Volvo Car UK grew its true fleet sales by 20%, posting a total of 17,035 cars, last year.

It saw significant increases in sales to both SMEs and large corporates, which it says is down to the firm’s continual evolution of its business sales strategy and its investment last year in a team of virtual sales managers.

The team is dedicated to the specific needs of the SME market, with each manager working hand in hand with customers to identify their individual vehicle needs. Some 60% of the cars sold through the team in 2019 were to customers new to the brand.

The marked growth in true fleet sales – which exclude Motability, rental, retailer demonstrators and internal cars – has played a vital role in helping Volvo Car UK achieve its best overall sales year for 29 years, with the total of 56,208 cars representing a 12% increase on 2018, it said.

Steve Beattie, head of business sales at Volvo Car UK, explained: “The restructuring of our business sales team towards the end of 2018, together with the launch of our team of virtual sales managers last year, has paid great dividends.

“Meanwhile, our comprehensive product range – including our unique-in-market full line-up of plug-in hybrids – is successfully meeting the needs of today’s customers who are increasingly looking to the future by reducing their environmental impact.”

Demonstrating this point, plug-in hybrids accounted for 24% of the company’s fleet sales in the last quarter of 2019.

The imminent arrival of the XC40 T5 Twin Engine, whose order bank is already strong, is likely to help Volvo build on this success in 2020 as the firm strengthens its range and introduces further new electrified vehicles including its first all-electric car.

Beattie concluded: “2019 has shown us that despite market challenges, Volvo Car UK can make significant progress because we are helping our customers make the right fleet choices.

“As we move into the new decade, our objective stays the same – to make life easier for our business customers.”

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