THE fleet sector is facing a digital skills crisis that will hold back its growth and profitability, warns technology firm Digital INNK.

New technologies are driving more efficient customer service and management of the supply chain. While artificial intelligence (AI) can make the fleet management process faster and more efficient. However, these benefits won’t be realised if the fleet sector fails to attract the talent it needs.

A recent study of 5,000 UK workers by consultancy AND Digital found that 81% of UK managing directors believe that their organisation is suffering due to a lack of digital skills.

Commenting on the issue, Martin Drake, chief commercial officer at fleet software company, Digital INNK, said: “Fleet companies understand the benefits of digital transformation but are finding the brakes applied to their plans by the lack of digital skills available in the sector. We are working with many companies as an outsourced team to help them realise their ambitions and accelerate digital programmes.”

Digital INNK argues that the industry needs to act together to address the issue and attract more digital talent into the sector.

It advises any firm looking to address the need for digital skills to start by identifying the key skills needed to deliver programmes and encourage staff members to undertake training and work with partners to upskill. Additionally, building a culture of continuous learning and rewarding those who embrace learning and development will pay dividends. A rewarding career path emphasises learning and development as a continual process rather than as a one-time short-term aim.

Drake said: “Companies like ours can mitigate the impact of the skills gap by partnering with fleets. We bring a deep knowledge of the cloud-based technology and AI that will drive the next era of fleet management.”