Independents could target fleets
April 22nd, 2010 by Richard Aucock
INDEPENDENT car garages have a prime opportunity to win profitable fleet contracts says one expert.
Network Automotive reckons extensions to fleet car cycles is leading to many more 4- and 5-year-old company cars.
Independents are perfectly placed to take up the reigns of maintaining these motors and ensure firms fulfill Duty Of Care laws without sending invoices rocketing.
For best RVs, it is always best to use franchised dealers, he said. But, ‘as vehicles enter the 4th or 5th year of their life, this factor becomes gradually less important and there is an opportunity for independents to start to take more and more fleet business away from franchise dealers.’
Smaller garages shouldn’t stand back and expect profitable fleet business to come to them, though. A general lack of experience in dealing with bigger businesses means new procedures and facilities may have to be considered.
‘This might mean ensuring that they can provide a collection service and some form of consolidated monthly billing, for example.
‘It also means stepping up marketing activity. Fleets can only use your services if they know you exist, so you need to make contact with them and promote the advantages of your business over a franchise dealer.’
This means bigging up the biggest advantages of independence, he said:
• Competitive pricing
• Increased flexibility
• A more personal approach
‘There are excellent independents right across the country who we believe could complete successfully against franchises for fleet business.’
Tags: aftersales, fleet, service