If there’s anything a fleet manager knows, it’s that you can never be too prepared when it comes to running an effective fleet. With all the industry changes over the past few years, ensuring your fleet is prepared for all possible scenarios is more important than ever, which is perfectly demonstrated by the recent unexpected rulings on AARTO.
When we speak of ‘future-proofing’ your fleet, we’re referring to ensuring you have the right systems and solutions in place now so that you don’t have to constantly scramble to catch up as this fast-paced industry evolves. This includes everything from the vehicles on your fleet to how your drivers and customers are managed.
Below are some of the most crucial points that fleet managers must keep in mind to keep their fleets running smoothly in 2022 and beyond.
1. Effective data collection and protection
One of the most important systems to have in place is data protection. POPIA is the Protection of Personal Information Act that affects all businesses that collect and store the personal information of staff, customers, vendors etc. In essence, any information relating to a person is personal information, and POPIA sets out clear guidelines for how this information must be protected.
In order to secure information, organisations need to clearly understand what information is gathered and kept. This is going to require a detailed investigation and shouldn't be seen as a trivial exercise. Once understood, steps need to be taken to protect the information. More detailed information on POPIA compliance can be found here.
Because POPIA covers so much data either already in your business database, or being collected on a daily basis, you need to act immediately to ensure you have the systems in place to legally store and protect this information. A trusted fleet supplier will be able to assist you in organising all of this data and help you put measures in place to ensure this information is stored and used in line with POPIA.
It is vital that fleet managers get this done immediately, as any contravention of POPIA will have legal repercussions and can result in customers losing trust in your business.
2. Evolution of customer expectations
The previous point touches on this: customers are placing a lot more responsibility on the entire supply chain to ensure the protection of data and products.
For fleet managers, this means a lot more responsibility throughout your entire supply chain. If, for example, you use third-party suppliers for cold storage, it’s no longer good enough to say, ‘it’s not my responsibility' if anything goes wrong with the cold storage units on the road/in a storage facility.
Customers will say that you chose your partners and therefore you are responsible for their mistakes. It all comes down to quality control and you need to be 100% certain that you are working with the best suppliers throughout the entire value chain because it’s your company name that is at stake.
Customers are much more educated and aware of quality control throughout their ‘buyer journey’ and they will not let you get away with faults in the chain.
3. HR matters
A very big trend that is likely to keep growing is holding companies accountable for how their staff are treated. The good news is that the public is very logical when it comes to this: they don’t expect companies to keep forgiving poor performance, but they do expect companies to at least give their staff the opportunities to upskill and improve in order to grow with the company.
Many suppliers and consumers will make their partnership/purchasing decisions based on a company’s HR reputation. For fleet managers, this is vital because drivers and all ‘ground staff’ are out there representing your fleet and business on a daily basis. It’s important to ensure you are on the right side of the ‘HR Revolution’.
The good news is that, in the long run, your fleet can only benefit as you will have upskilled, responsible, happier, and more dedicated staff. So don’t be afraid to lead the way when it comes to employee satisfaction.
4. Planet conscious
Every business, but specifically fleet operations, need to start putting measures in place to reduce their carbon footprint. Your fleet’s carbon footprint is directly linked to fuel consumption, so reducing fuel consumption will already have a positive effect on your environmental impact (as well as your fleet expenses).
A good fleet supplier will be able to do a full audit of your fleet operations and advise where you can start preparing your fleet for an environmentally conscious future (and present). Measures to consider include:
- Digitising fleet processes and reducing the use of paper
- Ensuring all vehicles are fit for purpose, which will reduce running and maintenance
- Driver training–efficient drivers have a big impact on fleet emissions
- ‘Touch point’ optimisation–partner with eco-friendly vendors for everything from office supplies to marketing
- Speak to your fleet partner about alternative fuel vehicles–if it makes sense for your specific fleet to acquire electric vehicles for certain purposes, then it is worth looking into.
The above points are a good place to start if you want to ensure your fleet is ready for 2022 and beyond. And while we have not specifically spoken about AARTO in the above list - given the unexpected ruling earlier this year - it is a topic that should be actively followed throughout 2022.
We cannot comment on whether the AARTO Amendment Act will be applied this year but we can advise not to hastily discard any current traffic fines. Every fleet is unique and your fleet partner must be able to help you structure your fleet processes to ensure you are ready for the changes that lie ahead, including the changing landscape of AARTO. At EQSTRA, we process over 5,000 traffic fines each month for our +1,200 customers, contact our fleet management experts to discuss your requirements.
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