One thing that can go a long way in helping you save costs is being able to ship your own products to consumers. To do this, you will need to make sure you have your own personal business fleet. While it may cost more to maintain, having a fleet allows you full control over your shipping, which can give you a boost if other mailing and shipping services fail you. However, you do need to make sure to maintain your fleet in order to handle your shipping properly. Here are some helpful tips to ensure that your business fleet stays in tip-top shape throughout the year.
One thing you or the fleet manager needs to do is keep documented service records. This first tip we’re going to give you regarding your business’s fleet is that you need to be organized. Organization can drastically assist your company in easily maintaining your fleet and properly prepare you for repair and maintenance expenses. Using a database management system for fleet maintenance can be a great advantage here. It can ensure that you have all the information documented and it can alert you when necessary maintenance service is needed. By keeping documented service records, you will be able to keep up with scheduled maintenance and avoid unnecessary breakdowns.
From your documented service records and other documentation, you can then create a master checklist of services and times. All vehicles have a manufacturer’s expected lifespan. For example, brake pads will need to be replaced annually. When you know how long to expect in between services, you can financially prepare for their costs. You should have a master checklist for things like tire services and how often the fleet’s parts need to be serviced, such as every 50,000 miles. When you have a master list, you can plan these services for each vehicle in your fleet with ease.
One of the biggest downfalls that businesses have when it comes to their fleet is not having a straight-forward procedure for reporting problems. If your driver gets into a fleet vehicle and notices a running light is out, they may not report the issues because they don’t know how. If you have a clear system for reporting, such as telling a supervisor or submitting a simple request form online, they can easily report the problem to you. Then, your fleet supervisor can address the problem.
Before you ever purchase a fleet vehicle, you should know what its expected lifespan is. This way, you can easily know when it’s time to start looking for a new vehicle. Many business owners simply disregard this information and deal with purchasing a new vehicle when one of their fleet vehicles finally dies out. The truth is, when you know ahead of time that you’ll need a new fleet vehicle, you can prepare to replace it with ease. You won’t have to worry about scrounging around to find a deal and settling for one that you don’t want.
Maintaining a fleet of service vehicles is a necessity for your shipping business. There are many different tasks that you’ll need to consider as a fleet manager. The above are four main tasks that will help to ensure the safety and longevity of your business fleet operations.
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