Neal Francis, managing director of Pendragon Contracts, said: 'Over the last two years more and more smaller businesses have struggled to obtain funding for their vehicles, and we have received a growing level of enquiries in this period that we've been successful in converting into customers.

'The feedback from these customers has been very strong expressing a clear desire and preference to deal direct with the leasing company and be serviced to the same high standards that larger fleets enjoy, having an all encompassing package of services. We will now invest and target this sector directly whilst only working with a very small number of formal introducers, where we work as part of a tripartite arrangement with full access to the client.'

The firm says that it expects both itself and end-user fleets to benefit from this strategy, which will remove the typical broker mark-up and enable both parties to work more closely together.

It adds that SMEs will also benefit from 'dealing directly with a major Plc with a true "automotive culture" and one that's large enough to fund the client's whole fleet, given the large number of funders Pendragon has available with which to place the finance'.

In addition, the implementation of the new online, vehicle leasing quotation service will provide SMEs with direct access to a wide choice of vehicles from all manufacturers.

www.pendragon-contracts.co.uk is aimed at businesses with fleets of fewer than 30 vehicles and has been designed to provide a streamlined and user-friendly process that is easy to use and Pendragon says it will ensure its rates remain highly competitive.