When combining commercial vehicle and passenger car sales, the brand claims it enjoyed a record year for fleet business in 2012 with almost 57,400 sales, following growth of 40% over three years. An increase in the dealer network from 54 to 72 sites last year, including expansion of the Business Centre Network, will support further growth as will the establishment of a dedicated van team led by national LCV sales manager Matt Dale.
A key focus will be on improving out-of-hours aftersales services for CV operators, an area where Dale admits: “We haven’t been as robust as we ought to have been.”
The brand is to roll out a CV servicing scheme from April that will concentrate on keeping customers mobile, providing expertise on site and ensuring workshops are easy to do business with – particularly through online provisions and servicing programmes.
A prominent statement of Nissan’s increased fleet intent is its relationship with British Gas. The utility giant has been testing the E-NV200 since May 2012 and in October it enlisted 138 Primastar vans into its fleet. The development lends credence to corporate sales director Jon Pollock’s assertion that “we are becoming a more credible fleet player”.
In January Nissan added the entry-level Visia to its range of Navara pick-ups with the specific aim of attracting business from major fleets, as opposed to from the leisure and dual use sectors where it is already well established with high-end versions such as the Tekna and Outlaw.
The Visia has a starting price of £17,995, excluding VAT, and is targeted at the Toyota Hilux HL2 and the Mitsubishi L200 4Life.
