A training course that aims to help turn fleet sales executives into “fleet consultants” will be warmly welcomed by companies who have outsourced their fleet management function to a leasing company.

Member companies of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) can now get their sales and business development teams trained by the Institute of Car Fleet Management (ICFM). Students will “step into the shoes” (if not directly on the toes) of clients and learn about the pressures and issues they face. Like outsourcing, perhaps.

As the move to outsource the fleet manager role continues unabated, it’s reassuring to know that some of the individuals taking it on will have a formal qualification. This is something Roddy Graham, chairman of the ICFM, has called for in the past.

Fleet operators might have been slow to respond but the opportunity has not been lost on the BVRLA.

Whether a four-day course can provide the “competence of the professional fleet manager” remains to be seen, but it’s a step in the right direction, for some.