BACK TO WORK
FCA never lost focus as pandemic hit UK shores Being headquartered in Italy helped give carmaker early warning of what impacts to expect from coronavirus
C
oronavirus and the resultant lockdown polarised the fleet sector. In one corner were the businesses whose staff began working from home or were furloughed, resulting in company cars and vans sitting idle on driveways. In the other, were the essential services, bluelight, utilities and home delivery, which faced unprecedented demand on their staff and vehicles. Their need for support from key partners never diminished. Manufacturers also faced huge challenges, as production plants fell silent and some team members were furloughed – yet they also recognised the need to keep key workers’ vehicles on the road and to continue supplying new vehicles where they could. FCA was one of the first manufacturers to recognise the severity of the situation as its home Italian market was the first European country to be affected by the virus. “It very quickly became evident that the prospect of lockdown was inevitable,” says Iain Montgomery, FCA fleet and remarketing director. “So, our focus became how we could keep the business relationships and communication lines open, and how we would work with bluelight and key workers to keep them running from both supply and maintenance perspectives.” Mirroring scenes across the country, FCA furloughed where the impact on customers would be least felt. Here, Montgomery outlines the company’s response to coronavirus and how it was able to maintain its support for fleets.
8
