5 tips for fleet managers in the midst of an automotive industry revolution

The automotive industry is currently undergoing accelerating change. It is not just a change in operating forces, but a large-scale technological revolution. Cars have become more software platforms than before, and at the same time the whole concept of a car is expanding. In addition to tires, an engine and metal, the package can nowadays include, for example, entertainment solutions, subscription services, or charging infrastructure.

This transition phase forces fleet managers to approach their work in a new way. What should you focus on in fleet management right now? See our list of tips!

Decisions regarding the fleet should always consider three areas: costs, environmental aspects, and personnel needs.

– As a fleet manager, you can of course focus on one or two areas more than others, because only you know what the best solution for your company is. Every decision, however, inevitably affects all three areas, so it is important to keep each of them in mind when managing the fleet, states Petteri Pihlas, CEO of Drivalia Lease Finland.

If the goal is, for example, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the decisions regarding the car fleet should focus on that and the means should be chosen based on the best current information.

– At one point, diesel engines were a widely accepted solution for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. If at that time, you had e.g. only allowed diesel cars in your fleet, you would have ended up with an unfavorable solution in the long run, because the focus would have been on the means and not the goal, Pihlas says.

In the midst of a complex transition period, it may seem unreasonable that a company should, in addition to its own business, also know the opportunities and pitfalls of the automotive industry inside out. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way. Instead, you should evaluate and choose a leasing partner based on how well the mobility service provider in question knows the changing automotive industry and how neutrally and thoughtfully it is able to react to changes.

Once the right leasing partner has been chosen, you should take full advantage of its services and expertise.

– The traditional way, in which the leasing partner blindly fulfills the wishes of the customer, no longer works in my opinion, because the automotive industry has become too complicated. In order to build the company fleet in the best possible way, utilizing every opportunity the industry can provide, fleet managers should utilize the expertise of their leasing partner by demanding recommendations and views on the most suitable solutions, Pihlas encourages.

Every fleet manager should have, through the expertise of their leasing partner, an understanding of what is happening in the world and in the automotive industry on a global level. At the same time, actions regarding one’s own fleet should always be local.

– Along with global trends, each country has its own legislation, taxation, structures, and traditions, which affect the consequences of decisions regarding the fleet. So, think global, but act local, Pihlas sums up.