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​Managing any size of commercial vehicle fleet brings with it a unique set of challenges. And, whilst every situation is unique, there are definitely some common themes which affect us all. The trouble is, whilst the challenges may be similar, the answers can frequently be quite different.

So here’s three questions to get you thinking…

1. Is my commercial vehicle fleet costing more than it should?

2. Has my business changed but I’m still relying on vehicles with the same specifications?

3. Am I doing everything I can to increase efficiency and decrease risk?

The truth is, whilst there’s probably a long list of things you could do differently, there’s also a basic law of diminishing returns. This means that it’s not just a case of knowing what you can do but also when to hold back.

To put it another way, whenever you try to do something new then it’s going to take a certain amount of effort. In turn, this results in physical and/or hidden costs. Get it right and the value will exceed the effort you put in. But if you get it wrong, you may have been better off not doing anything at all.

So where do you start and how can you be sure you’re making the right decisions? Understanding whole life costs is obviously important, but it doesn’t stop there. The next, and even more difficult, step is to put these figures into context and understand what the optimum level for your business really is.

To do this, you’ll need to start thinking about which factors are having the biggest impact on your expenditure. For example, if your business has changed and developed over the last few years, is your current fleet profile now out of step, resulting in higher risks and less efficient operations?

Of course, this now raises an even more complex problem. How do you meet the challenge of reducing costs, increasing efficiency and still keeping risks at a level you’re comfortable with? After all, every step you take in one area is likely to have an impact on another.

Optimising your commercial vehicle fleet is all about finding the right balance between cost, risk and efficiency. In practice, this means understanding in advance what the impact of key decisions will be and measuring this against what you are trying to achieve. Then, and only then, can you calibrate your fleet operations in line with your company’s goals.

To make things easier for you, we’ve analysed and interpreted data from across the 47,000 commercial vehicles currently operated by our diverse range of clients. This work has given us a unique perspective on the challenges being faced by companies both large and small. It also means that we’ve been able to look at what works, what doesn’t and what just needs a little bit of calibration.

To get things started, just visit easiertoleaseplan.co.uk and take a look at our ebook on how to build a world class commercial fleet. Then, when you’re ready to chat, just give us a call on 0344 371 8032 or email lcv@leaseplan.co.uk.