Customer-purpose-driven partnership for holistic e-commerce approach
smart partners with ALD Automotive for a fully integrated and digital leasing model
Leinfelden-Echterdingen, 11 May 2022. Nowadays, the need for mobility is growing faster than ever globally. However, the terms under which this fast-paced demand takes place are changing significantly. More often than not, individual mobility is connected to the usership rather than the ownership of an automobile now, which results in vast implications for the purchasing process itself.
59 per cent of car buyers worldwide would be interested in ordering their individual mobility solution solely through an online process. This enhances the need to provide innovative, flexible, convenient, and affordable mobility offerings on top of selling cars.
With the rebrand of the company, the introduction of the all-new smart #1, and the change to a new End-to-End business model, smart has anticipated the changing mobility needs on a product and business level to create a seamless customer experience. As a key part of this ecosystem smart partners up with ALD Automotive to integrate one single financial partner with fully digital operational leasing services into its upcoming e-commerce solution.
smart and ALD Automotive partner up for a holistic e-commerce approach
smart clearly sees a shift in the car sales market towards more flexible leasing solutions, especially in the segment of electric mobility. Hence one of the strongest names for leasing services with full digital integration in the business is just the right partner: ALD Automotive.
Adrian Porter (Head of Strategic Partnerships at ALD Automotive) and Dirk Adelmann (CEO of smart Europe) at the smart #1 world premiere
Dirk Adelmann, CEO at smart Europe: “At smart, we were looking for a capable partner that understands and supports our vision of a completely integrated customer experience right from the start. We will connect the customers to a wide variety of mobility usage forms out there and we have found just the right company to transform with. We are very happy to be working with ALD Automotive today and in the future, as they share our full commitment to sustainable mobility. Together we form the nucleus of a partnership model that is completely new and unique to the market.”
As a renowned premium EV brand, smart has a very reliable, dense, and experienced distribution network covering sales, after sales and services in Europe. This combines perfectly with the financial capacity, operational leasing expertise, extensive European coverage, integrated digital leasing capability and innovative portfolio of mobility services from ALD Automotive. With this partnership smart is able to implement a true omnichannel experience. It will allow a seamless switch from online to offline channels and back for each step of the customer journey depending on individual preferences. The physical retail in its updated form will remain a vital factor for success at smart.
smart customers greatly benefit from ALD Automotive’s expertise
ALD Automotive delivers a digital full-service leasing customer journey on smart's websites and in dedicated agencies. ALD Automotive processes the contracts for these services entirely online, from quotes and credit assessment to e-signing of the contract and manages the lease for the duration of the contract. This partnership enables the integration of mobility offerings into the smart End-to-End ecosystem and grants a seamless digital experience throughout the complete lifecycle of the customer. This holistic approach and overarching data exchange between the customer, smart and ALD Automotive will optimize the pre-lease, in life and post-lease supply chain greatly.
John Saffrett, Deputy CEO at ALD Automotive: “At ALD Automotive we are especially excited about this unique collaboration with smart. Our services will be fully embedded into smart’s holistic approach on different levels in contrast to a ‘bolt-on’ approach. This means for us, that there will be a complete integration of all vital parts such as customer service or contract management, which helps us to truly collaborate as partners on eye-level throughout the full customer lifecycle. We are very proud to team up with pioneers like smart who share a common vision of delivering mobility that supports sustainable and connected lifestyles.”
With this purpose-driven partnership between smart and ALD Automotive, which will be starting with the smart #1, the access to future mobility platforms is right where the customers want it and can utilize it best.
Press contact:
Steven Peddie
Head of Public Relations and Communications smart Europe GmbH
Email: eu.communications@smart.com