Fiat Crédit France is the financial services arm of the global car giant Fiat Group, the company that boasts the Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands in its portfolio. In 1998, the company financed over 60,000 cars at 350 car dealerships across France, firmly placing it at the top of the French automotive financing business.

In addition to providing financing options for new car owners and leasing programs for both corporate and private buyers, Fiat Crédit France markets a special leasing offer called Formula. This value-added financing offer includes complementary services such as extended guarantees, technical assistance, a replacement car for emergency use, an extended insurance policy, and most significantly, an option where Fiat guarantees to buy the car back at a prearranged value after 24 months.

With so many variables affecting the offer, it was difficult for Fiat sales consultants to compute and explain the Formula concept. The sales team needed an unobtrusive way to access this complex information without leaving the customer, the car, or the showroom floor.

To meet this challenge, Fiat Crédit France provided showroom sales teams with Palm™ handhelds. Now, Fiat's 1,100 sales consultants use Palm handhelds to present the Formula offer to the customer right in the showroom - accessing price and model list data, financing information and current promotions, all at the touch of a button.

Loïc Pequignot, marketing director at Fiat Crédit France, comments, "We work in a highly competitive marketplace in which our sales teams have a limited time to close each deal. With the Palm™ III handhelds, our teams can access all the database information they need, including current promotions, availability, logistical information and financial packages, then and there for the potential buyer."

Using Palm HotSync® technology, sales consultants can quickly synchronize their handhelds with the server and download the most current offers and buy-back value information as they pass through the office. This capability ensures that the sales teams always have the latest, most accurate information during customer negotiations. Once an agreement is reached, a contract can be printed from across the showroom by simply pointing the Palm III infrared beam at the printer.

Not only has Fiat improved customer satisfaction and increased sales, but the Palm OS® based solution has paid for itself in only 18 months - including POS materials, brochures, the 1,100 Palm handhelds, printers, and other software and hardware options.

Given the success achieved in France, the Palm OS-based solution is soon to be emulated across Europe. Fiat Crédit France plans to deploy Palm handhelds internationally starting with Italy, Germany, Spain, and Portugal.

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