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The start point for the best source of fleet information |
Davenport tells us that the focus on eco-initiatives really started pre-pandemic, as some of SG Fleet's clients were already starting to plan their switch to EVs. He says: "It was certainly more for cars than vans at that stage, and we saw an opportunity to support them with a holistic product that addressed everything from initial feasibility analysis to charging infrastructure, policy change, payment mechanisms and vehicle funding.
"In November 2020 when the government announced that the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars would be brought forward from 2040 to 2030 as part of their 10 point 'road to net zero' plan, it really started to accelerate people's thoughts around EVs and for most fleet operators that deadline was suddenly just over two change cycles away.
"We also have a unique salary sacrifice product in the UK called Novalease which ultimately delivers the greatest savings to ULEV drivers through low BIK rates and we started to see volumes increasing massively as more EVs came to market and drivers wanted to embrace the new technology they offered.
"The other big change through the pandemic was just the reduction in miles being driven. A large number of car fleets sat fairly idle during that period and as people learned different ways of working, I think it also helped them to see EVs as a more viable option for their new travel patterns.
"Naturally business mileage has now recovered to an extent but not back to the same levels as before for many drivers and long business journeys that could have previously presented a challenge for EV's are now being swapped for Teams or Zoom calls.
"Carbon reduction is a key objective for most businesses and since the dust has settled following the pandemic, we have been doing a lot of work with clients around policy change and how to continue maximising the benefits of an ULEV fleet despite the very volatile manufacturer landscape."
SG Fleet are keen to grow all areas of our business, according to Salmon. He says: "An ideal customer for us takes a range of services and usually operates a mix of cars and commercial vehicles. A lot of our clients are sole supply and fully outsourced so we need to meet a broad range of fleet requirements and we're always looking at where we can innovate and drive greater value.
"We already have some really important differentiators like Novalease and also our telematics solution Motrak. One key area of focus is around connected data and how we deliver increasingly powerful insights for the client from data collected and analysed throughout the value chain."
According to Salmon, SG Fleet as a business, place a huge amount of focus on innovation and have a specific team working on potential innovations that span across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. He says: "I'm not sure the lockdowns actually presented us with any more time, as throughout all lockdowns we continued to win new clients and grow our business.
"We actually won and implemented our largest fleet client during lockdown which has accelerated positive change in many areas of the business."
Continued development in the mobility space and switch to alternative fuelled vehicles are the key areas of development from SG Fleet, Salmon explains. He says: "You may have seen we recently invested in a business called Zoomo, this has given us a new dimension in the electric bike space, and we are working on a number of potential and exciting trials with that product.
"You will soon see the next phase of our e-solutions, following on from E-Start (which effectively provides the roadmap, support, and infrastructure to start moving to ULEV's), you will start to see and hear about E-Manage which as you might expect, provides clients with the tools, and know how to manage their shiny new ULEV fleet.
"We have some other exciting mobility solutions coming down the line in the shape of our Lite Lease and Second Life lease products to provide more flexibility and address the ongoing new vehicle shortages. As I mentioned previously, innovation never stops at SG Fleet!"
The fact that SG Fleet believe that they have the broadest range of products in the market and the flexibility to adapt quickly to changing market trends and conditions, are Davenport believes what makes them stand out against the opposition. He says: "We are essentially a fleet management business designed to act as extension of our client's own organisation, so there is a huge focus on customer service and personalisation.
"We grow with our clients and play to our strengths which means that we don't try to be in all corners of the market if they're not the right fit for us."
SG Fleet were awarded "Best Eco Initiative" in the 2022 Business Car Awards. So, we ask Davenport how will this award change the business and how they you plan on keeping hold of it next year? He says: "We are very proud to be recognised but never want SG Fleet to stand still, so we see this as a great incentive to continue evolving and innovating.
"As I mentioned earlier, we have a host of new products that we are launching, including E-manage, Zoomo, Lite Lease and Second Life Lease, so trust me when I say we don't plan on making it easy for anyone to take it away from us!"
Call 0344 854 5100 or visit www.sgfleet.com
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