Audi is promising to reduce vehicle delivery times to acceptable levels – from the lengthy waits of several months customers have experienced in recent years – as it seeks to eradicate the problem in 2013.

“When I speak with major customers and leasing customers, the major challenge was supply,” UK boss Martin Sander told BusinessCar.

“The product is in such huge demand that the factory couldn’t catch up with the dramatic increase in fleet and retail.

“Now we see supply coming through we can bring lead times down – supply is dramatically better than it used to be and will be better in 2013.”

Sander said the main challenge is to eradicate the firm’s reputation as one with long waits for its vehicles.

“We have to overcome the image that Audi has lead times and availability issues. It was a situation we created ourselves and have now resolved,” he declared.

Partially as a result of the vehicle supply issues, Sander said he’s looking to build closer bonds with the market.

“We have the possibility to increase relationships with contract hire and leasing and major customers – if we share their business model and effort in solving problems then it’s easier to come up with solution,” he said.

“I’ve spent time with contract hire & leasing firms and customers, and I think we can do a much better job to help their business and make life easier for them.”

Sander instigated a restructure of Audi’s UK hierarchy earlier this year, which saw Paul Sansom move from being head of aftersales and service to a new role encompassing both fleet and retail sales.

“I strongly believe it’s important for one person to run all aspects of sales. When you’re talking about customers and dealers delivering cars, there’s not a clear distinction between fleet and retail,” said Sander.

“It’s important to have someone that has overall understanding and is managing supply to various channels so neither one has an advantage over the others because of the way it’s set up.”

James Douglas was recently recruited from Nissan to head up the fleet side of the business, reporting in to Sansom. “We want to be number one in terms of sales and image in the UK. and we want people who like to be challenged,” said Sander.

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