Photo via Daniel Arndt/Flickr.

Estimates indicate that over 400 people may lose their lives and nearly 46,000 may be seriously injured while on the nation's roads this Memorial Day Weekend, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). For commercial fleets, safe driving messaging should start in the workplace, according to the council.

Those of you starting an electrician, plumbing, or home service company may realize buying fleet vehicles is out of the question at the moment. Even if you think you could still pull off an investment in your vehicles, don't attempt it if you don't have metrics on potential ROI.

Starting a plumbing business is extremely competitive considering those in this industry are as ubiquitous as attorneys. Nevertheless, if you've been able to differentiate yourself from competitors, how have you managed to invest in fleet vehicles?

Those of you who work in the plumbing, electrician, or HVAC industries know that tracking your fleet vehicles can become a major challenge when your drivers drive long distances. Your business perhaps expanded to a point where many of your drivers travel to other states for repair jobs especially when you are close to the state line like we are in Charlotte, NC.

[The Continuance from part one]

Vehicles are a vital part of modern business. There are hundreds of industries and sub-industries that involve driving to and from customer locations and worksites. Then factor in regional managers who travel from location to location, C-level managers with company cars, driving around visiting clients, and road-based business trips.

5) Get Feedback and Ideas from Every Team Member

Many managers get into the headspace of thinking that they are the only source of innovation and must bring in productivity methods from the outside. However, both your office staff and your field technicians have a great perspective on how to eliminate inefficiencies because they work closely with the existing system every day.

Running a field service business successfully is a marvel of coordination, logistics, and teamwork. The office team manages the customers and books the work orders, the garage team keeps the vehicles in good condition and ready to go, and your technicians are responsible for everything in-between leaving the facility and coming back at the end of the day. 

Managing a corporate fleet of vehicles isn't like managing a delivery route, long-haul trucking, or even being the headquarters of a taxi service. Vehicles that are used by big businesses for internal corporate purposes are usually ferrying execs around, taking traveling employees to and from the airport, or serving as an in-house town car service for highly valued clients.

Regardless of your actual profession, the main tool for any service business is their vehicle. Sure, an electrician or plumber may have every tool imaginable, but they can't show up to a job site with those tools without proper transportation. Many service companies look into purchasing vehicles for their fleet, but one cost-saving option that often gets overlooked is leasing vehicles.