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Regardless of your fleet’s size or location, it is vital to have constant and reliable mobility, and that is why choosing the right fleet management and lease company is so important. The ideal FM offers a full array of fleet management services, from insurance, administrative services and maintenance, to roadside assistance.
When you are thinking about hiring a particular FMC, discuss the following topics and questions with them:
What Are Their Long-Term Goals?
You should ask them about the company’s long term goals. After all, you’re looking for an independent FMC to be your long-term partner.
Ask the owner of the company whether they plan to sell the business or retire soon. Also, do they plan to add new features to their services or changing their business model?
To determine whether they are compatible with your fleet, try to see where they are moving in their business and get an honest assessment of their goals.
Do They Offer the Types of Services You Need?
Note down all the types of vehicles in your existing inventory and all of the services your fleet will need. Ask whether their technicians have experience in working with those types of vehicles and carrying out the services you’re looking for.
What Does Their Insurance Cover?
Ask the FMC what specifically does their insurance cover. At the very least, the FMC should cover any stolen or vandalised vehicles. The insurance may also cover any damages to vehicles from a natural disaster or a fire. You can prepare for emergencies by knowing this information.
What Do Their Relationships With Their Customers Look Like?
Good communication between the two parties is key to a successful fleet management partnership. According to Automotive Fleet magazine, customer service is one of the most valuable services an FMC can offer. Good FMCs are increasingly becoming customer-centric.
You want to make sure you will have multiple ways of contacting your fleet management company when outsourcing your fleet. Ask whether they will provide you with a primary point of contact that will be responsible for handling your fleet or an account manager.
Moreover, you want to ensure the fleet management company you hire will provide adequate training to your team. For instance, your fleet management company should teach you how to use their GPS platform to track your vehicles.
The FMC should also be using cutting-edge technology and ensure the software its using is always up to date. For instance, apps like Verizon connect and Fleetio allow technicians, drivers, and fleet managers to use any device to manage vehicles from acquisition to disposal. Moreover, they display the profitability and costs of your fleet.
Is the Fleet Management Company Flexible Enough to Meet Your Unique Needs?
Many fleet management companies have a rigid way of doing business. Regardless of the clients’ needs or preferences, they treat them in a uniform way. Fleet management companies do this to improve internal consistency, sometimes at the expense of their clients’ unique needs.
Because of this, it is best to find a fleet management company that takes a more personalised, flexible approach.
For instance, some clients appreciate text messages or emails over phone calls. Finding common modes of communication that work for both sides is just one part of building a strong partnership with your FMC.
Flexibility also means being able to count on your fleet management company to respond quickly when issues occur. If you have a problem with one of your vehicles, you want to know that your fleet management company has already taken steps to remedy the problem.
Here are a few questions to ask a potential fleet management partner in order to determine their level of flexibility:
- How do you communicate with your clients on a regular basis?
- How do you deal with difficult requests from clients?
- If an unexpected issue were to come up for your client, how would you deal with it?
Do They Have Any Testimonials or References?
Any reputable business can provide at least a few references or testimonials. If you are considering partnering up with a particular FMC, ask them whether they can provide the contact details of some of their current or previous clients. Ring them up to ask about the experience they have had with the FMC.
You can also check out third-party review websites. To see how long they have been in business for, check their experience level. Ideally, the FMC should have at least 5 to 10 years of experience.
What Is Their Labor and Parts Policy?
To see if your business will have protection for faulty parts, ask about their labour and parts policy. Will the fleet management company provide a full warranty on their services and parts if the installation did not work? Similar to insurance, find out what exactly does their labour and parts policy exclude and what it entails.
Financing Options
The average business has a set budget for its fleet. When you figure out what your budget is, you need to ensure that the services and costs of your FMC will fall within it. It’s best to see if the FMC offers leasing options or payment plans for their services. Don’t hesitate to ask for a quotation.
What is the Average Turnaround Time for Maintenance Services?
Your workflow and productivity can slow down or even come to a halt if the cars in your fleet are down for maintenance. You’d want to partner up with an FMC that will be able to tell the exact turnaround time for fixing these problems. This will make it easier to plan for future emergencies.
Partnering with Haines Fleet, you will find highly skilled and dedicated professionals who understand all aspects of the business and can build the optimal fleet solution for you—not all fleet management companies can provide this level of service.
At Haines Fleet, we give you more than most FM companies—we consider you a partner.
For speedy and responsive service why not call us today at +353 1 8907734.