Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) Australia has implemented the Miles software solution from Sofico, the privately owned provider of global fleet, leasing and mobility software.

The implementation project took just 11 weeks from start to end, including configuration, development and testing, the fastest time that Sofico has ever installed Miles, according to the company.

VWFS was first established in Sydney in June 2001 with just five employees, but today employs over 110 full-time employees.

Its primary objective is to provide finance and insurance products to around 700 retailers representing automotive brands within the Volkswagen Group, including Volkswagen Passenger and Commercial Vehicles, Audi, ŠKODA, Bentley, and Lamborghini.

In December last year, VWFS began a tender process to find a fleet software supplier with an IT solution capable of supporting a new portfolio of fleet-specific products and services as part of a move into the Australian fleet market.

The primary objective of the fleet project was to deliver an IT system, infrastructure and processes for a new, branded fleet management organisation, and to help establish the new venture as a leading fleet provider.

VWFS followed a selected tender process and evaluated three fleet system solution providers, according to Philip Farhart, Fleet Project Manager at VWFS Australia.

“The main qualifying standards were that our new supplier had to fit with our existing infrastructure and be in complete alignment with our product and market development road map. They also had to provide a local office and resources capability, with existing fleet functionality and a fleet software solution that was currently deployed in Australia,” he said.

Sofico met all the requirements and was appointed as fleet system vendor partner to VWFS’ new fleet venture in March of this year.

Belgium-based Sofico first opened an Australian office in Sydney in 2002 in response to demand from a growing Australian fleet and leasing market.

Today, the company’s systems manage over 300,000 cars in Australia and New Zealand for a variety of fleet management and leasing companies, both captive and non-captive.

“Since we opened the Australian office in 2001, we have slowly taken over the market and are currently the market leader,” added Koenraad Van Grimbergen.