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The start point for the best source of fleet information |
What to do before you take out a package
Be under no illusions: a software package won't magically sort out your fleet. The best examples of software working well for businesses, cutting costs and more are when the parties buying into it are crystal clear about what they want to achieve.
Development consultant for ALD's Profleet 2 system, Rhys Harrhy, says the best way forward is to lay out a series of objectives that the software has to meet, or at least help you with.
"You need to have a clear set of goals. What are you immediate objectives? Is it mileage capture? Vehicles returning after three years with the right mileage on them? Is there a desire to reduce your fuel bill, or the number of accidents? Is it about CSR credentials? You need to ensure you choose a supplier that is able to offer those immediate wins and ensure you can meet longer-term goals over two or three years," he says.
Zenith's commercial director, Ian Hughes, adds: "What are you going to use it for? Has it got a proper business case sitting behind your investment? It also depends on the size and scale of the fleet in terms of the value you'll get over a good old Excel spreadsheet!"
How to spot a dud system
The term might make it sound like a highly specialised niche but fleet software is actually encompasses a very broad spectrum of services. That means it can be quite difficult, even bewildering, to pick a system that best suits your business's requirements, and the size and operation of a fleet will ultimately dictate what you need.
Get taken in by the wrong sales pitch and you could purchase something you don't want, which doesn't suit your needs and will end up adding to your overall spend.
Managing director of software specialist Chevin, Ashley Sowerby, says businesses need to keep their wits about them before they commit to a package.
"It's not so much what software providers are selling but how they are selling it. Fleet operations vary tremendously from one organisation to the next and software requirements do the same," he says.
"Some providers take the 'stack them high, sell them cheap' approach but fail to actually deliver a product that meets the needs of the customer. Avoiding this scenario can be easily achieved by basic due diligence during the procurement process.
"Warning bells should ring if the following options aren't offered: professional scoping of the requirement by a business systems analysis, the opportunity to talk to or visit with the supplier's existing customers - especially those running a similar operation or within the same market - a full product demonstration and the opportunity to have a play around with an example system."
Ian Hughes, Zenith's commercial director, advises scrutinising everything before you take the plunge.
"I'd question certain elements - does it give you the flexibility you need? Are you able to turn the developments around within the time frame you want? Are the updates free of charge? What if you want to change it? They're all questions I'd ask," he says.
"It's also about the scope of what [the software] can and can't do and the frequency of the updates. How much of it can be bespoke to your own requirements and is this tailoring free? Re-writing of software is by no means cheap or quick."
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Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
