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An inside look at the vehicle leasing business

Leasing a car can be a luxury or a necessity for a business. Bdaily speaks to Kay Bosley, group project manager at AMT Group in Leeds about cars, consulting and what she would change about the motoring industry if she could.

What do you think sets AMT apart from other car leasing brokers?

There are a number of things that set us apart from the many other leasing brokers out there. Firstly, because we have our own rental fleet of around 1,000 prestige vehicles, we are more agile in terms of our ability to provide interim solutions during the leasing process such as short and longer term flexible rental. In addition to this, and maybe key, we have partner funders and also our own funding lines and book debt.

Our specialist vehicle business means that we are also able to offer a part exchange service and we purchase direct for some of our larger customers meaning that we are able to provide a truly comprehensive and cohesive fleet management service to cover pretty much any need.

You offer a wide range of choice of vehicles - how do you maintain this competitiveness across the board?

Strong partnerships are essential in this business and we enjoy longstanding relationships with all of the suppliers that we work with from manufacturers to dealers.

In addition to this, we regularly review our dealings with both manufacturers and dealers to ensure that we are getting the best possible deals available at the time and we also commit volume to our partners for forward orders and current stock.

What do you think the automotive industry will be like in two years time?

Technological advances in vehicle manufacture are growing at an exponential rate and we are starting to see more hybrid, electric and even self-driven cars being produced which in my opinion means that the automotive industry is only going to grow and diversify over the next few years.

Environmental concerns also play a huge part in how the industry develops and with pressure from both the incumbent Government and concerned consumers to lower CO2 emissions, it is likely that we will see more efficient cars on the roads as a matter of course.

In particular, I believe that we will see a decrease in the size of the typical family car and more SUV derivatives. With more drivers on the roads now than ever before, advances in this area seem likely to be the highest priority.

What services can you offer businesses and fleet managers?

We offer a completely outsourced fleet management solution from start to finish. What really sets us apart is that we don’t just go after the initial sale but work with our customers to find the best solution for them from duty of care, risk assessment, pricing and maintenance management right through to disposal at the end of the leasing agreement. We stick with our customers throughout the whole process.

What advice would you give someone that has never leased a vehicle before?

Don`t assume that leasing is right for everyone. Leasing a car is a highly cost effective way of keeping costs down and fixing your monthly outgoings, but for a business, there are far more considerations to take into account, such as corporation tax position, whole life cost of ownership, depreciation and disposal costs. We offer a full consultative analysis to our business customers ensuring we offer the very best advice based on fact. As a private individual, Leasing is a low cost alternative to owning a car, but always ensure you provide accurate mileage information when requesting a quote. Excess mileage charges are there for a reason, and will be enforced if the mileage is exceeded. Always remember you are paying for the use of someone else’s car.

If you could change one motoring law, what would it be? And why?

I would abolish the restricted speed limits on Motorways during rush hour and during busy periods. It causes traffic congestion not improves it. We are seeing far longer tailbacks, more driver frustration and wasted fuel through cars sat with engines idling for long periods.

What car do you drive at the moment?

I drive an Audi A6 S-Line Black Edition. I cannot fault the car. It`s comfortable, quiet, economical, and drives like a dream.