The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected all facets of the fleet management industry. Due to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, fleet companies have had to rethink their business strategies while keeping costs down and employees safe.
Some of the measures implemented by fleet management companies to get by include:
- Remote working
- Automation and mobility
- Better route management
- Cost optimization
- Preparing for eventualities
Let's look at how fleet management companies are using these measures to roll with the COVID-19 punches.
Remote Working
When the Phase 1 Lockdown measures were announced in North Carolina at the start of the pandemic, fleet management companies were badly affected. They had to do away with in-office vehicle tracking, manual task scheduling, and job boards to remain in operation.
The main change that we've witnessed over the past few months is that the congregation and starting points for fleets aren't fixed as it previously was. Drivers and technicians are also beginning their workdays from home rather than company offices. Keeping track of assignments, vehicles, and drivers is now being done remotely.
Automation and Mobility
Fleet companies are increasingly moving away from the old-fashioned approaches to record management. The uptake of fleet management solutions has allowed companies to minimize in-person contact as much as possible by enabling back-office employees to work remotely.
Running a paperless organization has never been this critical for fleet companies. It has reduced physical touchpoints that would hitherto act as coronavirus transmission vectors besides allowing a significant percentage of employees to work from home.
Better Route Management
As lockdown measures came into effect, movement became a hassle. Currently, drivers have to know about the best routes to take if there are restrictions in specific areas. Without the usual backup teams working at the office, many have found this to be challenging.
Thankfully, fleet companies are leveraging fleet management solutions to get accurate information about the best routes to take. Initially, fleets were reporting delays resulting from shutdowns in different states, cities, and municipalities. Thanks to the uptake of fleet management solutions, they can now plan and optimize different routes.
Cost Optimization
Undoubtedly, the ongoing pandemic has caused significant financial implications for fleet companies. Normal business operations have been severely affected, thus leaving many companies on the brink of bankruptcy.
To mitigate the revenue shortfalls experienced across the industry, many fleet companies are implementing stringent austerity measures to help them minimize operating costs. Likewise, they leverage the available productivity tools to optimize work hours, minimize downtime, and increase driver availability.
Preparing for Eventualities
In this period of uncertainty, it's a good idea to prepare for any eventualities that may arise. This is exactly what fleet management companies are doing. Fleet managers are implementing protocols to respond to incidents such as drivers getting infected while on the job. Such measures ensure that both employees and customers remain safe.
Pre-empting worst-case scenarios and having a comprehensive action plan to address them goes a long way in helping fleet managers prepare for them. These are some of the pertinent questions that fleet managers should ask themselves while preparing for eventualities:
- What will happen if an employee gets infected with the Coronavirus?
- Who will cover for sick employees who have been forced to self-isolate?
- What do we do to ensure the safety of our employees and customers?
The Bottom Line
If you run a business in North Carolina, managing its fleet can take much of your time and prevent you from scaling. That's why it's best to choose Wilmar as your fleet management services provider.
We pride ourselves on being the largest leasing and fleet management company in Southeast USA, and we will be glad to help you run your business more efficiently. Contact us to learn more about our customized fleet solutions.
