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What is Fleet Management?
December 22, 2020
Fleet management is the process in which a business or fleet manager uses a mix of planning, technology, and communication to ensure efficiency and productivity to help the business run as smoothly as possible. Numbering anywhere from 2 and more, vehicle fleets can be difficult to keep organized––but, it doesn't have to be. [[3297]]
Picking the right vehicles and management plan for your large or small business can be crucial for success. At Nissan, we promise you the Nissan Business Advantage, in which we make sure to offer you upstanding assistance with your business vehicles or fleet from before the purchase through to long after the sale. This includes individual vehicles, small fleets ranging from 2-10 vehicles, or large fleets on 11 vehicles or more. Let us do some of the heavy lifting with the use of our comprehensive maintenance packages and our team of commercial sales representatives, both dedicated to helping make your life as a small or large business owner easier.
The benefits of fleet management
Fleet management can help your business operations in several ways:
Operations
Fleet management can help make your operations more efficient through optimizing the tracking of fuel usage, mileage, working hours, reporting, and other variables. By tracking this and more, a fleet manager can help pick out where and when more cost-saving endeavors could be implemented. [[3297]]
Vehicles
Keeping track of fleet vehicles is important when it comes to maintenance, safety, losses, and driving habits. With proper fleet management, you can help keep your vehicles up to standard by ensuring that their maintenance reflects their usage and wear and tear. This can also help with managing driving habits, whether it be unsafe operation, extended hours causing fatigue, or even idling––all areas that can lead to improved company performance, happier employees, and more cost efficiency when handled properly.[[3297]]
Workforce
Your workforce is just as important as your vehicles when it comes to your business success––if not more so. Proper fleet management can help improve the performance of your employees and your relationship with them by keeping efficient communication and safer on-road working environments. It can also help to keep your workforce accountable. For example, if you utilize GPS tracking, you can keep an eye on how your employees are using their fleet vehicles and what can be improved upon. [[3297]]
Nissan Business Advantage
Kick-start your vehicle management
Get your fleet or small business vehicles on the road with the help of a Commercial Sales Representative or Dealer and invest in the Nissan Business Advantage. With support from before the purchase through to roadside assistance and priority maintenance, Nissan is committed to help move your business forward.
Common challenges of fleet management[[3297]]
The more vehicles that you have, the more challenging it can be to manage them. Here are some common fleet management issues:
- Theft and loss of vehicles and equipment
- Methods of cost-reduction
- Driver safety
- Fleet productivity
- Fuel price variability
General Tips to Improve Fleet Management
When managing a fleet, it is tough to go it alone. Utilizing as many resources as you can, regardless of how big or small your business is, can help to mitigate fleet management issues. Keep in mind, the goal of fleet management at the end of the day is to decrease cost and increase productivity.
1. Get a Fleet Manager
Though this may not be as feasible for smaller fleets and businesses, a fleet manager that is dedicated to mitigating the challenges of your fleet can be very beneficial. Fleet managers can also help you protect your fleet, especially when it comes to keeping it organized and well maintained.[[3297]]
2. Explore GPS Tracking
For all business vehicles, GPS tracking services offered by a variety of post-purchase suppliers can help solve for keeping track of employees, vehicles, and how employees are using vehicles. Better yet, it can give you a chance to update your customers on the location of their service provider. And, in the chance that a vehicle is lost or stolen, it can help to recover company equipment and materials.[[3297]]
3. Research Fleet Management Software
Fleet management software can help to keep track of productivity statistics, employee workload, and help with your overall cost-benefit analysis. Especially if you don't have the resources to invest in a fleet manager, utilize the software available from after-the-purchase suppliers that can help you do the job on your own.[[3297]]
What is a fleet manager?
A fleet manager is an individual in charge of managing the vehicles and the personnel that utilize the vehicles of a company. In some cases, the individual may have a specific certification, but in nearly all cases they would have an automotive background in fleet maintenance, operations, or logistics.[[3297]]
Do small businesses need a fleet manager?
Though a fleet manager can help in many circumstances, small businesses do not necessarily need one. That being said, if you are a small business that is growing how many vehicles are on the road, it may be helpful to get ahead of the game and look into getting a fleet manager beforehand or developing one from your current ranks.
Key responsibilities for a fleet manager
Though their ultimate job is to keep track of all fleet aspects and provide cost saving options while keeping productivity, there are many key responsibilities that make up how they do this.
- Safety programming
- Fuel management
- Track fleet metrics
- Vehicle and employee legal compliance management
- Vehicle negotiating, acquisition, and maintenance
- Manage vehicle security
- Analyze data and provide efficient solutions for cost reduction initiatives.
How to become a fleet manager
There are several ways to become a fleet manager, one of which is to get certified through schooling. Though it will not guarantee you a job, it can help to show the standard at which you could execute the workload. Separate from this, in order to become a fleet manager it is important to have prior experience in an automotive field, particularly fleet maintenance. This, and a deep understanding of risk management and other aspects of business management and analytics is important when approaching the position.
