For small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, a dedicated Fleet Manager is a luxury that is not always justifiable. And it’s not to say that their job is redundant – far from it.
A recent study showed that of those employees looking after fleets in SMEs, a staggering 98% are also juggling other jobs and responsibilities. And of those surveyed, employees looking after fleets of 10-50 vehicles, 49% said they were stressed and 6% said they were ‘very stressed’.
This indicates that for SMEs with fleets up to 50 vehicles, over half of those employees are potentially unhappy in their job.
As the life-blood of the UK’s economy, how can fleet management providers better support SMEs?
In an ever-changing environment, with almost daily changes to policy and rapid advances in vehicle technology, is it the duty of fleet management specialists like Sandicliffe Motor Contracts to relieve some of the pressure?
We believe the answer is yes, and how we do this comes down to three key factors.
Flexibility
The needs of an SME do differ from larger corporate entities and it’s being able to attune yourself to those needs that will make the difference here.
Regardless of what some fleet management companies may say, a fully outsourced agreement is not always the answer. The need for flexibility and the freedom to pick and choose from a range of services is the priority.
For some, the main need comes from removing those tasks that take up a lot of time and admin like driving licence checking, maintenance and driver support.
For others, it’s the need to manage costs that makes fully maintained contract hire the best solution. A fixed contract means businesses know exactly what is being spent each month and with additional services such as breakdown cover, accident management and fuel cards available as optional extras, everything is taken care of in one tidy package.
Reliability
What use is a service that is not dependable? For SMEs it’s not always the idea of ‘expense’ that puts them off external fleet management, but more so the idea of being let down. Trusting a provider to do what you ask them to do, and to do it well, is often the biggest hurdle to overcome.
In reality great service has no price tag; it’s having the confidence in a service provider or product that gets us going back time after time.
Offering a real-life tested and durable service model will give smaller businesses the confidence to look outside their internal skill set and entrust a specialist to deliver the goods.
Continuity
Although needs differ from client to client, at Sandicliffe Motor Contracts we don’t have to flick a ‘SME switch’ to offer a service that suits businesses with smaller fleets. Ingrained in our everyday service is ‘all of the above’ but it’s our attitude and approach that we feel gives us the edge with SMEs.
Our hands-on approach to customer service means support is never far away and that’s solely down to our attention to detail.
At Sandicliffe Motor Contracts your account manager will stay with you throughout the whole journey so the first person you meet to discuss your needs is the same person who looks after you every day.
Most fleet companies never actually see your car. At Sandicliffe Motor Contracts all of our vehicles are hand-checked on site at the start and end of every contract. A small differentiator it may seem but a unique feature that can actually save you considerable time and money when it comes to avoiding unnecessary end of contract recharges and clunky renewals.
With no call centres, your call is always answered and actioned by people who know you, know your business and genuinely care.
At the end of the day, our level of service is not comparable to the size of your fleet but driven by the desire to do an excellent job, each and every time.
To discuss fleet management requirements of any size, speak to our Sales Director, Phil Elms on 01159 466 466 or email [email protected]
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