New car market Aftersales conference News Showroom AM contacts Used car market News digest Recruitment Saab works hard to win back fleet sales Saab is planning to re- establish itself as a fleet favourite after sales were decimated following the uncertainty of its future. Now its future is secure under the owner­ship of Spyker and production of the new 9- 5 is underway, the Swedish manufacturer must now work hard to get fleets, lease compa­nies and private buyers back into its cars. " We urgently need to re- establish our credentials with the fleets, but the first job is to move the fleet operation out of the General Motors UK headquarters," Saab GB managing director Jonathan Nash told AM. " We have done well in the past with drivers who can pick from a range of cars but many fleets simply took us off the lists because of the uncertainty about the future of the brand. Putting that right will take a few months and will be hard work, but cars like the new 9- 5 will help us get re- established," he said. With the end of scrappage, dealers will be back to ' business as usual' for the second quarter - if there is such a thing in the current economic climate. But what is shaping your vision of the future? Now is the time to ensure your budget forecasts are realistic and based in the real world, rather than a simple exercise in positive accounting. See if your team has real goals or just good intentions. What are their goals based on? Will the goals stretch the sales and service teams? In the current climate, they need to prove their value to the business. In a post- scrappage environment, targets should not be ones that destroy staff morale. Examine how service can help. Step back and review the plan for reaching the goal. You need a plan to get there which is more detailed than just ' selling more'. It is also vital to bear in mind external factors, such as the Budget and the upcoming election, which can impact on customer footfall. Where to in the second quarter? Advertisement feature ?? ?? To find out how MAPFRE ABRAXAS can help your business, call: 0845 1368430 or log onto www. mapfreassistance. co. uk Nancy Rignall - Commercial Director

Focus on Aftersales 2010 Deliver a stronger aftersales business An inspiring one- day conference focusing on the key issues and critical themes affecting your aftersales business today With uncertainty around new car sales, dealers will continue to face a string of financial challenges in 2010. Now more than ever you need to be focusing on your aftersales business April 22nd 2010 Royal Berkshire Conference Centre, Madejski Stadium, Reading Prize draw Two tickets to see England's final freindly at Wembley prior to the World Cup. Plus Limited edition Lewis Hamilton oil block www. aftersalesconference. co. ukMANHEIMAftersales Solutions Co- sponsors Headline sponsors