Buying a vehicle for business use from a commercial vehicle list is different than owning a fleet. If your company will support a number of business vehicles, that requires policies, procedures and management Here are five steps to take...
Your Business Vehicles Fleet Management Guide
If your business has a fleet of business vehicles it’s up to you to do everything in your power to ensure the fleet is properly managed in a way that’s secure and careful. You also need to see the fleet is operating at optimal performance.
This article discusses five ways to achieve those objectives. Here's how to keep a fleet of business vehicles efficient and functional.
Control Fuel Consumption Of Business Vehicles
One thing that your business can’t afford is to let fuel costs get out of control. This directly impacts your bottom line. This is a major expenditure for your company -- perhaps the largest.
Your financial position could spiral downward if there is not proper tracking of miles traveled and fuel prices. Running the fleet of vehicles should include fuel consumption management.
Create Real-Time Visibility
Your business vehicles fleet will likely have your company branding painted on the side. Everything that happens with those vehicles reflects on your company ... it's your brand reputation. Having control of how your vehicles are being used would be important then, wouldn't it?
That’s why real-time tracking and visibility is something you should pursue. Use a system that allows both you and key team members to monitor place and route. This will give you:
- Needed oversight
- Identify potential process improvements
- Route tracking
As well as details useful for customer service and positive customer experience.
Have A Plan For Security And Storage
You definitely need a coherent plan in place for keeping your vehicles properly secure and safe when they are not in use. The right plan will address:
- Securing vehicle assets
- Preventing damage and stolen loss
- Transponder key replacement if keys are lost
- Plans for parking and storing vehicles when not in use
There are real risks and there should be real precautions.
Draft A Policy That Explains Expected Driver Behavior
Your drivers are representatives of your brand when they’re out on the road and behind the wheel. It’s important that they keep that in mind. There are direct correlations to customer experience.
You should have a policy that makes it clear to your entire team what behaviors are and are not acceptable when they wear your logo and represent your company. It should reinforce the idea they should abide by all the laws of the road and ensure they aren’t taking unnecessary risks while in control of your vehicles.
Take A Preventative Approach To Maintenance
Maintenance is something you need to afford for when it comes to your fleet. Without a comprehensive maintenance schedule in place, your fleet is going to face deterioration and potential breakdowns. That’s exactly what you want to prevent. Fixing those problems is usually a lot more costly than correctly maintaining them.
Keeping your fleet of business vehicles functioning is to your advantage. If you feel that your fleet is vital to the growth and success of your organization, it makes sense to manage it properly and take all of the right precautions.
