By Christopher Lyon
NTEA
Director of Fleet Relations
chris@ntea.com
This article was published in the
April 2016 edition of NTEA News.
In many organizations, the fleet
department is viewed as an expense — a very large expense. Fleets can be unsung
heroes; however, when properly run and managed, they are often essential tools
to keep organizations operating like well-oiled machines. By becoming their
advocate, you can help fleet managers promote success in their
departments.
Know
your customers
Suppliers and upfitters are in a key position
to act as fleet partners — and knowing your customers’ needs is critical. For
instance, emerging fleet managers may require additional resources. Providing
information on available offerings related to their fleet can yield positive
results, as well as: clear and abundant communication; responsiveness to RFIs,
RFPs and RFQs; meeting your promised delivery schedules; providing excellent
warranty repairs; and offering continued product
support
Defining
quality
As everyone knows, quality products and services are
important. On the other end of the spectrum, inferior offerings mean increased
downtime, more repairs and overall higher expenses. This puts fleet managers on
the path of greater and unnecessary costs, which is the opposite of customer
support.
Poor quality can ensure a lack of repeat
business and a damaged reputation. Going the extra mile will directly correlate
with returning customers.
If you have the desire to become a fleet
advocate, avoid the pitfalls of delivering equipment with the same issues and
problems, and recognize their unique expectations and requirements.
Common items to address include wire
routing to prevent damage; excessively tight bends in air and hydraulic hoses;
components mounted in areas utilized as steps; and hard-to-access serviceable
components
Bottom
line
You can be in the driver’s seat to help fleets help
themselves. Communicate with them and offer ideas. It’s a long-held philosophy
that customers are always right. However, they may not know what products and
services they need or how to ask for them. If you have a different solution when
responding to a request for proposal, quote the original specification and share
an alternative that may better meet their needs. This is how you start to become
an advocate for your customers and their fleet
operations.
If you have
any questions regarding this article or other fleet-related matters, contact
Christopher Lyon at 248-479-8196 or chris@ntea.com.