ABM Q4 - Flipbook - Page 81
Q&A
MERCEDES-BENZ VANS
factors have an impact on what we do,
you can never say.
IF: You also need to remember that we
need flexibility. A couple of years ago we
came out and spoke about electric-first
and electric-only, and then a year later it
was tactical flexibility, because adoption
hasn't happened as expected. We want
all our products to be electric-first,
that's the mindset. But there are going
to be use cases until the technology and
customer demand catches up. For us it’s
electric. That's our future, that's the way
we're going – for both cars and vans.
How is your fleet strategy
developing?
The Mercedes-Benz
Vito Sport-X
IF: With the UK market being so heavily
driven by fleets, it's definitely a big part
of all commercial business here. We have
a fleet strategy, and we've been very
successful with some of the very large
fleets.
More important, if you look back at UK
history and the customers we've had, is
winning back those customers – not only
because of the product, but because of
the service and the dealer network.
SN: If I go back to the last decade,
the market was very much driven
by transaction pricing. What we're
seeing now – and predominantly as
a consequence of Covid-19 – is real
recognition of the whole TCO package.
What's driving that is an understanding
of what this vehicle is going to cost me if
it's not operating.
The conversations we're having with
customers now are that the transaction
price is always going to be a key element
of the purchase decision, but it's also
‘what can you do to keep me moving, to
keep my business moving?’
Our customers are serving customers.
It's about how we help them beat their
competition and help them serve their
customers all day, every day.
Does that give you
the confidence to be
a little firmer on
transaction prices?
SN: I've been in sales a long time, and
there always has to be a point where
you just have to walk away, because you
can't make it work.
But there also needs to be a degree
of pragmatism. As long as there's
the opportunity for discussion and
negotiation, then hopefully common
sense will prevail.
IF: It's no longer just about the
transactional price – certainly not for
businesses.
Every brand has had customers leave
and customers come back, and when
they come back, they're coming back for
the service, for the reliability.
Fleet, retail and SME – that's what we
do. Everybody has a place at the table;
we need to make sure we're serving all
of them.
Q4
Q2 2026
AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS
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