FOR many small to medium businesses, determining the best way to run their company car fleet can be a tricky business.
Business car management can be a hugely time-consuming affair and when it comes to SMEs with larger 50+ fleets of company cars it is a major job in itself.
So what are the fleet management options for an SME?
- Employ a dedicated fleet manager
- Manage multiple credit lines in-house
- Outsource to a fleet management specialist
OK, then, so what is the best way to manage your SME company car fleet?
It is important to weigh up the pros and cons of each option on its own merits.
Employing a fleet manager
Obviously, if you opt for managing your company car fleet in-house, it will often mean that a dedicated member of staff will be needed to deal with the job effectively.
The cost of such personnel is not likely to be cheap; a job role like this is obviously one that requires a good amount of experience, attention to detail, expert numeracy skills, a talent for negotiation and of course, people management.
As well as the obvious costs that go along with employing someone to do the job properly, let’s not forget the time that it costs the senior management and/or top level members of the organisation. For an SME business, a company car fleet manager is an unlikely luxury.
Managing multiple credit lines in-house
The alternative to a fleet manager that most SMEs choose it to give one the of the company directors the task of acquiring company cars and all business car management.
Many SMEs understandably choose not to sign an exclusivity agreement with one leasing company in particular. In doing this, they feel that they will always be able to get the best car leasing deals by shopping about.
