Long gone are the days where you hand over a wad of cash and the dealer hands you the keys. Today’s truck buying options includes more than just the equipment itself. Truck OEMs are bundling insurance and preventative maintenance into the purchase options, and that means your relationship with the dealer has evolved from a transactional into a collaborative one.
“Today’s customer is looking for something different,” noted Patti Brault, vice president of sales, Navistar Financial, when she took the time to talk about the relaunch of Navistar Financial’s retail options. “They’re not just looking for the traditional lease and loan option. They’re looking for a more robust, comprehensive solution that includes things such as insurance or preventative maintenance support. They’re looking for a more bundled holistic solution than just a simple loan release.”
Navistar Financial offers customers new and used equipment ownership and leasing options which include truck bodies and vehicle modifications, extended service contracts, and service solutions and will soon extend to insurance offerings and preventative maintenance contracts. That type of bundling will extend into the world of zero-emissions vehicles as more come into the market.
“It is our responsibility, our obligation to make sure that the ecosystem is set up,” Brault said. “When we sell that battery electric vehicle, it’s no longer our responsibility just to sell the vehicle; it’s to make sure that the vehicle can be successful as it goes out on its routes. That includes thinking about the capacity for electricity, the charging infrastructure, the route management.”
For more on the shifting truck acquisition landscape and Navistar Financial’s newly launched role in developing it, watch the video above for all of Brault’s insight.
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