Select Car Leasing has sharpened its focus on the used vehicle and van lease markets with the help of a new appointment.
The Reading-based broker has recruited Sam Bryan as the new manager of both divisions, as it pushes ahead with “incredibly exciting” opportunities. Bryan began his journey with Select nine years ago and has previously held head of sales and induction & training manager roles.
Speaking about his new position and the opportunities for the van leasing market, Bryan said: “Continuing to increase the availability of vans is vital for us; our customers need a new lease van, and they need it yesterday. We also need to support customers in their journey to electric vehicles, ensuring the vehicle has enough range and load capacity to meet very precise needs.
“It’s important to recognise that more and more van lease customers are downsizing their vehicles, too, moving into smaller LCVs. That’s largely down to a shift in the way that industry operates with, for example, more and more building materials being delivered directly to site, rather than having to be hauled there by business owners and employees in their own vans. It means a customer might be best suited to a medium-sized Ford Transit Custom, rather than having to lease a large Ford Transit, and we have to be agile in our approach when discussing a van lease with them.”
Bryan, who returns to Select after spending a year travelling around Europe in his Volkswagen T5 Transporter campervan with his family, will also promote the company’s Re-Lease proposition. Launched in 2022, this offers nearly new lease vehicles that are just two or three years old to customers in partnership with Select’s funding partners.
Bryan said the market presents enormous opportunities for Select, particularly in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.
“Re-Lease has all the benefits of leasing new – including the peace of mind that comes with fixed cost motoring and optional maintenance contracts – but you also have increased affordability built-in. Whether someone is new to leasing or they’ve leased in the past, we can place customers in a used vehicle that’s simply more affordable for them, or they can get a higher-spec vehicle for similar sorts of money to what they’re used to paying. Used Re-Lease has real appeal right now.”
Used vehicle leasing is also a high-growth area with electric vehicles.
“Many customers will lease as a way to drive their first EV, particularly as there’s no risk of ownership or depreciation, and Re-Lease makes that journey even more accessible to them.
“While affordability is one key factor, the other big driver is availability, with the quick lead times on Re-lease vehicles being a huge draw. We’re also exploring opportunities with new partners as we seek to ramp up our Re-Lease offering. And it’s an incredibly exciting position to be in, especially with Select’s reach as a business,” added Bryan.
