A number of established companies have warned fleet managers about 'obstructive practices' whereby some suppliers attempt to frighten clients into retaining their system by telling them they will lose all their data if they switch to a new one.

Car Fleet Control managing director Greg Connell said he had come across numerous instances of competitors telling clients they would not be able to transfer valuable data accumulated over several years between systems. His claims were supported by Sanderson FCS and GAMMA, who said some unscrupulous operators were using such tactics as a means of holding on to business or as an excuse to levy large charges for transferring the data.

Connell said Car Fleet Control would in future make a pledge to all its clients that if they wanted to switch to a new system, the company would assist in the transfer process and called on all reputable suppliers to adopt a similar guarantee. Sanderson FCS sales director Paul Foskett said he would support such a pledge for the whole industry.