Jaguar Land Rover has announced an enhanced global fleet and business sales strategy, which will maximize sales in established markets, exploit opportunities in emerging markets, and play a critical role in helping Jaguar Land Rover achieve a significant increase in fleet sales by 2020.

At the heart of this enhanced approach are the Jaguar XE and Land Rover Discovery Sport – the most business friendly models ever to be launched by Jaguar and Land Rover, according to the automaker.

Together with this investment in product is an investment in Jaguar Land Rover’s global fleet and business presence. The global Jaguar Land Rover retailer network is intended to grow from 2,600 across 180 countries at present to over 3,300 by 2020, while specialist fleet and business centers will account for 20 to 25 percent of total volume. Mirroring this will be a joint portfolio fleet and business sales approach, with corporate sales teams visiting clients as one collective brand, offering both Jaguar and Land Rover products. In line with this commitment Jaguar Land Rover aims to increase global fleet sales from 16 percent to circa 25 percent of total volume, according to the automaker.

At the same time as improving the way it does face-to-face business, Jaguar Land Rover has invested in its digital marketing with a new international fleet and business website at http://www.fleet-business.jaguarlandrover.com designed to channel customers in the most efficient manner possible. Jaguar Land Rover has also invested heavily in engaging with business customers on international networking social media site, LinkedIn.

This investment in retailers, corporate sales staff and digital infrastructure will see the proportion of global sales from fleet and business increase from 17 percent to around 25 percent by 2020, while the XE will be Jaguar Land Rover’s biggest global fleet and business seller, according to the automaker.

In the UK, the new Jaguar XE is expected to significantly increase Jaguar’s volume in a full 12-month sales period. Some 45 percent of XE sales will come from the fleet and business sector, which has resulted in significant investment in Jaguar Land Rover’s UK corporate sales structure. Now working across the Jaguar and Land Rover brands are four senior-level managers at head office, while the UK field-based sales team has grown from 16 to 22, implementing a new direct sales approach that will meet and exceed the needs of large fleets, according to the automaker.

The retailer network has also benefitted from significant investment with a new structure put in place that will serve the needs of SMEs and user choosers. Some 25 local fleet and business teams, selected based on their desire and opportunity to serve local businesses, have been appointed who will sell 80-100 cars locally, according to the automaker. This dedicated retailer-based team will mean that small businesses and user choosers – who are often neglected by manufacturers – find they are treated in just the same way as retail customers.

The automaker said it expects the best-selling fleet and business model is set to be the XE 2.0d StopStart EU6 R-Sport Auto, anticipated to account for the majority of XE fleet and business sales. Not only will it offer business drivers the lowest total cost of ownership in the premium c-segment, it will retain an RV of 45 per cent after 3yrs/30,000 miles according to CAP.

Further peace of mind for fleets comes in the form of two fixed price service plans for the XE. For those who cover 10,000 miles a year, the plan will cost just £475, while for higher mileage drivers who cover 75,000 miles over five years, the plan will rise to just £675. Further attractions for fleet and business customers are satnav available as standard and an intuitive new InControl Infotainment system with an eight-inch touchscreen, according to the automaker.

Both the XE and Land Rover Discovery Sport have been designed and developed with Jaguar Land Rover’s global fleet and business team involved from the start. When it goes on sale in January, the Discovery Sport will be the most efficient production Land Rover ever, with competitive residual values and outstanding versatility for fleets thanks to a seven-seater option. Later in 2015, it will be available in 2WD eD4 form with CO2 emissions of 119g/km, according to the automaker.