If you are in charge of a business fleet, then you need to make sure that you avoid major mistakes. If you don’t, then you may find that your business ends up suffering as a result and this is the last thing you need. Take a look below to see some of the top tips you need to be aware of.
AVOID CONFUSION REGARDING COSTS
Lack of transparency is a huge issue for a lot of companies. It is very noticeable at the start. Without a good idea of when, whom or what money is for, and what you are spending, you may find that it is too easy to get into debt. A good rule of thumb would be for you to have a receipt for every fuel invoice and for you to make sure that you keep everything together. If you can do this then you will soon find that it is easier for you to avoid confusion later down the line.
THE RIGHT SCHEDULE CONTROL
If you run a big company and you have a fleet of vehicles, then you will have obligatory appointments. You not only need to make sure that you check the vehicles but also the behaviors of those driving them. Electronic scheduling is your friend here, as is having a simple table. Important appointments can be accident prevention checks, driving license checks and even inspections.
CONSIDER INCENTIVES
When managing a business fleet, it’s also crucial to consider the welfare of your employees. One often overlooked aspect is ensuring your team has access to private health insurance. By providing comprehensive health coverage, you not only foster a sense of security among your drivers but also promote overall productivity. Healthy employees are more likely to perform their tasks efficiently, leading to fewer sick days and a more reliable workforce. Additionally, private health insurance can be a valuable perk that helps in attracting and retaining top talent, giving your business a competitive edge. Integrating health benefits into your fleet management strategy is a wise investment in the long-term success of your company.
FLEET SOFTWARE
When it comes to fleet software, investments do pay off. This is especially the case with new or small fleets. All of your data can be entered into an Excel spreadsheet and from there, you can grow everything accordingly. Fleet software gives a major advantage here, as you can choose to display important data points or individual areas. Of course, if you are having a hard time keeping on top of things then fleet software is a very good investment.
AVOID OUTSOURCING TOO MUCH
It is so important that you avoid outsourcing too much. If you have a very large fleet, then this will bring some non-core tasks with it. A lot of fleet managers prefer to outsource tasks such as this, but by doing so, you may find that you end up exposing yourself to the risk of losing control over the core aspects of your business. You have to give careful consideration to the tasks which aren’t as important to your company, and then outsource them accordingly.
CHECK MILEAGE
If you drive unnecessarily, then this will cost you money. It will also have a detrimental impact on the service life of your vehicles. For this reason, the actual mileage has to be determined at regular intervals in an actual and target comparison. If you want to do this, then you will have to get your employees to submit both mileage invoices and fuel invoices. It’s advisable for you to check both in the form of bullet points here. Now would be the time to explore services for fleets where possible.
MANAGE YOUR DATA
It’s so important that you manage all of your data internally. Many fleets obtain data from others, for example, through a leasing company. The accuracy of this data can be open to question, and this is why it is so important that you only collect data from within your company. This is the best way for you to ensure that you always have an understanding of your inventory.
CONSTANT MONITORING
Controlling a fleet is difficult if you don’t have solid software. The bigger your fleet is, the more effort you have to put in to control it. This is the only way for you to find potential cost traps. Before you look for suitable software, you need to know a couple of things about consumption, accommodation, drivers and even safety. This will help you to choose the right software overall.
REGULAR TRAINING
Most fleet managers have changed careers to adopt the position they now have. This often means that they don’t have a great deal of experience. In addition to regulations, you have rules which are constantly being updated. The only way to make sure that your team stays on top of things would be for you to provide them with regular training.
PROPER HEDGING
A lot of fleets are not insured as well as they could be. This leaves a lot of potential for trouble. For this reason, it’s worth spending the money on a solid insurance policy. If you can do this, then you will stop your business from struggling later on. If you don’t take out an insurance policy that covers you properly then you will end up spending money that you don’t have on a policy that isn’t going to do you any favors should something happen. This is the last thing you need, so take the time to go over everything and make sure that you aren’t making compromises.
INTRODUCE A CAR REGULATION
This may sound like a great deal of work, but it is so important that you introduce a car regulation. This gives you the chance to take complete control over cars. If you pursue this, then a driver can always be assigned to a car. Precise regulations regarding drivers, vehicles and even services helps you to create a great deal of clarity and it also helps you to cut down on the amount of unnecessary costs.
HIRE AN ACCOUNTANT
Hiring an accountant is so important. If you don’t have an accountant then it is all too easy to lose track of your vehicles and the price you are paying for each one. You may also find that fuel receipts end up getting lost and that it becomes impossible for you to categorize everything. If you want to do something about this, then make sure that you go through the data you have, and find out if hiring an accountant could benefit you. Most of the time, having solid accounting software will do if you run a small business, but if you scale, then you should certainly look into a more practical solution.
Thank you so much for reading! – xo N
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this is a contributed post.
New Lune 
Thanks for sharing these great tips!
My pleasure! Thank you so much for reading.
Great advice. Thank you for posting!
Thank you so much!