As businesses continue to identify fleet management as a core function and develop the role as a key contributor to cost efficiencies across all departments, the importance of fleet management becomes ever clearer. And with this increased focus on fleet management comes a better and more rounded understanding of the function, how it has evolved and how it can contribute further to the growth of the business in the future.
Here we have put together three interesting facts about vehicle fleet management which highlight its importance and how it can play a central role in developing your business.
- Fleet management is an area heavy in technological innovation
- Compliance is one of the biggest fleet management costs
- There are many opportunities for training and improvement in fleet management
Technology has an impact on every business and is driving efficiency in all areas, and that is particularly true in fleet management. GPS vehicle tracking now enables data to be generated to help both the driver and the fleet manager in various different ways. Providing drivers with live updates on routes, congestion and job planning is possible through central communication hubs, where drivers are sent direct real-time updates and don’t have to continuously refresh devices for notifications. Data can also now assist with management monitoring and with telematics can drive analytical tools for job planning and in achieving and monitoring KPIs, and this will all continue to evolve.
Using available software it is much easier for the fleet manager to log all their compliance duties and to assess and action these tasks in a timely fashion, thus saving considerable costs. Under the compliance banner comes issues such as road tax, insurance, MOTs, planned service and maintenance, accident management, licensing and grey fleet management. Without a structured system it is very easy to miss key dates, particularly if you are managing a large fleet, and this can lead to fines, increased premiums, breakdowns and unplanned maintenance, repair costs and inefficient motoring. The fleet manager can now set-up automated systems where key tasks are programmed and scheduled to ensure compliance is adhered to at all times. And in terms of service and maintenance, for example, the fleet manager can plan so that vehicle downtime is minimised, and that other vehicles are always available to provide cover so that operations continue efficiently. This also carries the benefit of reducing administrative costs.
Fleet management is an area where there are always opportunities for training and development, to improve understanding of the function and the behaviour of drivers, so training opportunities can include:
- Understanding software to improve communications
- Understanding how jobs can be planned to reduce wasted time and fuel
- Improve driving techniques to reduce wasted fuel and vehicle wear & tear – such as driver behaviour to reduce idling, speeding and excessive braking
- Vehicle self-maintenance – techniques to check tyres, wipers, coolant, oil etc in between scheduled service visits, which could help to avoid breakdowns and unplanned maintenance.
Expert help from the fleet management specialists
If you require any further information on any of these issues discussed here, Total Motion are the fleet management specialists who have been driving innovation in the sector for many years. We can advise on software, cost-saving measures and improvement techniques to ensure that fleet management is a positive contributor to your business efficiencies, so get in touch today.
