Fleet managers have a chance to work in an industry that tends to be rewarding and interesting and working in this position can lead to even greater responsibilities. The necessary skills include technical knowledge and communication. However, there are a few common mistakes many fleet managers make. Understanding these common errors can help you be more successful in your industry.
Not Focusing Enough on Maintenance
It can be tempting to ignore maintenance on vehicle, especially if everything seems to be running smoothly as it is. However, when you ignore preventative maintenance needs, smaller mechanical problems may develop into bigger ones. As the fleet manager, you will be held accountable. It’s hard to overemphasize how important it is to implement a program of regular preventative maintenance.
No matter how many vehicles you have, it is required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to regularly keep all motor vehicles inspected and repaired. If you want to know more about truck maintenance, you can review a guide on how to come up with a checklist that ensures tasks are done in a timely manner. Having a checklist allows you to create deadlines and ensure you hit those. Plus, it gives you a tangible piece of evidence to show managers.
Depending Too Much on Suppliers
Fleet suppliers may provide you with everything from services to programs to products that are used in all fleet management functions. You can find a vendor for every need, and they may offer the type of staffing and knowledge you need to be successful. However, it can be tempting to outsource everything and rely too much on these vendors. Still, turning over all your critical tasks to the wrong suppliers can be a huge mistake. It can lead to criticism of your performance, making an upper manager wonder what you do with your time all day. Plus, if the vendor no longer performs well, you will be on the hook to take care of the task yourself, even if you are not set up for it. The trick is to strike the right balance between being able to do things yourself and outsourcing a portion of the tasks as well.
Becoming Too Comfortable
Being too comfortable in any situation can lead to career stagnation, and fleet management is no exception. While it can be challenging to get into your new role, you will reach a point where you understand how things work and the fleet is running smoothly. It’s easy to sit back and relax, wondering how to make time go faster at work, becoming too complacent.
However, fleets are always undergoing changes, and there are too many for you to be able to relax. Values go up and down, fuel prices fluctuate, and government regulations may change. If you are not prepared for these changes ahead of time, you might end up rushing to catch up. In the meantime, your operating expenses will rise. Your managers may question your performance, wanting to know when you will get things under control. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone on a regular basis can prevent these issues.
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