Chrysler 2009 Annual Report Download - page 93

REPORT ON
OPERATIONS
OPERATING
PERFORMANCE
BY SECTOR
92
In Italy, further investment was made in support for the network through establishment of new
communication channels and management of dealer requests using the same methods and service level
offered to end customers.
The Customer Service Centre at Arese represents one of the Sector’s most important customer relationship
tools. It currently manages over 25 different services and covers 18 European markets. In 2009, the number of
customer contacts handled by the Centre was up 18% over the prior year.
Customer Mobility Support provides assistance to customers at the most critical moments, when their cars
are in for service or they are in need of roadside service, with rapid and effective support to ensure that their
mobility requirements are met. In 2009, activity focused on monitoring in the major markets, improving services
and managing agreements with providers that were approaching expiry or renewal. In the first half of 2009, a
new model was implemented in all markets through a pan-European roadside assistance policy which offers a
more comprehensive range of services.
Fiat Group Automobiles offers financial services in Europe, Latin America and China.
In Europe, this activity is managed by FGA Capital, a 50/50 joint venture with the Crédit Agricole group
(accounted for under the equity method).
FGA Capital supports the Sector’s European sales activities through dealer financing, end-customer financing
and medium and long-term rental. The collaboration with Crédit Agricole continued to prove its effectiveness
throughout 2009, in line with expectations, and successfully supported sales and new product launches. In
addition, in the second half of 2009 the joint venture began working with Chrysler to provide financial services
to its distribution networks and end customers in Europe.
In 2009, new loans to the dealer network totalled €16,963 million (€11,850 million in 2008). A total of €5,921
million (€5,184 million in 2008) was provided to retail customers to finance 513,591 vehicles (441,304 in 2008),
representing a penetration rate of 29.3% (25.5% in 2008).
There were new rental agreements on 57,586 vehicles (74,665 in 2008), representing a financed value of €793
million (€1,114 million in 2008) and a penetration rate of 3.9% (5.6% in 2008).
In Latin America, financial services are provided by Banco Fidis de Investimento in Brazil and Fiat Credito
Compania Financiera in Argentina. In China, financial services are provided by Fiat Automotive Finance. All three
companies are subsidiaries of Fidis S.p.A., (whose principal activities in Italy are the provision of factoring and
guarantees), a wholly-owned fully-consolidated subsidiary of FGA.
In addition, in the second half of 2009 Fidis S.p.A. began collaboration with Chrysler to provide financial services
to dealers and end customers outside of Europe through direct solutions in Brazil, Argentina and China and
development of partnership agreements with external financial providers in other non-European markets.
During 2009, Fidis S.p.A. continued to reduce its supplier factoring activities, with managed receivables
dropping from €505 million to €430 million at year end.