Amstel Lease: Europe’s Best Leasing Company for SMEs
Utrecht, the Netherlands, 11.12.2009
Presentation of Leasing Life Award during Asset Finance Conference in Berlin
On 10 December, Amstel Lease won the 2009 Leasing Life Award as Europe’s Best Leasing Company for SMEs. The
award was presented during the international Asset Finance Conference in
Berlin, and the nominees included top leasing companies ING Lease, Parfip Lease
and UniCredit Leasing. The jury particularly commended the quality of the
services Amstel Lease provides to customers of its parent bank, ABN Amro. Amstel
Lease CEO Frank Stienstra, commenting on the award: 'Although we're obviously extremely
proud, we would like to dedicate this award to our loyal customers, without
whom we never would have been able to achieve this'.
Countercyclical marketing strategy
In its assessment, the jury – consisting of international business leaders from
the leasing sector – lauded the countercyclical marketing strategy developed by Amstel Lease in
order to deal with the difficult market conditions. A key component of this
strategy was a multimedia approach, including a radio campaign, an ingenious
plan to finance all types of operating assets, a doubling of the number of customer
visits, and the launch of an electronic newsletter.
Stable despite the odds
Amstel
Lease’s energetic approach has allowed the company to maintain its new business
volume in the SME sector at the 2008 level, with the number of customers even
increasing by 10% and the number of employees remaining level. This achievement
is all the more remarkable considering the major cuts in investment throughout
the SME sector and the fact that a large number of Amstel Lease's customers
operate in seriously affected industries such as transport and construction.
THINK BIGGER
Philip
Kok, Director of Sales for the SME sector: 'Our
slogan is THINK BIGGER, and in recent years we have been focusing particularly
on growth. In the current investment climate, the meaning of THINK BIGGER has
shifted from growth to 'think differently'. We would encourage all businesses
to think outside the box: the current economy has forced them to think about financing
in a more creative and critical way. Leasing, for example, can provide a number
of benefits that are particularly relevant right now, such as balance sheet
management and increasing working capital. THINK BIGGER is more than a slogan to
us – it's a principle we apply every day. We have strengthened our
relationships with our clients, helping them to determine what financing
solution suits them best. This requires sophisticated knowledge of finance, and
we make a point of sharing that knowledge with our clients at seminars, in
reports and in newsletters. However, THINK BIGGER is expressed mainly through
the way we support businesses in difficult financial situations – together with
them, we review measures that provide them with a little relief and help them
through these tough times. This demonstrates that our relationships with our
clients are as vital to us as ever – it's all part of THINKING BIGGER!"
About Amstel Lease
Amstel
Lease, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2008, is one of the
largest leasing companies in the Netherlands. Specialized in equipment lease and
engaged in financing fixed operating assets through customized leasing plans, the
company employs 150 people with a turnover for 2008 of EUR 1.2 billion. Amstel
Lease Maatschappij N.V. is a separate and independent subsidiary of ABN Amro. For
more information, please visit: www.amstellease.nl
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Note for the Editor (not for
publication):
For more information, please contact Robert
Engel, Amstel Lease PR & Communications Manager. Mobile: +31 6 109 372 12,
or send an e-mail to robert.jan.engel@nl.amstellease.com
