Switzerland: Leasing still lags behind

When it comes to FullService Leasing, Switzerland has a much lower demand than other developed EU countries. We asked the most important providers for reasons, learned why customer requirements are on the rise, and collected important tips in order to choose the right Full-Service Leasing partner.

“The reasons are primarily cultural, combined with emotions and prejudices. It might even be a generational issue”, says Sven Knötig, Manager Business & Strategy Development of LeasePlan (Schweiz) AG.

A CERTAIN DISTRUST

Swiss companies tend to have ample financial reserves, so buying rather than leasing does not present a cash-flow problem, states Claudia Casagrande, head of staff at MF Fleetmanagement AG. “There is a certain distrust towards leasing, as well as the wish to acquire property”, adds Matthias Bischof, Sales and Marketing Director at Alphabet. “But the market also lags behind the EU when it comes to the knowledge of the advantages of Full-Service Leasing”.

Despite all this, the majority of respondents report a slightly increased demand for full-service leasing over the past few years. We have noticed this increase as well, for premium vehicles. The trend was brought on by the crisis of the Swiss franc, which led to very favourable conditions and discount campaigns.

TCO VIEWPOINT

While some confirm this trend, other providers could not affirm the increase. Says Jochen Hambach, Head of Daimler Fleet Management: “A purchase decision is never made solely on the basis of discounts: in a good consultation, the customer's goals regarding mobility, processes and budget are always the most important points. From a TCO point of view, a premium vehicle is not necessarily more expensive – even if the sale price is higher”.

Customer requirements, however, have definitely increased, and make enquiries regarding Full-Service Leasing more complex, says Daniel Lanz, CEO of CarNet Management AG: “This is not just a trend anymore, it is day-to-day business. One example are today’s car policies, in which various vehicle categories have to be depicted, from benefit vehicles to work vehicles to engineering vehicles. Within each category, various fleet models make sense. But that increases complexity”.

LOW PRICING

Claudia Casagrande adds: “Customers expect as much service as possible for as little money as possible. Low pricing and high residual value are taken for granted. We also notice the trend towards process rather than solution orientation. Transparency and insight through reports and evaluations, and even access to existing client applications, are increasingly expected, among others in international companies”.

Authored by Rafael Künzle, aboutFLEET