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Keeping staff on the move in the face of the credit crunch

How do you keep costs down while servicing customers? Smart transport solutions are the answer says Nexus chief executive Neil McCrossan.
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McCrossan: mobility ideas

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17 June 2008

Neil McCrossan, chief executive of Nexus Vehicle Management
McCrossan: mobility ideas

How do you keep costs down while servicing customers? Smart transport solutions are the answer says Nexus chief executive Neil McCrossan.

 

SALES people and other customer facing staff need to stay on the road to service customers.

But keeping them on the road costs money. And in the current economic climate, those costs can be pretty heavy.

Of course, sensible approaches need to be taken to business meetings. If you can conference call that’s a good solution. But there’s nothing like a face-to-face meeting. It makes a customer feel loved.

And if your business is all about servicing and support then you can’t do that virtually! So what are the solutions to manage transport costs? And keep staff on the move?

Any way to tackle vehicle ownership deserve serious investigation. But a business needs to have the confidence that alternatives to direct vehicle ownership won’t have a negative effect on customer service.

Using rental – and not just daily rental – but long-term rental can provide a good, flexible solution. The key is to find a supplier who can match your business needs. So what should you be looking for?

Nationwide coverage. Make sure they can provide vehicles when and where you need them – wherever staff might be in the country. That might seem an obvious requirement. But it’s important to think about the extent of coverage you might need.

It is also important to make sure that your provider has sufficient supply to meet your needs. If you are a smaller company or a small user of rental, you might find you don’t have the pulling power of the bigger buyers. This may affect your ability to get vehicles when you need them.

Vehicle choice. Different employees, fulfilling different functions, will have different vehicle requirements. Make sure the provider you select can mix and match. And if you have an eye on your carbon footprint, any provider who can give you information on CO2 emissions – even if it’s only post-rental, will help your cause.

And, of course, a great price. With a bit of planning, you can give a rental provider a good idea of your requirements. That way you can negotiate the best possible rate based on anticipated volume.

Further information

  • Neil McCrossan is chief executive of Nexus Vehicle Management, a rental management solution company. For more visit www.nexusrental.com

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Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Business Car Manager (now renamed Business Motoring). Ralph writes extensively about the car and van leasing industry as well as wider fleet and company car issues. A former editor of What Car?, Ralph is a vastly experienced writer and editor and has been writing about the automotive sector for over 35 years.

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