The safety of your drivers and cars, as well as productivity, are all intimately tied to your company’s sales and service goals. That is why a fleet manager must be continuously on the lookout for the most effective strategies to manage a fleet of company vehicles.
1. Employee a Manager for Your Fleet
Hiring a dedicated employee to look after your fleet of vehicles is an essential step toward effectively managing it. Fuel management, vehicle procurement, up-fits, GPS administration, and maintenance management are the top five responsibilities of fleet managers.
All of these responsibilities are handled by the fleet manager, which saves money for the owner by eliminating the need to outsource repairs and maintenance or finding quality cheap car insurance.
2. Know How Your Fleet Will Be Used
If your fleet includes vehicles from various brands and manufacturers, it’s important to know what each vehicle requires in terms of maintenance. How long will the vehicle be on the road, and will it transport a lot of cargo? Answering these questions can guide you to purchase the appropriate vehicle for your company’s needs.
Under-specified vehicles can cause serious maintenance problems and have a direct impact on your budget. On the other hand, an over-qualified car may result in a cost increase.
As a result, a fleet management company must sit down with its fleet management specialists and staff and only replace vehicles based on priority characteristics such as operational conditions, usage, and cargo.
3. Don’t Neglect Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is always the top concern for a competent fleet manager. When vehicles are properly maintained, they reduce the likelihood of downtime and unplanned repairs.
Tire rotation and inspection, as well as frequent vehicle safety checks, are two parts of preventive maintenance.
These preventative measures, which are scheduled on a regular cycle, are extremely important since, in addition to monitoring oils and rotating tires, this is also the period when fluid levels and tire air pressure are examined.
4. Are They Cost-Effective?
Keep an eye on the cost of ownership to ensure that the profit margin you’re expecting doesn’t suffer.
Examine whether the expense of maintaining an older car exceeds what you are receiving; learn about the manufacturer’s warranty coverage and how these factors affect your total cost of ownership.
A residual value is assigned to each car. Understanding the residual value as well as current trends in the used vehicle market will aid you in determining the best time to sell the vehicle and negotiating a fair price.
5. Develop a Policy and Communicate It
A corporation must always have a correct structure for executing all such obligations, from maintaining and repairing a vehicle to scheduling and tracking the route utilizing fleet management software.
A company policy should also specify the criteria for earning incentives and bonuses, as well as what is acceptable and anticipated, as well as what is absolutely beyond the scope of all personnel.
It’s not enough to have a company policy. You must inform your drivers as well as your support workers on the corporate rules. Ascertain that they are well-versed in their responsibilities and the company’s vehicle-use policy.
Schedule a meeting with them regularly so that they have a comprehensive grasp of your vehicle’s monthly schedules and maintenance standards. The training should tell employees what to do if they are involved in an accident or if their car requires immediate repair.
6. Embrace Innovation
An organization that is open to new ideas and willing to put them to the test always has an advantage over its competitors. Whether it’s software or a GPS tracker mounted on each vehicle, a fleet management business must always say yes to such technological developments.
More often than not, new updates and software make work easier while also providing the owner with a complete view of the fleet. It not only improves the efficiency of your complete working system but also allows you to strengthen the weak places that such new technology data reveals.
