How to improve your fleet management process

What is fleet management?

Fleet management is a planned process to help optimise the entire lifecycle of your vehicle fleet. Whether you work within the private or public sector, you can get help with your fleet maintenance.

Rivus is one of the largest fleet managers in the UK and we support businesses with fleets of all types and sizes – some with just a handful of vehicles, to others who need thousands at a time.

What is the fleet management process?

To start with, a fleet management company will assess your current fleet (if you already have one in place), operations and business needs to work out which cars, LCVs and/or HGVs are likely to work best for you.

A good fleet manager will have tested the latest models to give you a better idea of their suitability when it comes to range, payload, price and power. This research helps speed the process up and can give you quicker recommendations.

Once a fleet has been agreed, a fleet manager will talk you through the options to either finance, rent or lease your vehicles.

You may also be given the option to outsource your fleet administration to the fleet manager, which can range from vehicle maintenance, compliance and driver performance – it all depends on what your needs are, your budget and the size of the fleet you need. Many businesses choose this option given the new technologies in place to help boost fleet efficiencies.

Once you near the end of your agreed fleet cycle, you will also get help disposing of your current fleet and the process of putting a new set of vehicles in place starts again.

What fleet management mistakes can you learn from?

Overusing your fleet

Some firms struggle to stick to the agreed mileage limit in a leasing contract or fail to return fleet vehicles in the condition set out in the terms and conditions prior to picking up the keys. This will likely result in fines which could be costly to the business.

Finding ways to reduce mileage and stick to the agreed limits will not only help when it comes to vehicle maintenance but will also take the pressure off financial managers who may be hit with penalties when fleet vehicles are not returned in the agreed condition.

Not using your fleet enough

On the flip-side of using your fleet too much, not using a fleet vehicle enough could be a waste of money.

It’s worth working with a fleet manager and asking for their help with testing vehicles so you can understand what mileage limit is likely to offer you the best value.

Wasting energy

Understanding the impact inefficient vehicles and processes has on your fuel consumption is going to play a big part in helping you cut costs and save energy.

Company car drivers and van fleets need to understand that their driving behaviours, the journey types they make and the payloads they use will impact whether they have an efficient fleet or not. For example, if the existing fleet struggles to cope with a long journey or a heavy load, it will not perform as well.

Fleet managers can support by helping you understand what vehicle type is likely to be best for your fleet and educate your fleet drivers on best practices to improve personal efficiency.

Wasting time

Time is precious when it comes to your business and understanding how much of it your fleet spends on the road, as well as route planning, will be crucial to improving efficiencies.

Fleet management often includes telematics, which is using data to study routes and track vehicle location to understand how effective both your drivers and fleet are performing. From this, you can identify inefficiencies and find ways to streamline the process further.

Falling behind your responsibilities

Vehicle condition is a huge consideration for fleet managers, as failure to maintain fleets can have a negative impact on drivers and vehicle performance. A regular service history will help your team members drive safely and minimise the need for vehicle replacement.

Part of your business’ operating costs will be focused on driver training and sticking to compliance procedures. It’s important to make sure any cost savings aren’t to the detriment of these factors as this could damage your company and result in vehicle downtime.

A fleet manager will be able to help with accident management, to ensure you are putting the right procedures in place and are compliant as a business.

A lack of clear communication

Customer satisfaction should be of utmost importance to your business, but failure to listen to your own team can be damaging too.

Your team members need to be happy in their work so they can deliver the results you need, which is why driver satisfaction is just as important to your business as fleet efficiency.

Driver retention is a hot topic in the fleet industry right now and giving your team the tools to get on with their job and helping them stay safe will keep your team happy and support your business long-term.

Who benefits from fleet management?

Fleet management can have a positive impact across your business, from senior management to technicians, and the process can help teams to work alongside one another effectively.

New fleet management software allows teams to understand a range of business-critical factors, from fuel usage to route planning, and operating costs to fleet safety. By tracking your outputs with the support of an experienced fleet manager, your business will be able to understand where improvements can be made.

How can your fleet management be improved?

You can improve your fleet management process by investing in fleet management software and getting support from a dedicated fleet manager.

Thanks to the rise of modern technology – including mobile apps, new telematics systems and real-time location trackers – fleets up and down the UK have benefited from new innovations and processes to help monitor performance and value.

Fleet managers have processes to improve operations, support vehicle selection and help increase profitability for businesses considering a switch to a new fleet. Whether you initially choose to have your fleet managed for you or not, companies like Rivus can be quick to get your fleet performance analysed when you are ready to do so.

What is Rivus’ fleet management process?

Rivus has a tried and tested data-driven approach to fleet management that’s been helping businesses plan their fleets for 20 years. We break down how we help into easy-to-understand steps to give you clarity on the decision-making process. This is how we help:

Planning and consultancy

The fleet management process should always start with a consultancy and planning stage. This helps identify how your existing fleet is performing and is an opportunity to set out plans for the future so your business can get the most efficient and robust set of vehicles to support your business.

Test and conversion

It’s important to ensure the fleet you commit to can deliver results for your business. At Rivus, we have a good understanding of the vehicles currently available on the market, having tested for range, efficiency and payload. This means that once we understand your business’ needs, we can be quick to offer a fleet that works for you.

Vehicle procurement

We will then help you work out the best way for you to fund your fleet operations. Whether you’re looking to buy it outright or would prefer a leasing option, we can give you the advice you need.

Our team can also guide you towards Government grants or EV funding to help you take advantage of savings and reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO).

In-life services

If you are looking for support to monitor fleet performance – for drivers, routes and the vehicles themselves – we can help you improve efficiency in your fleet. Our use of fleet data supports driver safety and cost reduction through continuous learning measures.

Our fleet management systems are industry-leading and we can analyse various factors, from driver behaviour and average speed to route analysis (including most efficient routes) and vehicle performance.

Whether you have a large fleet or fewer company vehicles to manage, we use fleet management best practices to help reduce costs and ensure fleet safety is a high priority.

If you are looking to monitor your fleet in-house, we can help train you on how to do this effectively. However, if you’d prefer Rivus to manage it for you, we’ll be happy to help.

Service, Maintenance and Repair

Keeping your fleet fully operational and on the road is going to be key to your business success. At Rivus, we have 80 in-house workshops, as well as access to over 500 approved garages across the UK.

We’ll also remind you when your fleet is due for servicing, so you can plan ahead of time and make sure your vehicles are being maintained properly.

Our technicians work on all vehicle types – from petrol and diesel to electric, from cars, LCVs to HGVs and specialist plant equipment – which means you can rest assured your chosen fleet will be in the capable hands of our experts.

Driver training

Switching to a new set of vehicles can be daunting for drivers, but our team can help them get up to speed quickly with dedicated training.

Training can be very beneficial when switching over to an electric fleet, given the changes in driving style. Our driver engagement package start from before your drivers get the keys, through to the first drive.

Performance analytics

Our team are experts in collecting data and presenting it to you clearly, to help businesses run efficiently and plan for the future.

Using cutting-edge technology, we can assess vehicle and driver performance data to ensure your current vehicle is working for you, as well as find out what may be suitable for you in the future.

Vehicle lifecycle management

When your fleet agreement is nearing its end, the team at Rivus will be able to manage the process of replacing your vehicles. This includes the removal of your existing fleet, as well as the adoption of your new one, should this be necessary.

Get advice on your fleet today

Find out how the team at Rivus can help you improve your fleet operations.

We offer a fully comprehensive end-to-end service that you would struggle to find from other fleet operators. From advice on vehicle tracking to fuel costs, we have multiple systems in place to meet your operational needs.

If you’d like to find out more, speak to our team today!