If you want your fleet business to stay afloat, it’s crucial to ensure that your vehicles are always in tip-top shape. This standard applies to car and truck maintenance and will improve the public's perception of your company overall.
But in what way should you keep a fleet of vehicles maintained?
What does it take for proper fleet maintenance?
If your company operates a fleet of vehicles, you’ll need to set aside a certain amount in your budget to pay for the vehicles' regular upkeep and repairs. In an attempt to reduce operating expenses, many company owners don’t do that, eventually finding themselves in hot water! On the other hand, this almost always results in more expensive repairs in the future.
Whether you run a construction company or a delivery service, you will need to plan a way to take care of your fleet of vehicles. Many service providers offer comprehensive plans designed to meet the needs of businesses of all shapes and sizes, regardless of their sector. These kinds of services are called preventive maintenance (PM). Keep the following in mind as you try to determine what kind of fleet vehicle maintenance program your company might require:
1. Regular upkeep
Regardless of the kinds of cars, trucks, or other vehicles available in your fleet business, they’ll never stop requiring some kind of maintenance. This is especially true if you use them on a regular basis for jobs like running errands and going to consignments. The following is a list of the types of routine maintenance that are most frequently performed on fleet vehicles:
- Tire work
- Oil changes
- Fixing the brakes
- Engine fixes
- Maintenance after a vehicle's long drive
- Repairing dents
- Repainting the vehicle, and
- Other overuse repairs
Most of the time, fleet vehicles are used twice as often as personal cars. So business owners who operate a large fleet of vehicles need to ensure a steady supply of funds to cover maintenance costs. Doing so will mean the vehicles in your fleet receive the required maintenance they need to function reliably and safely — meaning your employees can use them without any hassle.
2. Fleet cleaning via pressure washing
Pressure washing is an effective form of fleet cleaning, as it can remove grime that accumulates from driving on construction sites or unpaved roads. If dirt is left to sit on a vehicle for an excessive amount of time, it might eventually become difficult to get rid of it.
Without an accurate force of pressure washing (PSI), it is difficult to remove these hardened particles. Therefore, scheduling regular pressure washing and fleet cleaning appointments is a good idea. In this way, you will be able to ensure that any vehicle bearing the name of your Christchurch business stays spotlessly clean and professional at all times.
In Christchurch, you can also find ways to save money through bulk purchases. This factor depends on the size and number of your company's fleet vehicles. The money you save can be put to better use for other business activities. Think about how often your fleet's vehicles get covered in mud and dirt. In this way, you'll know how often you should have your vehicle pressure washed for optimal results.
3. Fleet cleaning for exterior details
We believe that regular fleet cleaning for your Christchurch business, combined with pressure washing jobs throughout the year, can help you earn your client's trust. Even though these costs add up, they are an investment in positive branding. Because it's likely that all of the vehicles in your fleet are branded in some way, serving as a potential customer's first impression of your company.
Your prospective customers will form an opinion of your company based on the condition of your fleet vehicles. For example, if your vehicle looks dirty or needs repairs, a client might assume that the quality of the service you provide is not up to the mark.
Regular fleet cleaning for your Christchurch business is an awesome way to make an excellent first impression on new and existing customers. Since rain and snow are less common in Christchurch, you'll need to clean your vehicles more often.
4. Interior detailing
Your employees may transport goods back and forth that leave behind a significant amount of dirt inside your vehicles. This could very much transform into incorrigible stains on seats or interior carpets. Even though spills and extra dirt are a familiar scene inside a truck, it’s important to schedule interior detailing rotations — at least every three months — for every vehicle in your fleet. If you book regular fleet cleaning services for your Christchurch fleet business, you can extend your vehicle's lifespan.
Furthermore, it’ll help increase your vehicle’s resale value, which is great news if you're planning on selling them or are trading up!
5. Maintaining the safety standards
When you give your employees access to fleet vehicles, you kind of expose your company to a level of liability that should not be taken lightly!
To protect themselves from claims made by their employees or other drivers, business owners who employ fleet vehicles must take precautions to ensure that all applicable safety regulations are followed.
Keep in mind that an employee driving a company vehicle represents your company in the capacity of an agent. What this means is that your business could be held liable for any harm it may cause to third parties while acting in the course of their employment.
On the flip side, having an employee drive a fleet vehicle means the potential for free advertising, bringing in new customers and, maybe even new drivers. But this is the case only if the drivers of your fleet vehicles strictly adhere to the safety regulations and their vehicles have a professional and well-kept appearance. Your company will have a positive reputation no matter where your fleet vehicles travel.
Have a secure plan for future success in place.
A reliable fleet of vehicles is necessary for any company to function effectively. It will improve your company's image and increase the longevity of your vehicles. So, be sure to include all of these tasks and maintain a note of how often they are executed on your fleet vehicles as a part of your preventive maintenance (PM) plan. In this way, you won't miss a beat and risk jeopardising the company's resources.
Get in touch with The Washdown King right away if your company is interested in fleet cleaning in Christchurch.