Solutions for Top Fleet Management Problems

Are you worrying that your company is being outstripped by competitors? Perhaps you should be looking introspectively and assessing the biggest problems that your company is currently experiencing, and what you can do to solve them. Fleet management is a demanding job, so don’t be afraid to admit when things go wrong; instead, learn about how you can solve them with us. 

1. Finding and Retaining Your Drivers

This problem is affecting companies both in and outside of the fleet management industry, but it’s vital that you find a way to fix it. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and making sure your parts are top quality is the first key to maintaining great service within your fleet.

Some managers view the hiring process as laborious – advertising, interviewing, vetting, recruiting and training – but finding the right staff who will be both happy and dedicated is important. You don’t want to cut corners when it comes to hiring or treat it as lesser than the tasks which deal more directly with fleet management, such as analysing data and operating the software.

Once you’ve found a solid team of hard workers who get on, you need to make sure that you don’t lose them to your competitors. You can do this by making sure that they feel needed and appreciated.

Remembering to say ‘thank you’ is always important, but as a manager, you should be looking for ways to show your appreciation in more meaningful ways; what perks do you offer your workers and how useful are they to your staff?

 

2. Driver Safety

Another way to lose your drivers is through poor safety practices. As a fleet manager, you are responsible for the fleet and therefore you should be able to pride yourself on exquisite safety awareness.

An accident at work can cause great distress for workers in any business; it is important that all businesses stay up-to-date with safety, but this is vital for those lines of work where physical threat is always present, such as fleet drivers. Make sure that they’re aware of the danger that awaits them if they do not adhere to regulations.

Keep your staff safe by holding regular safety meetings so your drivers know the facts and what’s expected of them in difficult situations. No fleet driver should have to worry about causing an accident on the road; they should be confident that they have reduced the risks as much as possible and know the course of action to take in the event that something goes wrong.

You can read more about keeping your fleet in tip-top condition here – Prepping Your Fleet.

 

3. Fuel Theft

Both of the above problems can cause your company to lose money down the line, but nothing is quite so disheartening as realising that your fuel supplies are being stolen. You need to be able to prevent this as best you can to reduce costs in your day to-day services.

1. In the event of fuel theft, unless you own a fuel monitoring system which uses unique fobs, you can never be immediately sure who has stolen the fuel. This suspicion can cause a lot of tension in a business, which is one reason why it is important to concentrate on hiring and retaining good, friendly and responsible drivers who can trust in one another as a team and keep a level-head in the event of a fuel theft. If possible, consider investing in a fuel monitoring system in order to allay these worries.
2. Establish and publish benchmarks for fuel consumption expectations and check any anomalies you find on fuel monitoring systems.
3. Install anti-theft devices and be vigilant; some companies report drivers hiding extra fuel tanks under their trucks.
4. Be smart – make the most of modern fuel theft prevention technologies to ensure you make minimal losses.

4. Information Overload

This is a common occurrence amongst new and old hands alike, but if you don’t find ways to cope with the stress, you could end up losing the company money. Here are some tips for overcoming this issue:

• Step Back

Breathe deep, clear your mind and approach your current task with a fresh outlook, uncluttered by the worries of five minutes ago. Set yourself several achievable goals to help you complete these tasks and if you don’t accomplish them in time – don’t stress. The information isn’t going anywhere.

• Tidy Up

Organise your information into relevant groups and clear out anything that could be construed as unnecessary. This will allow you to work more closely with the data you have. Keep an eye out for errors and anomalies, consider whether you should look into them as potential signs of fuel theft, but don’t let them control or affect your data processing.

• A Fresh Pair of Eyes

Getting someone else to look over your work can reveal aspects you hadn’t even noticed. Free yourself from your habits by engaging in conversation about your work, allow people to question your typical processes and you may find alternative ways to sort information that is better suited to you as an individual.

Don’t panic if you’re struggling with aspects of fleet management; there will always be people and technology that can make your job much easier. You’ll find yourself solving problems in no time if you remember to keep your staff well informed, encourage an open dialouge at work and use a fuel monitoring system.