Whether it is car maintenance or truck maintenance, it is imperative to keep your vehicles in tiptop shape. Not only does this give your business a positive reputation, but it also lowers cost in the long run. But, how exactly should you maintain fleet vehicles?
Maintain Fleet Vehicles the Right Way
If your company has fleet vehicles, you will need to allocate a certain amount of your budget to ensure that they are properly maintained. Many business owners make the mistake to not care for their fleet vehicles to cut down on their costs. However, this typically leads to expensive repairs in the future.
Regardless of whether you own a construction business or a delivery business, you will need to plan how you are going to maintain fleet vehicles. There are many companies that provide package services custom to the needs of the particular size and industry of the company. These are called preventive maintenance or PM services. When trying to decide what kind of fleet vehicles maintenance program your company needs, keep the following in mind:
1. Keep Up with Required Vehicle Services
It does not matter what kind of vehicle you have in your company’s fleet. They will always need some form of maintenance, particularly if you use them periodically for errands and appointments. The most common types of routine maintenance for fleet vehicles consist of the following:
- Tire repairs
- Oil changes
- Brake repairs
- Engine repairs
- Services due to extensive distance the vehicle has driven
- Repainting
- Bodywork to remove dents; and
- Any other repairs that come up due to excess use
In general, fleet vehicles are used twice as frequently as family cars. For this reason, business owners that have many fleet vehicles need to keep constant funds available. This way, you can ensure that each one of your fleet vehicles gets the required maintenance they need in order to remain safe for the company’s employees to use regularly.
2. Frequent Pressure Washing
Pressure washing is very useful to fleet vehicles because it can eliminate dirt that arises from driving on construction sites or unpaved roads. If dirt remains on a vehicle for too long, it can harden.
These hardened particles are hard to remove without the force of pressure washing (PSI). This is why it can be beneficial for fleet vehicles to have regularly scheduled pressure washing appointments. This way, you can ensure that any vehicle with your company name on it is always looking immaculate and professional.
Depending on the size of your company and how many fleet vehicles it has, it is possible to get a discounted price due to bulk pricing. This can save you a great deal of capital, which you can utilize in other areas of your business. Consider how often your fleet vehicles are exposed to excessive dirt. From there, you can determine how often each vehicle requires pressure washing services to have the best possible results.
3. Washing Each Vehicle’s Exterior
Aside from pressure washing, you will want your fleet vehicles to have regular traditional car washes. Even though these costs do add up, they are worth it. Your fleet vehicle likely bears your company logo. As a result, they can be one of the first impressions a prospective client has of your business.
Dirty and poorly maintained fleet vehicles may cause prospective customers to have a negative first impression of your company. For example, a potential customer may think that you offer a lower quality of service if your vehicle looks like it needs excessive cleaning or maintenance.
Make sure you view car washes as an important tool to make a positive impression on current and potential customers. This is particularly true if your company is in an area that has four seasons since it will need to be washed more frequently than in areas where rain and snow are less common.
4. Interior Detailing
Depending on the nature of your business, your employees may have to haul materials with a great deal of dirt inside your fleet vehicle that could stain the seats or interior carpet. While stains and excess dirt are often unavoidable, it may be worthwhile to have quarterly interior detailing rotations for each vehicle in your fleet. This way, clients do not see a vehicle that has excess dirt and debris that could otherwise be avoided.
By detailing the interior regularly in your fleet vehicle, it may enable you to have the interior last longer. Additionally, your vehicles can have a higher resale value should you decide to sell or upgrade it to a newer model.
5. Maintaining Fleet Vehicles Safety Standards
This is precisely why company owners with fleet vehicles need to not only have the proper insurance policies but also ensure that all safety standards are being observed in order to avoid potential liability from employees or other drivers.
Remember that an employee driving your fleet vehicle is representing your company as an agent. This means any accident or damages that they cause during the scope of their employment during their working hours can cause your company to face potential liability, which can lead to paying financial damages.
In addition, the employee driving your fleet vehicle can serve as an advertisement that can positively attract new customers to your company or even new drivers. Fleet vehicle drivers that are adhering to safety standards and that have vehicles with a professional and polished presentation will provide your company with a positive reputation anywhere your fleet vehicle drives.
Develop a Plan for Future Success
It is critical for any business to maintain fleet vehicles. Not only will it lengthen the lifespan of your vehicles, but it will also add points to your company reputation. Include all these items in your fleet vehicles preventive maintenance plan, as well as how often you should perform them. This way, you can stay on schedule and make sure you never neglect your company’s assets.
If your business wants the full treatment for your fleet vehicles, contact Washh today.
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