Managing a fleet is not an easy task because there are several challenges that fleet managers face every day. They have to ensure that all aspects of the business are in check and everything is running smoothly. They work to find solutions to problems that occur frequently. But, what exactly are these problems?  Recently I was at the Australian Fleet management Association conference in Melbourne. Over two days there were over 30 exhibitors, 50 speakers, and 27 educational sessions. I had the opportunity to speak to a range of fleet managers and service providers across Australia. Talking to them about their industry motivated me to write this blog summarizing some of the main thoughts. Here are some of their top concerns:

Safety

Like other industries, safety comes first! Different options should be available to allow safe procedures. These safety measures range from strict policies while driving like distractions to the driver to vehicle safety measures like timely maintenance. Though it might sound counter-intuitive, implementing all this requires a lot of thought and consideration and is taking too much out of some fleets.

Data management                                     

Fleet managers receive a large amount of information and are overloaded with updates. They consider an abundance of unnecessary data to be an information overload and strenuous as they have to review everything. Fleet managers feel that only important data should be processed, filtering the rest out. This way the managers aren’t overwhelmed and their energy is used to ensure the data is used for constructive purposes.

Training

If a team consists of professionals with new and impactful ideas, the company will grow at a high speed. According to fleet managers, staff members should be provided with proper training before their jobs are assigned. If the workers have a good knowledge about their work, they will be able to work more efficiently and with increased productivity.

Responses

Another major concern of fleet managers, along with accurate data, is response time. Their main target is to provide the customers with proper services on time. The managers also feel that there should be software systems that inform them about the issues immediately (in real time) and help them respond to it as soon as they are received.

Driving

Driver negligence is one of the many concerns of fleet managers. But, it is an important concern because it risks the customers and fleet health. So, managers believe that drivers need proper training before they are assigned their jobs, including emergency response management. Once on the go, drivers need automatic devices installed for proper guidance while driving to reduce any likely risks on the road.

Vehicles

Vehicles that are not well maintained often create problems in fleet management. The managers feel that the vehicles used should be updated and synced with latest technology options. If vehicles are maintained timely they are environment-friendly and can save expenses, then it will be easier to manage the budget of the company as well as the costs for the customers.

So, these are some of the top concerns of fleet managers which can be addressed with a little bit of task decentralization and technology integration. It was also great to see a range of services at the exhibition that have been addressing these issues.

Finally here is a picture of my team WipeHero at the booth. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Reza Keshavarzi (Click to follow me on twitter, medium, linkedin )

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Also published on Medium.