A lot of businesses use fulfilment and delivery services to make sure that their product gets to their customer. Those services are essential to maintaining trust and loyalty to the business, so it’s far from uncommon for a business to eventually want to take them on themselves. However, managing your own logistics comes with its own set of challenges. One that shouldn’t be overlooked is the challenge of running a business fleet. In this article, we’re going to look at how running that fleet is about more than just owning a few cars in the business. It’s about making those vehicles as efficient and dependable as possible.
Make sure your data supports the vehicles
Part of any great logistics system is the reliance on data to keep the process as efficient as possible. The inventory system can have addresses stored and double-checked against customer orders to make sure packages are going in the right place. But more importantly, telemetric GPS tracking can help you see not only how long it takes your packages to travel from your business to the customer. They can help you come up with alternate routes, allowing you to be more efficient and get more completed deliveries in a given day. It’s the collaboration between the driver and the data you control that can ensure the best possible journeys are made.
Treat the vehicles like essential equipment
The average mechanic might be enough for the regular consumer, but when the success of your business relies so much on your vehicles, you need quicker, more in-depth service. Employing your own mechanic in-house to perform regular maintenance on every vehicle can help you spot potential issues long before they become problems. When those problems arise, a direct relationship to parts suppliers like Pirtek instead of dealerships and shops means you don’t have to wait for mechanics to order the parts in then come and fix them. Instead, you can use the manufacturer’s and supplier’s emergency supply services and get back on the road much quicker.
Know your demand
One of the biggest issues with handling your own deliveries is having to get used to the sudden surge in demand that most companies are going to see at some part of the year. You likely already understand your supply cycle as it affects manufacturing and production. However, that demand can also stretch your fleet and delivery services to their very limit, too. Instead of buying extra vehicles that will then go unused for most of the year, however, it may be more cost-effective to lease extra fleet vehicles instead. That way, you don’t have to worry about degradation of the vehicles and the ensuing maintenance and repair costs. But you need to get the ball rolling before the cycle gets into its period of highest demand so you’re not rushing to catch up.
Fail to look after your fleet and support it right and your business will be plagued with late deliveries and inefficiency. Get more done in less time, make your service more reliable, improve customer loyalty and see a greater return on investment by following the tips above.