Mazda has selected financial systems specialists, Sword Apak (part of the Sword Group), to support its wholesale finance technology requirements in Switzerland.
Sword Apak's leading stock finance system, WFS, will provide Mazda dealers with a flexible, web based and highly functional dealer floorplanning solution.
Colin Maddocks, Network Development Director for Mazda Europe commented: "Mazda is becoming a franchise of choice for dealers, based on treating our dealers as partners, being easy to do business with and helping dealers improve their return on investment by having lower cost and cash requirements in the franchise. Sword Apak's new wholesale funding system provides Mazda with a sophisticated 'On Demand' service that will support our dealers' specific country requirements for local currency and language. WFS has been designed to be highly dealer responsive using a 'self service' approach that will help dealers manage and administer their wholesale financing. We are confident that the Sword Apak system will continue to deliver the high standards of dealer service of which we are proud".
Mazda dealers in the UK are already using Sword Apak's system, which has recently gone live following the appointment of Santander Consumer as the new finance provider for Mazda Motors UK. Dealers use WFS to maintain and manage their accounts online through real time views of their inventory, available credit, vehicle details and history, whilst using the system's Bank Calendar to view all past and future financial information. Mazda itself will provide financing in Switzerland, where WFS will be implemented in May this year.
Tony Allen, Business Unit Director for Sword Apak, views the latest WFS implementation as further evidence of Sword Apak's growing reputation as the leading, worldwide provider of wholesale finance technology and importantly as another significant 'win' given the present economic climate: "We are delighted to announce our latest success following the agreement with Mazda, which strengthens Sword Apak's position as a recommended global industry supplier for 'best of class' floorplanning technology".
"Mazda's decision is also reflective of the increasing willingness of asset finance providers to invest in long-term, cost saving technology to help offset some of the negative impact on margins presented by these challenging times" added Allen.