The one thing that is true for all field services, no matter what your specific industry is, is the need for company vehicles. Naturally, your technicians and teams need a reliable way to get from HQ every day out to the customer's locations.
Whether you serve homes, businesses, or get called out to fix power lines, how well you care for your fleet also determines how easy it is for your teams to navigate highways and neighborhoods and make it to appointments on time with everything they need to finish each job.
By properly tending to your fleet vehicles, you can ensure that your technicians are safe and that tire blow-outs or engine trouble are far less likely.
1) Full Inspection After Every Return
Every time one of your company vehicles goes out, there's a chance that something will happen on the road. Even if an incident doesn't effectively slow down or stop the day's duties.
Potholes, fender-benders, and even completely random engine mishaps can put a vehicle in a less than safe condition by the time it returns and the last thing you want to do is send a team out with a defective or dangerous truck.
When a vehicle comes in at the end of the day, make sure to perform a full inspection including the rims and tires, as these are the most likely to take damage or cause trouble on the road.
2) Keep a Regular Maintenance Schedule
Not only are daily inspections and regular repairs important, but as with any vehicle, it's important to keep a steady maintenance schedule for all the usual things. Most vehicle parts or models will have guidelines for how often you'll want to change things like the oil, air filters, battery, tires, and so on.
A regular maintenance schedule will ensure that your vehicles are kept in a reliable condition and running smoothly or that they will be retired when they can no longer pass the maintenance requirements.
3) Stock Up Supplies Every Morning
Most field services require a certain amount of equipment to do correctly and it often helps to have a few spare parts in the truck just in case. One of the most irritating mistakes for both customers and your technicians is accidentally forgetting something at headquarters requiring a trip back or a complete rescheduling of the customer's service.
To prevent this from happening for all but the most specialized jobs, make sure that your vehicles are stocked up with the right supplies, spare parts, and anything needed for special services first thing in the morning.
This way, no one has the opportunity to forget anything important.
4) Match Drivers to Vehicles
Even if your vehicles are all nearly identical, each one will be slightly unique and your drivers may very well have preferences. In general, professionals do bets in familiar environments and working with the most familiar tools.
Rather than sending your drivers out in any available vehicle, assign each of them a unit or let them pick and then stick with that pairing. This allows your drivers to get to know their unit and can work better with their assigned vehicle on difficult roads.
5) Reward Good Driving Records
Finally, once your drivers have gotten accustomed to always using the same vehicle unless one is out for repairs, you can start tracking the difference in their vehicle care and performance.
You may notice that one driver's truck almost never needs additional maintenance and you should go out of your way to recognize and reward responsible driving habits. When your drivers see that you value vehicle care, they will be more careful with the company property and may work to emulate drivers who get rewards.
Your trucks are an important and valuable part of the services you offer and they deserve as much care and attention as you would give a client. By keeping your trucks clean, stocked, and well-maintained, you are essentially providing faster and more reliable service to customers.
For more tips on fleet management for your industry, contact us today!
