Photo: Driven LandscapesAs a landscaper, you know better than most how important proper fleet management is for your company.
Without properly maintained vehicles, you won’t be getting very far in your workday. Whether you’re working on a big project or just taking care of some routine landscape maintenance, sending the right vehicle to the site is mandatory if you want to stay ahead in the business world.
It’s also important to keep your fleet ready to go at all times to ensure that your customers don’t jump ship when you aren’t able to make it to a worksite on time.
To keep your fleet up-to-date and ready to go at a moment’s notice, check out the following tips we’ve compiled.
Good first impressions
When your team arrives on the jobsite, the first thing they see is your fleet. If these vehicles are worn down and shabby looking, it will not set a good example for your company.
The way your vehicles look says a lot about you and the way you run your company, so be sure to take as much time and attention as you need to make sure your fleet is updated, attractive and in proper working condition.
Along with making sure your fleet is properly working and running successfully, creating an attractive outer look can also help give your company the good reputation it craves.
Popular opinion says that one of the best ways you as a business can advertise your services is by putting your name, number and other information on the very vehicles you use in your comings and goings, but be aware that there are some cons to this type of advertising.
According to a study conducted by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), most vehicle wraps reach between 30,000 and 70,000 people every single day, and vehicle wraps outperform billboards and radio greatly.
For more information on the pros and cons of vehicle wrapping, click here.
Safety, security and proper maintenance
Along with your fleet being attractive to the eye, it also needs to not be a safety hazard to you, your crews and your customers when it’s on a jobsite or out and about.
Customers who own or manage the property you service will take this into consideration first and foremost, since it will affect their business if something malfunctions or someone is injured because of your fleet or equipment.
When it comes to safety, always check to make sure your equipment is properly secured before heading to or away from a jobsite, and be sure that any debris is well covered. Take time to ensure that you have the best and most reliable drivers in charge of moving your fleet by choosing individuals who drive cautiously, follow traffic rules and are knowledgeable of road rules when hauling equipment.
When working to ensure that your company fleet is operating at full capacity, proper maintenance is a must. Taking care of the outer appearance of a vehicle is important, but even more so than that is making sure the inner parts are working as they should. When you go above and beyond to care for your fleet, it not only shows your customers that you take pride in your company, it also shows them that you take pride in the physical work you do.
Along with looking exceptional, a well-maintained fleet will also result in less time spent on fixing unexpected problems. Well-kept equipment is much less likely to break down or malfunction, which keeps you from having to stop projects and potentially lose customers.
Maintenance and fuel cards and telematics
Another technique some companies have put into practice is the use of maintenance and fuel cards.
Having a single fleet card that will be accepted at almost any gas station or maintenance facility can greatly increase the efficiency of your team as they are out and about in the field.
When your workers are constantly going from one site to another, having a card that’s accepted at multiple stations can allow them to pit stop on their way to the next job, which will ultimately save time by keeping them on their designated route.
More and more companies are introducing telematics into their fleets, and many have found it to be a helpful practice. Telematics enables you to keep track of where all of the vehicles in your fleet are, and it helps you know which vehicle is closest to certain jobsites.
This helps cut down on the amount of lag time between finding out equipment is needed at one site and that equipment arriving on scene. When your crew is more efficient on time, it helps you get more work done in the day, and it helps build up your credibility with customers.
For more information on how collecting and using data can benefit your business, click here.
