An unrelenting focus on improving customer safety has seen Reflex Vehicle Hire overhaul its risk management offering.

Following conversations with clients, the company developed its ‘Driive with Reflex’ solution to provide ‘vehicle hire with safety as standard’.

This offers a range of standard and optional services such as: vans limited to 70mph; vehicle tracking and dashcams with automated incident reporting; telematics monitoring and data analysis service with live driver intervention; a driver safety app including daily walk-around checks and driver profiling services.

Reflex, which was the first van rental business to receive Van Excellence operator accreditation from the Freight Transport Association, also now provides a range of Ready to Work-compliant vehicles configured to meet the different standards set down by contractors or local authorities.

This, for example, allows customers to request pre-configured vehicles for specific roles which are also FORS-compliant.

Reflex has also rolled out a minimum specification programme for rental cars.

Where available, this includes reversing sensors or cameras, blind spot warning, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking.

While it says this can have an impact on vehicle acquisition costs, it feels it is “an essential aspect of being a responsible fleet supplier to ensure drivers are as safe in our vehicles as they would be in vehicles provided by their own company”.

Alongside its focus on safety, Reflex has continued to invest in customer service, targeting five areas for continuous improvement: speed, accuracy, accessibility, empowerment and partnership.

Its work has been rewarded through growth.

Over the past year the company, which enjoyed a 100% retention rate for core customers in 2019, has seen its fleet size grow by 20% to more than 5,600 vehicles.

Finalists: ARI, Fleet Service GB, FleetCheck, FMG, Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, Reflex Vehicle Hire, The AA, TMC