How to select the right fleet management supplier

The quality of a fleet management supplier should be a priority for any PA, alongside a fair price. Here, Danielle Tilley, business development director of Venson Automotive Solutions, offers her advice in selecting the right supplier for your business.

“A supplier needs to keep up with new legislation to ensure your fleet is compliant and safe long-term” – Danielle Tilley

Price is often at the top of the agenda when it comes to reviewing tender documents for leasing and fleet management, but the quality of service should be a close second, if not on par with price. To aid PAs in ensuring a supplier’s expertise and service offering is a good fit, we have compiled a guide to procurement:

1. Key factors: Choose the right supplier by focusing on reliability, value for money, quality and service, not just price.

2. Pricing: Pricing should be clear, concise and scalable, with the best interests of your business at heart.

3. Operational needs: Review your fleet services and operational requirements. Ask a range of stakeholders in the business for input to ensure all needs are included in the procurement process.

4. Part of the team: A good fleet management supplier will be an integral part of your fleet team, dealing with day-to-day demands and identifying risks, while also delivering recommendations.

5. Regular reviews: Make sure your supplier offers reviews to look at value for money and to monitor performance and savings.

6. Managing downtime: Vehicle downtime costs businesses, making service delivery a vital part of fleet management. How does your supplier define ‘downtime’, how well do they manage it and how is it measured?

7. Prequalification meetings: Remember that a tender is just a snapshot of a supplier’s products and services, which may change. Prequalification meetings can help by getting to know if a supplier is a good fit.

8. Long-term flexibility: With contracts lasting three to five years, a supplier needs to keep up with new legislation to ensure your fleet is compliant and safe long-term.

9. Mind your SLAs and KPIs: Measure contract performance to spot potential problems or opportunities and set targets.

10. Avoid ‘cookie-cutter’ providers: Every business is different, so beware suppliers offering one-size-fits-all fleet management and payment options. Look for a supplier with flexible solutions tailored to your needs.

Danielle Tilley