The Company Car Canvas study highlights that long-term rental is the preferred form of mobility (33% of respondents); that the focus remains on diesel engines (53%); and that business customers prefer dedicated (68%), timely (66%) and flexible (58%) solutions.
The first edition of Company Car Canvas, Quintegia’s study presented during Automotive Dealer Day 2025 – The House of Mobility, defines the first identikit of business customers, a category that includes VAT-registered individuals and companies with fleets of up to 15 cars.
In order to draw up a concrete and realistic profile, market needs and impact were examined, comparing the choices and expectations of business customers with the strategic and organisational responsiveness of the dealers interviewed. This is an important requirement given that, according to the dealers themselves, the business market can account for well over 40% of the total.
THREE BUSINESS CUSTOMER PROFILES
The Company Car Canvas identifies three business customer profiles (classic, exclusive and innovative) based on the type of service most frequently requested and on which dealers base their self-assessment. 71% of dealers say they are “very” or “fairly” well structured to offer long-term rentals, while 51% say business customers are “more important” than private customers when it comes to electric vehicle sales. In particular, the latter are characterised by a propensity towards new solutions applied to the services offered and remote interaction with digital support and tools.
THE VEHICLE ACCESS FORMULA
The identikit compiled by the Research and Study Centre shows that VAT-registered individuals and SMEs are looking for personalised, tailor-made services that save time and maximise efficiency in car and fleet management in general.
33% of business customers surveyed indicated long-term rental as their preferred option for their next car, 29% chose leasing, 20% traditional financing and 18% a one-off payment.
ENGINES
Diesel engines are the preferred choice for 53% of respondents, considering that 56% say they drive more than 30,000 kilometres per year. Interest in electric vehicles remains modest, at 15%.
PURCHASE EXPERIENCE AND SERVICES
Business customers prefer a personalised experience as the most important factor in choosing their preferred dealer (38%), rather than focusing solely on price (12%), and comprehensive management of maintenance, repair and bodywork services (79%). They are open to new automotive brands (54%). , focuses on prompt service (66%) and flexible hours (58%), is very interested (76%) in having a courtesy car and being able to count on dedicated solutions at the dealer (68%). Half of those surveyed consider it important to receive support at home, both during the sale, particularly for test drives, and for pick-up and delivery assistance. Recognising the specific needs of business customers allows you to tailor the experience, anticipate needs and build a solid and lasting relationship of trust. This is a real opportunity for dealers who want to evolve from suppliers to strategic partners.
The Company Car Canvas methodology was developed through preliminary qualitative interviews with ten dealers, followed by two quantitative surveys involving more than 500 business customers (including VAT-registered individuals and companies) and more than 230 dealership representatives, such as owners, brand and fleet managers, and marketing managers, who were asked specific questions.
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