A former award-winning fleet manager at two of Britain’s biggest organisations is using 33 years of industry experience to help companies control and reduce their company car and van operating costs.

Paul Holmes has launched Fleet Managers’ Friend after becoming concerned at the lack of skills being employed by some organisations in managing their fleet operations - typically the second biggest cost to businesses after employees.

The Fleet Managers’ Friend is offering to review organisations’ fleet operations on a no win no fee basis. The comprehensive face-to-face health check will deliver a root and branch review of the fleet operation and either give it a clean bill of health or suggest areas for improvements.

Where areas for improvements are identified, Fleet Managers’ Friend will charge a flat fee dependent on fleet size and review duration. To book a review potential customers pay a 50% deposit, which is then refunded if no operating efficiencies or cost savings are identified.

Holmes, who started his career with Centrica-owned British Gas and over 18 years with the organisation became fleet manager in charge of more than 14,000 company cars and commercial vehicles with a revenue budget of £150 million, has launched the businesses after two years in the corporate sector.

Having launched his new business after two years as strategic account director risk at incident management company FMG, Holmes said: “I and the team use our experience to assist experienced and inexperienced fleet managers in the delivery of excellence in relation to managing their fleet operation. The application of good fleet management techniques will reduce business costs and the Fleet Managers’ Friend is all about helping clients save money.

“Our mission is to help others optimise their fleet operation through the application of tried and tested best practice.”

Holmes said: “My knowledge and skills have been gathered at the sharp end of managing fleet operations for many years. I want to use that experience to help companies improve their fleet operations and save money because there is a clear lack of informed decision-making in many business and that is proving extremely expensive.”

“We will forensically analyse every aspect of a company’s fleet operation and either give it a clean bill of health or make recommendations where savings can be made.”

He added: “Having identified areas for improvements and made our recommendations we will walk away or, if the client requires help, we can assist them in going to market and conducting a tender exercise.”