Solution for fleet management and car maintenance

Management of your car maintenance costs is a challenge in technical terms and administrative discipline. Whether  you have one car or the challenge of managing a fleet, then you have to ask yourself one important question…..

“ Are you a trained mechanic with an extensive up to date mechanical knowledge of every car and van you operate?”

Unless you can answer yes then you need help.

Failing to do this generally leaves you with either the job of receiving calls from garages wanting work authorised ( and probably trying to maximise your spend with them) or worse still leaving this major cost in the hands of your employees expense process. How can you really be sure you are getting the right price for the work required?

In general terms help can be obtained in two ways.

Fleet Management Company

There are a number of suppliers that will book and authorise repairs as and when they are required. You will also generally gain some economies of scale with this type of arrangement, mainly by access to large fleet car maintenance discounts.

Fleet management will also relieve you from processing every invoice as you will receive a monthly consolidated statement from the fleet management company. You will also gain access to reporting from a detailed fleet management system that will allow analysis of everything from tyre life to driving habits of individuals.

The benefit of this type of arrangement applies if you have one vehicle or a large fleet but you will still have the risk of maintenance cost to deal with and associated budgetary difficulties.

Fixed price fleet maintenance

Does what it says on the tin. You pay a fixed monthly amount and all your servicing, mechanical repairs, tyres etc are all paid for by the service supplier.

This type of arrangement has historically been part of a contract hire agreement but can also be sourced from independent specialists as a stand alone facility.

This has the particular advantage of smoothing cash-flow and also effectively “insures” you against vehicles that prove less reliable.

In practise not all costs may be covered with some companies. Charging for punctured tyres for instance. You may also find that  driver abuse or accidental damage sometimes results in you being charged for the mechanical work ( clutches are a favourite for this, especially if they fail early in the life of the vehicle).

The best way to avoid either of these additional costs is through driver training and a well communicated company car and van policy.

You would pay for these additional maintenance costs no matter how you arrange your company car and van maintenance, so avoiding driver misuse should be investigated thoroughly.