It doesn’t matter which industry you’re employed in or how big the size of your operation is, managing a fleet of vehicles can be a stressful process. You must ensure all of your drivers are competent, hard-working and meet their legal obligations, whilst maintaining and servicing multiple cars, vans or lorries all at the same time.
This can turn into quite an expensive endeavour, but also a financially rewarding one. According to research conducted by Research and Markets, the global fleet management sector was worth £15.96 billion in 2020 and is expected to more than double to £43.03 billion within 10 years. By implementing a few small tweaks to your modus operandi – outlined in more detail below – you can access a bigger slice of that lucrative pie and make your life that much easier in the process.
Automate menial tasks
With so many plates to keep spinning, the last thing you want to be worrying about are small (but still hugely important) concerns, such as the validity of your drivers’ licenses. By taking advantage of the latest fleet car solutions, you can delegate this menial work to automated software solutions and free yourself up for more important tasks, all the while ensuring you and your company remain on the right side of the law.
Embrace the digital revolution
This won’t apply to fleet management outfits who have already made the leap into the digital sphere, but those which are still using paper documentation for invoices, forms, checklists and other records must move with the times. Utilising fleet management software and migrating all of your company files onto a computer – or, better yet, the Cloud – will not only make them safer and more efficient, but can also reduce the margin of human error.
Conduct regular maintenance checks
One of the biggest expenses of fleet management is addressing issues with individual cars, vans or lorries. Not only can these cost considerable resources to repair, but they also entail downtime while the vehicle is off-road. You can minimise your expenses in this regard through pre-emptive maintenance. Employing a regular servicing schedule is the ideal way to nip problems in the bud before they develop into larger headaches.
Optimise your fleet size
Getting the size of your fleet right is a tricky balancing act. Too few vehicles means you’ll lose out on work, but too many will result in unnecessary expenses. You can leverage technological solutions to analyse your quota of upcoming jobs, as well as historical data on high seasons to better predict how many cars you’re likely to need at any given time. Plus, the aforementioned maintenance schedules should give you as much advance notice as possible if extra coverage is likely to be needed.
Cut down on fuel consumption
The price of fuel accounts for a significant portion of a company’s expense sheet. Did you know that you can slash these costs through careful monitoring of your fleet’s movements? For example, an idling engine might not seem like it would incur a very large expense on its own, but a fleet of trucks idling for just two hours every working day across the year can add up to cumulative outgoings of over £100,000! By encouraging your drivers not to idle – and installing technology which alerts you if they do – you can cut out this unnecessary expense.
Save your company time, money and stress by following these simple tips for better fleet management today.
