Premium Volvo Now Available on the Internet
5 November 1997
Premium Volvo Now Available on the Internet
You, too, can buy a $120,000 Volvo truck on the World Wide Web
GREENSBORO, N.C., Nov. 5 -- CD player, air conditioner, rust
proofing. If you think buying an automobile can be complex, with all of the
options and colors, imagine purchasing an 18-wheeler with hundreds of options
from transmissions to interiors. Now imagine doing that when you're on the
road more often than you're home and running a business from what ever town
you happen to be in.
Well, one company, Volvo Trucks North America, understands these
challenges and as of Nov. 1, has begun offering truckers the opportunity to
purchase a Volvo truck via the Internet.
Volvo Trucks is the first American truck manufacturer to offer truckers in
the United States and Canada this service. Trucking professionals who visit
Volvo Trucks' web site (http://www.volvotrucks.volvo.com) will be able to customize,
order and finance a Volvo 770 from the convenience of their office or home
computer or from the road with a laptop. With an average purchase price of
$120,000, the Volvo 770, Volvo Trucks' premier model, could be one of the most
expensive items available for purchase on the Internet.
"This is a revolutionary shift in how a custom-built truck is sold," said
Marc Gustafson, president and CEO of Volvo Trucks North America, Inc. "The
ability to order a Volvo 770 on the World Wide Web demonstrates our commitment
to providing trucking professionals with new, effective ways to do business
with us -- wherever they may be, at any time of the day.
"Some people outside our industry may not know how business savvy today's
truckers are," added Gustafson. "They are smart business people who use high-
tech tools to run their businesses. These are the kind of professionals who
drive Volvo trucks."
According to Mike Delaney, Volvo Trucks' vice president of marketing, the
decision to sell trucks via the Internet was driven by the significant
percentage of truckers who are already on-line. Research published by Truckers
News shows that more than 55 percent of today's truck drivers own PCs and more
than 30 percent of them log onto the Internet daily.
"Our mission at Volvo Trucks is very clear," Delaney added. "Provide
customers with innovative products and services to help them grow their
businesses. The Internet will greatly simplify the entire buying process."
Better customer service
How will the ability to buy a truck on the Internet enhance the efforts of
Volvo Trucks' 200 truck dealers?
"It will complement dealers' marketing efforts," said Bill McKenna,
president of McKenna Truck Center in Des Moines, Iowa. McKenna, who also
chairs the Volvo Trucks' Dealer Council, said Volvo Trucks' new Internet site
will add an extra dimension to attracting prospective customers to Volvo
dealerships.
"Customers may use the web site to directly order a Volvo 770. And then,
there will be others who will use it to gather information, test out a variety
of truck options, and apply for financing," McKenna said. "Either way,
they're going to visit their nearest Volvo dealership.
"While the Internet makes it convenient for truckers to customize and
purchase a vehicle on their own time, it still can't offer a test drive or
replace the human interaction between a Volvo sales associate and the owner.
Together, they are a powerful combination -- the kind of customer service that
truck drivers and owners demand today."
How it works
Ordering a Volvo 770 is simple. Just log onto http://www.volvotrucks.volvo.com
and click on the road sign to select the features for your Volvo 770.
Features include everything from the interior trim level to cab color and
custom specifications such as chassis wheelbase and fifth-wheel height. After
selecting the Volvo 770's features, the user can also see a total price for
the vehicle as customized.
To place an order on-line, the user selects a participating Volvo truck
dealer to pick up their new Volvo 770. Once a total price has been calculated
and a dealer location selected, the user may apply for credit by completing a
short, on-line application. The credit application is electronically
submitted to Volvo Truck Finance North America, which will evaluate the
application within 72 hours.
Personal financial information is encrypted using a security process that
renders the information unreadable to unauthorized parties. To learn if he or
she is approved to purchase a Volvo 770, the user simply enters a secret
password, which authorizes the system to flash finance approval.
Once financing is approved, the user may secure the order by using a
credit card to make a $500 down payment. Or, the list of equipment and
options can be printed and taken to a participating Volvo truck dealer to
place the order in-person.
About the Volvo 770
Introduced in 1997, the Volvo 770 is the trucking industry's premier
highway vehicle. It's also one of its largest, with a living area that's
approximately eight-feet high, by six-feet wide, by six-feet long. The truck
features many of the amenities of home, including sleeping accommodations for
two, a PC work station, an entertainment center, and even a kitchen sink. The
truck is typically equipped with a premium, nine-speaker audio system
including CD changer, a refrigerator/freezer and plush upper and lower bunks.
Drivers also will be comfortable and secure with heated leather seats, power
windows, door locks, and mirrors.
About Volvo Trucks North America
Volvo Trucks North America, Inc. manufactures Class 8 Volvo trucks and
tractors. The company leads the heavy-truck industry in the areas of safety
research and development, quality manufacturing processes and environmental
care. The company also markets Volvo heavy-duty diesel engines, transmissions
and rear suspensions. Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., the company is a
subsidiary of AB Volvo.
SOURCE Volvo Trucks North America, Inc.
