You may be familiar with what fleet managers do, but what is a fleet management company exactly?
Fleet management companies provide software, hardware, and support services to fleets to help improve the safety, efficiency, productivity, and profitability of a fleet company.
But, if you choose an ineffective fleet team that mismanages your company, you could find yourself (and your bank account) in deep trouble.
Likewise, finding the right fleet management company can be a gold mine for a fleet team and its bottom line.
Certified Fleet Services here. We know what it’s like to begin the long and intense search for a quality fleet management company, which is why we’re here to break down what to know to help make finding your next fleet management company a bit less strenuous.
In this guide, we’ll discuss:
- What a fleet management company is
- The responsibilities that a fleet management company upholds for its customers
- How fleet management companies can help companies become more successful
- What fleet management companies can offer
- Common solutions fleet management companies offer
- Six steps to follow to help choose the right fleet management company
What exactly is a fleet management company?
A fleet management company uses in-house software, hardware, and manpower to help companies manage their commercial fleets. Some of the services offered can range from helping businesses monitor the status and whereabouts of their vehicles to transporting and delivering goods to reinforcing driver safety and the longevity of commercial vehicles.
In terms of the longevity of commercial vehicles, many fleet management companies provide corrective and preventive maintenance for fleet teams through mobile and in-shop repair work.
Each fleet company team member plays a vital role in helping a business succeed.
Responsibilities of a fleet company
Fleet management companies are responsible for providing tools, software, and technologies that help support a team’s delivery and transport of goods. A quality fleet company knows how to accommodate a variety of businesses no matter the industry or size of their fleet.
Whether construction, furniture delivery, food and beverage, healthcare, or transit-related, a fleet company works with businesses in all different types of industries. The goal of a fleet company is to help a company automate and streamline processes for the company’s success.
Fleet management companies’ role in helping companies thrive
Fleet management offers companies so much in the way of services and products. Some of the many benefits that fleet personnel offer a company include:
- Help with reducing fuel costs through the creation of fuel management processes and systems
- Increased fleet safety
- Increased operational productivity
- Access to the latest fleet management systems and technology
- Building a robust fleet operations and management plan
Solutions fleet management companies offer
Some of the best fleet management companies provide full-suite solutions supporting a variety of fleet operations, business management, and driver management-related functions. The most common solutions that fleet management can help with include:
- Completing vehicle insurance applications
- Resolving accidents and dealing with insurance claims
- Adhering to roadside and interstate compliance measures
- Management of deliveries and logistics
- All-things vehicle diagnostics
- Support with driver management, vehicle tracking, vehicle dispatch, and GPS location tracking
- Helping fleets integrate the use of telecommunications and information
- Monitoring fuel usage, price control, and budgetary spending
- Executing and creating safety education and driver training content
- Monitoring and reporting fleet performance and fleet maintenance metrics
Since every fleet’s needs are different, finding a fleet management company that provides solutions that meet the needs of each individual fleet is key to the success of a fleet.
How to choose the right fleet management company (6 steps)
Now that you know what fleet management is, we want to make sure you find the right management company for your needs. Fleet managers and operators: the following sections detail six best practices to find a fleet company that matches your needs.
1. Look for fleet teams with proven track records of success
One of the best ways to find whether a fleet management team passes the litmus test for being reliable and efficient is to check whether they’ve received positive reviews on review websites like Google My Business, G2, and Trustpilot.
Worth noting is what people are saying in the reviews: are the telematics the fleet management team provides top-quality? Do they have a quality arsenal of fleet vehicles for lease? How about roadside assistance?
Take note of positive and negative reviews to find a quality management company that meets your needs.
2. Seek out fleet companies with customizable plans and tools
Some fleet management companies use many tools, while others offer one with a long list of functionalities that can address users’ needs.
If possible, seek out a fleet management team that allows you to use one tool that provides a suite of data analytics and functionalities. Knowing one tool like the back of your hand is often better than subscribing to many tools and adding subscription fee after subscription fee to your ledger.
A great management company can help you find a customizable plan that meets your needs, a plan that helps you keep track of all the important performance indicators and milestones you rely on for your business.
3. Find a fleet management team that listens
This tip may sound like a no-brainer, but the right fleet company listens to your business’ ever-evolving needs. A quality fleet company can also break down complex ideas into digestible, comprehensible pieces of information.
They’ll partner with you to find the best way to assist and improve your operations. They’ll make your success their number one priority.
4. Choose companies that value the latest technology
Some of the best fleet management companies invest in and stay current with the latest technology and fleet management software.
By staying current with the times, fleet management companies can respond to new demands in the marketplace and can develop new features and products that will help you and your business thrive.
Whether you need a dashboard camera to reduce liabilities or a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), a great fleet company can pivot to meet your needs.
Finally, a fleet consulting company that values technology is likely also aware of the potential for cyberattacks and can provide hack-proof fleet management services for your needs.
5. Hire a fleet team that provides top-quality customer support
When running your business, you want to make sure operations run as intended. But, emergencies come up, and alas, we can’t predict the future.
When issues come up, having a fleet company that offers 24/7 customer support — and many support channels like email and live chat — can make a world of difference.
When looking for a fleet company that meets your needs, consider hiring a management company that employs a robust support team.
As such, part of being a top-quality customer support team involves providing software as a service (SaaS) to drivers, administrative staff, and other personnel on your team.
A great fleet team should provide easy-to-understand guides, tutorials, videos, and literature to help you make more informed decisions that help boost your bottom line.
6. Opt for companies that offer user-friendly technology
As part of the package deal, many fleet management companies provide the latest technology to support fleet teams with their daily operations.
A quality fleet company is also dedicated to helping teams create more user-friendly versions of their existing technology. When choosing a fleet consulting or management company, consider whether their technology integrates with your current operations infrastructure.
Doing so will continue to help you improve driver safety and increase productivity for your entire team.
Did you know?
Truck Fact Thursday: Did you know that approximately 70% of all goods shipped in the U.S. ship via truckload? With fleet management expected to grow more than 10% due to increased automation of processes and increases in technological innovations (CognitiveMarketResearch.com, 2024), we may very well see the number of goods shipped via truckload increase in the next few years.
With all that freight moving and in flux, a quality fleet company can keep your vehicles in tip-top shape so you can focus on doing what you do best.
Looking for a top-quality fleet company?
The role fleet management companies play is critical to the success of a business. Whether helping businesses stay compliant with regulations, using new predictive analytics software, or optimizing management practices, a top-quality fleet company makes a world of difference for a company.
Before pulling the trigger on a fleet company, do your research. We can’t emphasize that enough.
When you find the ideal fleet company for your needs, your research and effort will have paid off.
If you need any advice or help finding the right fleet solutions for your business, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team of ASE-certified fleet technicians have more than 30 years of experience troubleshooting fleets and supporting business owners large and small to find solutions that fit their needs.
Contact us anytime for support with your fleet.
