So where is the value in outsourcing? As an independent, we exist primarily because we do add value and our independence is a key element of this:-

• Our primary role is to protect and reflect our customers’ interests – not those of the fleet industry – and as such we are wholly impartial.

• We are a business of professionals, who understand (from a customer’s perspective) how to operate fleets.

• We bring cost transparency, systems investment and economies of scale with a management structure that understands fleet.

• We can coordinate all fleet areas – procurement, HSE, risk, HR, finance, grey fleet, etc. – and coordinate, manage and deliver stakeholder interests.

• We understand perceived ‘best practice’ and how to pragmatically apply it.

• We know that a fleet is a support mechanism to the real reason that an organisation exists and that people are employed by the business – we have commercial perspective.

• We bring competition and manage complexity, so that organisational efficiencies are achieved with driver service remaining a high priority.

• And yes, we do reduce costs and track every saving we make for customers.

But no matter how good we are as an outsource businesses we still need to be able to talk to someone in an organisation who understands what we’re talking about and who we can support (or who can support us) in making the necessary changes that are identified.

We can do most of the work, but it is always vital that we have organisational support to achieve change and objectives.

And there’s no one better for us at helping us achieve this than a good fleet manager – we talk the same language.

Fleet is a multi-faceted area and one which remains as emotive today as it ever was – as such, it creates ‘noise’ and needs to be managed well and receive continuous focus.

Where that doesn’t happen, control will slip and costs will rise – that’s just human nature.

A good fleet manager doesn’t need to be involved in day-to-day administrative functions or to necessarily have a team of people supporting him within his/her organisation, but he/she needs to know what’s going on and have meaningful information at his/her fingertips.

A good fleet manager needs to be a subject matter expert and be able to draw on the resources of – and challenge – other experts in order to define what is right for his/her organisation...and then explain this to his/her organisation.

A good fleet manager recognises outsourcing as a means of ‘uncluttering’, of consolidating data and gaining clarity, of working alongside an organisation to achieve common goals, of looking at better ways to do things, of freeing up time to work on strategy, explore options and new developments, and to change behaviour, to improve compliance and reduce costs within his/her organisation.

A good fleet manager harnesses their organisation’s support to achieve objectives and uses external support to make life easier.

A good fleet manager realises that outsourcing isn’t a threat – it’s a support mechanism aligned to the needs of the business, as well as a commercially logically decision to remove certain non-core activities and to free up time to think, plan, reflect and make change happen for the good of the organisation and its people.

In closing, I reflect on three key cases:-

1. Not long ago, we undertook a consulting project where the unwritten mandate was to close an internal fleet department of a large utility business.  Our ultimate recommendation was not to close the department , but to invest in it, which is what our client did and today the department is strong and working well, headed by a good fleet manager who understands the organisation.

2. Our former Operations Manager is now Group Fleet Manager for The Cooperative Group, managing an internal fleet team and a large fleet.  He was trained well, is professional, has demanding expectations, truly understands fleet and is professional – he is a good fleet manager and we’re proud of what he’s achieved.

3. As I write this letter, our business is about to start the implementation of a major fleet outsourcing project, where TUPE will apply and the existing fleet team (and a good fleet manager) will become our employees from next month.  This isn’t the first time we’ve taken over an existing fleet operation and its people, and it won’t be the last. 

We’re always delighted when these opportunities arise and we gain another asset to our business. 

More importantly, our client has continuity and doesn’t lose their fleet manager in these situations and we gain from more professional knowledge, as well as years of experience of our customer’s organisation, which can’t be captured on any spreadsheet.

There is huge value in a good/professional fleet manager.