Understanding your fleet customers

By Christopher Lyon, NTEA Director of Fleet Relations

This article was published in the April 2018 edition of NTEA News.

Why is it so important to gain a better understanding of fleet customers? Your business needs to go beyond selling — fleets seek suppliers that are dependable and serve as a partner to help them achieve their goals. In order to assume this role and elevate your company’s perception in the eyes of the customer, it’s critical to be able to anticipate their requirements. Often, fleets are a subset of larger organizations and have customers of their own. Understanding the needs of the fleet will position you to become a valued business partner.

Avoid the typical fleet sale
Most dealers and upfitters have designated fleet sales representatives — and some may make the mistake of treating a customer like a customer. This may sound counterintuitive, but every fleet is unique, with their own methods and requirements from acquisition to disposal. In short, there is no such thing as a typical fleet.

Taking time to understand the different categories of fleets can help you strategize sales and support tactics. Government fleets can be a municipality, state-, federal- or enterprise-funded. Commercial fleets can include construction, pick-up and delivery, and service industries. Utility fleets may be telecom, electric, gas, water or sewer. These are just a few broad categories, but learning their differences can help tailor your approach.

Back to the customer
Not every customer has the same issue, but problems can often be caused by operating environments, type of fleet and maintenance practices. A key error with some sales teams is making broad statements on how much they can save fleets or that they can offer a better way to accomplish a task. Although it may be true, it’s important to understand the specifics of customers’ needs. Before the sales pitch, do some research, and you’ll be in a better position to offer solutions and communicate effectively.

Be memorable
The post-sale follow-up is critical to good customer partnerships. One of the easiest ways to dissolve a business relationship is to become forgotten. This often happens with suppliers that are only visible during the buying cycle. Continuing partnerships requires visibility. A good rule of thumb is to follow up on 90- and 180-day schedules. Take the opportunity to ask how the experience was and if there is anything that can be improved upon. This also enables you to find out their upcoming needs without the appearance of being an overbearing sales representative.