EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE By Tom Guse Reflections on 20 Years Looking Back in Order to Look Forward V OLVO FINANCIAL SERVICES USA reached a milestone this year: 20 years as an ELFA member company. Equipment Leasing & Finance magazine asked the company’s President to share his perspective on how the equipment fi nance industry and his company have evolved over the years—and how they continue to evolve. basis. Leveraging the relationship between Volvo Financial Services and our Volvo Group product com-panies and dealers provides strong value to our customers’ business, giving us a competitive advantage in the marketplace What has changed over the past 20 years within the industries Volvo Financial Services serves? Customer expectations toward their equipment lenders have be-come more sophisticated. Compa-nies and individuals who fi nance equipment have raised the bar in terms of their requirements. Cus-tomers expect unique solutions that are tailored to their distinct business situation. Th ey are look-ing more closely at the total cost of ownership. Th ey are asking, “How does my fi nance company provide a solution that pays attention to all aspects of my business strategy, now and well into the future?” An important part of this change has been the emphasis on building a strong relationship that will stand the test of time and provide stability throughout the ups and downs of the industry. Th is need has become more critical since the recession of 2008–09. Customers want to be sure that their provider is dedicated to maintaining the relationship and is focused on making their business succeed. What do the next 20 years look like for the equipment fi nancing industry? Customers will expect lenders to continue providing even greater value to their businesses. How we interact with customers, the speed in which we transact business and how we support customers through higher service levels will change significantly due to the need for effi ciency and conveni-ence. We will need to become an instrument for quickly delivering equipment to our customers’ revenue stream. Customers will expect their source for fi nancial services to accelerate and simplify the purchase and ownership process, so they can more eff ectively manage their business. And, of course, for Volvo Financial Services, our relation-ships with our customers will remain critical. At the end of the day, customers will always want to do business with peo-ple they know and trust. To continue building that trust, we will continue to communicate and work closely together with our Volvo Group colleagues and dealer personnel in order to sell and market Volvo Group equipment in a strong way. Customers react positively to a team who works together, with the goal of bringing the proper combination of com-petitive product and fi nancial solutions to their business. ■ Tom Guse is President of Volvo Financial Services USA, headquartered in Greensboro, N.C. VFS is the fi nancial solution provider for the Volvo Group, dedicated to the fi nancing and leasing of Volvo trucks and Mack trucks, Volvo construction equipment and Prevost and Volvo buses. To what do you attribute the success of Volvo Financial Services over the past 20 years? An organization is only as strong as the people who work for it. Volvo Financial Services is fortunate to have a group of individuals who have a passion to serve the customer. Th is passion is fueled by our culture and the idea that we exist to help sell Volvo Group branded products. We are an integral part of the Volvo Group, whose goal is to be the global leader in sustainable transport solutions. At Volvo Financial Services, we work closely with our col-leagues in Volvo Trucks, Volvo Construction Equipment and Volvo Buses, and with the ultimate “face” of the brand, the in-dividuals at each Volvo Group dealership in our dealer network who represent the Volvo Group brands to customers on a daily 44 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 EQUIPMENT LEASING & FINANCE MAGAZINE