How Volvo launched its most successful subscription market in the UK
Bringing an innovative business model to life in one of the world’s most regulated automotive markets was no small feat. Volvo Cars needed more than operational excellence; they needed a partner they could trust to ensure compliance, confidence, and buy-in from teams on the ground. By leading the end-to-end rollout of Care by Volvo in the UK, we turned skepticism into enthusiasm, building a thriving new channel that became Volvo’s most successful European subscription market.
Outcomes
2500+
subscriptions in the first 12 months
91%
of subscribers were new to Volvo
People before process
Introducing a new subscription-based car sales model in the UK meant overcoming serious complexity. Strict financial regulations demanded robust compliance frameworks. Dealers and sales teams were initially skeptical, unsure how a new sales channel would affect their business.
Volvo needed clarity, confidence, and a team that believed in the vision as much as the numbers. This required building trust alongside systems, ensuring the launch wasn’t just operationally successful but culturally embraced.
What we did differently
We took full ownership of the implementation journey, ensuring no detail was left to chance. At the heart of the launch was the creation of a fully operational UK hub, built from the ground up and staffed with a carefully selected team. This gave Volvo a dedicated base of expertise and capability that could manage day-to-day operations while embedding a new way of working.
Because financial regulation in the UK is among the toughest in the world, compliance had to be watertight from the very beginning. We worked closely with regulators to design and embed frameworks that gave Volvo not just approval, but long-term confidence that the model could scale without risk. Every operational and digital system was rigorously tested to guarantee flawless performance from day one, removing uncertainty for both employees and customers.
Just as important was the human side of change. We bridged local expertise with global vision, making sure UK teams felt supported, empowered, and aligned with Volvo’s wider strategy. This hands-on, people-first approach removed barriers and built trust across every stakeholder group, turning scepticism into buy-in.
Our Approach
We owned the entire implementation journey:
- Built a fully operational UK hub with a handpicked team
- Designed and embedded comprehensive compliance frameworks to satisfy financial regulators
- Rigorously tested every operational and digital system for flawless performance
The difference it made
2500+
subscriptions in the first 12 months
91%
of subscribers were new to Volvo
The UK launch became a model for subscription success within Volvo. Customers experienced a seamless journey from day one, and sales performance outpaced other European markets. Behind the scenes, every operational process, from regulatory approvals to digital systems, worked reliably, giving the team confidence to scale quickly.
Early traction was so strong that the UK quickly became Volvo’s testbed for direct-to-consumer innovation. This was a huge commercial win that positioned Volvo at the forefront of a UK car-subscription market already worth around $585m in 2024, with projections of $2.7bn by 2030 and nearly $10bn by 2035.
Most importantly, what began as cautious optimism transformed into lasting internal capability. UK teams felt empowered, confident, and ready to lead future innovations, making this launch a firm foundation for growth.
What made us proud
We’re proud not just of the market’s success, but of how we earned trust. The UK team started with reservations and ended with ownership of, and pride in, a new business model. By listening carefully and acting on feedback to give people what they needed to succeed, we were able to cut through the complexity. The result was a thriving, confident organisation that Volvo could hold up across the wider organisation as exemplary.
Our insight
Big transformations demand more than flawless operations; they require empathy and engagement.
By balancing rigor with a people-first mindset, Volvo UK created a new standard in their parent company for market readiness.
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