Digging deep for customers in Spain

Not even an unexpected rain turning the Spanish soil into extremely slippery mud could stop the test driving program taking place in the Volvo CE demo site outside Alicante. During the Volvo Ocean Race start almost a thousand customers spent time with the Volvo CE machines, as did more than a hundred dealers and sales people engaged in sales trainings. 

The demo site was created in less than a week by experienced Volvo CE employees using Volvo CE machines shipped and transported to Alicante for this specific event. The mission to build the site and lead the test drives was headed by Carl Gindahl, Customer Center, Exhibition & Event Director at Volvo CE.

“We have set up demo sites like this several times before. Using our own people and the Volvo CE machines which will also be used in the test drives makes this a quite cost efficient event.  Especially as we also plan to sell the products in the end”, said Carl Gindahl. 

The site, located in a closed-down quarry a 30 minute drive from Alicante, featured several Volvo CE machines as well as a FMX truck. Tents hosted facilities for shorter presentations and lunching, creating a welcoming refuge in the very dry and deserted Spanish landscape. 

Intense driving and high utilization 
During a visit, customers got two hours of intense test driving, starting off with a product show.  During breaks there was plenty of time for questions and discussions with the Volvo CE representatives. For many customers this is the highlight of their visit and the test drive triggers valuable conversation for the continued Volvo Ocean Race program. A Volvo CE demo team of seven people running the demo program during seven full days.

“We started off using the site for the 2014 EMEA Operators Club Finals, and then hosted many groups of customers from mainly Europe and China. And mid-week with low customer demand, we also managed to execute dealer trainings”, explains Carl Gindahl.
And the machines were they sold?

“Well, above all this event drives sales long term, but in fact, out of the nine machines that were for sale eight were sold”.

Source