Mercedes-Benz to ‘take a lead’ on van safety

Mercedes-Benz Vans is taking a more consultative approach to its fleet customer relationships in order to help them run more efficient and safer businesses.

The move includes the imminent launch of a driver training programme and discussions with fleets about the most suitable vehicles for their needs.

Managing director Steve Bridge recognises that resell values are a vital part of the ownership cost and he believes that Mercedes-Benz can play an important role in helping fleets to maximise their residual values.

“The used market is about plain white long-wheelbase vans, so we have to be mindful how we go to market regarding colours and options,” he said. “The used market is three times the size of new, so we have to have the right vehicles on the ground at the right time.

“We are consulting with customers – whether a vehicle’s right for them and what it is worth in years to come. Our vans include lots of standard equipment and that has to translate into the future residual value.”

Bridge is taking learnings from his counterparts in Mercedes-Benz Trucks when it comes to vehicle reliability. “They are looking at zero tolerance on downtime; we want to be almost 100% uptime,” he said.

“If a customer buys our vans and we are able to maintain them in accordance with their business cycles – at night or weekends – then there’s an uptime benefit to operating a Mercedes-Benz product.”

His biggest challenge is getting this message across to the right fleet audience, countering the commonly-held view that Mercedes-Benz vans are more expensive.

“They aren’t the cheapest, but they give fleets the productivity they need and total cost of ownership. Our vans succeed in the areas that a fleet needs – they are durable, reliable and fuel efficient vehicles.”

They are also safe – one of Mercedes-Benz’s key business pillars. The company has pioneered a number of systems on its Sprinter large panel van, including cross-wind assist and trailer stability assist.

However, like stability control and ABS, these systems work in the background which makes them a more difficult sell to budget-conscious corporate fleets.

“Fleets rank safety as high on their agenda if they have a multiple choice, but in reality these vehicles are business tools so they have to serve a purpose,” Bridge said. “Their real priorities are weight and payload.”

He is determined that Mercedes-Benz will make a difference in this area – it is heavily involved in the Freight Transport Association’s Van Excellence scheme – and is currently exploring the business case for a driver training programme.

“We already have a programme within Mercedes-Benz. Early next year we will go to market with an embedded driver training offer,” Bridge said. “So, if you rent or buy a van, that entitles you to a day of classroom training on how to operate that van, looking at load restraints, economic driving and what to do in the event of an accident.”

The initiative is likely to be focused at smaller fleets, ones that typically do not have fleet or transport managers controlling strategy with well-established training procedures already in place.

Bridge added: “We also want to do it for fleets that already have our vans and for those driving other makes of van – that is the ultimate aim.”

He believes that van fleet operators and the wider industry need to take responsibility for improving safety and compliance to ward off any threat of legislation.

“There are half a million HGVs and they are heavily legislated. But there are 3.3m vans and they are less so,” Bridge said. “That will change. It’s up to us as manufacturers to take a lead. We can’t sell a van and hope that it’s maintained.”

Telematics will play a crucial role in monitoring the performance of vans and helping companies like Mercedes-Benz to be proactive when it comes to identifying potential faults.

Bridge called the connected van “a work in progress”, with much of the technology filtering across from the car side.

“We have to explore how best to go to market with it. But within the next five years everyone will be doing it,” he said.