Whether your fleet consists of delivery trucks that make multiple short runs across the city or sedans driven by your salesforce to call on accounts in multi-state territories, knowing how preventive maintenance saves you money can work to your advantage. You’ll save money by taking a proactive approach toward fleet maintenance and repair. You’re probably scrupulous about making sure your own personal vehicle is well-maintained. It’s smart business to turn that same level of attention to your fleet of vehicles, even though it may not look smart on paper.
Keep Accurate Records
It might sound like a no-brainer, but make sure you or your accountant are aware of exactly what your fleet consists of and when it may be time to retire a vehicle. Knowing in detail the status of your vehicles is key to efficient fleet vehicle management.
There are software programs available to track certain data, such as the purchase date, VIN number, license plate number and renewal date, recommended maintenance schedule, date of last oil change, miles traveled per week or year and maintenance and repair expenses. By keeping up-to-date and accurate records, you’ll be able to spot red flags more quickly. If a vehicle’s average miles per gallon drops or maintenance and repair receipts soar, it may make sense to pull the vehicle from your fleet.
Prevent Rather Than React
Arguably, the most important consideration, if you’re interested in saving money on fleet repair and maintenance costs, is to focus on maintenance. If you wait until a vehicle is driven into the ground and parts fail, expect to spend significantly more on the repairs. Failing to properly maintain fleet vehicles and accounting for the resulting necessary expenses can result in small businesses spending nearly double a vehicle’s purchase price on maintenance costs and simple depreciation.
Yes, prevention leads to more frequent service-center expenses on the balance sheet, but those more frequent expenses will be far less than the unanticipated big-ticket expense of, for instance, a complete engine overhaul necessitated by failure to get recommended oil changes. Don’t let your accountant talk you into a risky “reactive maintenance” strategy. It may look good on paper now but will backfire later, potentially at the most inopportune time. A fleet vehicle that is out of commission isn’t a fleet vehicle that’s making you money. Poor vehicle maintenance will wipe out your bottom-line profitability.
Team up with a Knowledgeable Fleet Service Provider
Not all repair shops are qualified to service fleet vehicles. These vehicles typically suffer more wear and tear than private vehicles. Technicians with experience servicing fleet vehicles know which parts are most apt to fail sooner and how to prevent that from happening. They are also familiar with conducting predictive maintenance, such as determining when tires should be replaced.
If you’re interested in learning how preventative maintenance saves you money in the long-run, contact us. Our team of ASE-certified technicians performs all services in-house. We can also help you win points with your accountant by generating yearly statements so you don’t have to track down receipts.