With so many factors going into the fleet management mix, it is no surprise that a lot of companies do not have a clear idea of what their fleet is costing them. For many staff members for whom managing the fleet is only one of their responsibilities, looking after their fleet is a demanding task.

There are many costs associated with a vehicle fleet including buying/leasing the vehicle, fuel, repairs, disposal, legal compliance costs, FBT, OSH requirements, accident management, servicing and maintenance and environmental concerns. FleetSmart provides their clients with total fleet management solutions, meaning that the next time your Board asks you what the fleet is costing your company, you can give them an accurate answer.

Proactive fleet management is important, as it ensures that you know where your vehicles are, have a clear idea of where your costs are coming from and that your fleet meets the necessary legal compliance measures. FleetSmart clients have the security of knowing how their fleet is performing with monthly consolidated tax invoices that show an open-book breakdown of all vehicle related costs. FleetSmart's flexible reporting means that they can provide clients with exception reporting, so their clients know which vehicles are costing them more than they would expect. Could you tell your manager which vehicles on your fleet were spending too much on fuel or servicing?

It is important that your vehicles are serviced and maintained correctly, as out of date servicing, warrants, re-licensing or RUC's can be costly. FleetSmart help ensure that your fleet is properly maintained, which avoids warranties becoming void, vehicles and goods not being covered by insurance and penalties for non-compliant vehicles. Can you say that your fleet is fully serviced, maintained and legally compliant?

As vehicle selection accounts for around 60% of vehicle ownership costs, making good decisions when purchasing vehicles can save you money in the long run. FleetSmart take the guesswork out of fleet management costs, with their TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) model it is easy to see what a vehicle is likely to cost you over its lifetime, so you can compare different vehicles and whether you are better off leasing or owning. The TCO model includes servicing, tyres, buy/lease price, FBT, warrants, re-licensing and residual values. Can you predict in your budgets how much each new vehicle will cost over its life?

Vehicle finance can depend largely on the nature of each business and the cost of tying up cash can determine whether it is a better to lease or to own. FleetSmart compare multiple lease prices and can show their clients where savings can be made through ownership or leasing. Can you justify to your company whether you are better off owning or leasing?

Ecological accountability is becoming increasingly important to society as a whole. FleetSmart provide their clients with a service called EcoFleet, which allows their clients to request annual reports that show how their fleet is performing environmentally. FleetSmart clients are also provided with EcoFleet ratings on their TCO models, so that they can make decisions that are based on both financial and ecological implications, prior to purchase. Can you tell your customers and business partners what impact your fleet is having on the environment?

If you answered no to any of the above questions, give Christopher Young at FleetSmart a call on 0800 727 863. FleetSmart specialises in reducing fleet costs - not to mention stress levels.

For further information visit www.fleetsmart.co.nz