect to be ordered, vehicles are then manufactured and held centrally on the dockside at Zeebrugge in Belgium. This allows dealers to ‘pull’ cars from the ‘pot’ and deliver to customers within 10-14 days.

The number of vehicles held at Zeebrugge has increased from 600 to 900 in the final quarter of 2010. The majority of vehicles held are Mazda6 diesel hatchbacks, estates and Mazda3 diesel hatchbacks.

Richard Siney, Operations Director at Norton Way Motors, explains the success: “Our customers require cars because they are a business necessity and waiting times of 20 weeks or more being quoted by other manufacturers are simply unacceptable to them.”

According to Mr Allibon, Mazda is looking to expand the programme to more dealers:“We will roll the initiative out to more dealers because of the lengthening vehicle build lead times of other manufacturers. Businesses and their company car drivers are only prepared to wait so long for cars and several months is unacceptable to many.”