Automotive Business Magazine – Q3 2026 – Digital edition - Flipbook - Page 91
OPINION
LE AS I N G
The real
differentiator?
→ Mike Thompson is chief operating officer at Leasing Options
F
or years, the industry has
focused on price, product
availability and finance terms.
Those things still matter.
Customers will always want
a competitive deal, the right
vehicle and confidence that
the monthly payment works
for them. But the leasing
market has changed. Vehicles are more
advanced, choice is greater, lead times
have moved around, EVs have added new
questions, and customers are doing far
more research.
That means the real difference is often
not just what deal someone can find,
but how easy, honest and reassuring the
whole process feels.
For many personal and business
leasing customers, the vehicle is only
one part of the decision. They want to
know what is included, what happens at
delivery, how long it will take, what they
need to do next, and who will help them
if something changes.
In a market where many offers
can look similar on the surface, the
businesses that keep customers
informed will earn trust. That is
especially important in leasing, because
the customer journey does not end when
an order is placed.
Quick, not cold
Technology has a big role to play,
but it must be used in the right way.
Digital tools should make the customer
experience simpler, not colder.
Online quotes, order tracking,
automated updates and self-serve
information are all valuable, but they
cannot replace good advice and human
judgement. The best experience comes
when technology removes the friction,
and people add the reassurance.
A good example is live delivery
tracking, which gives customers clearer
information about where their vehicle is
and when it is expected to arrive.
It sounds simple, but it deals with one
of the biggest sources of anxiety in the
leasing process. People do not just want
to know their car is coming. They want
to know when, what the next step is, and
whether they need to do anything.
That level of visibility also helps our
dealer partners and internal teams.
When everyone is working from better
information, there are fewer unnecessary
calls, fewer surprises and a smoother
experience all round.
The same principle applies across
the whole leasing journey. Clear
communication at the start helps
customers understand the agreement
they are entering into. Good handover
information helps them feel confident
when the vehicle arrives. Proactive
support during the contract helps
prevent small issues becoming bigger
frustrations. A well-managed renewal
process helps keep customers loyal.
Customers compare
Leasing customers are more informed
than ever. They compare prices, read
reviews, check delivery times and expect
the same ease they get in other parts of
their lives.
The challenge for the industry is to
avoid treating customer experience as a
slogan. It is about designing the whole
process around the customer’s questions,
worries and expectations.
That means being honest when there
are delays, explaining finance clearly,
making EV advice practical and easy
to understand. It means supporting
businesses with the information they
need to keep drivers moving, and
remembering that every vehicle order
matters to the person behind it.
The companies that win long term
will be those that combine competitive
offers with clarity, care and consistency.
Customer experience is becoming the
real differentiator. The experience is
where loyalty is built.
Q3
Q2 2026 AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS
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