Our top tips for managing your fleet effectively this Christmas

It’s no secret that Christmas can be one of the most challenging times of the year when managing a business fleet of vehicles. Whether it’s dealing with higher demand, tackling the poor winter weather or simply keeping your vehicles in check, like a delicious Christmas dinner, you can have a lot on your plate. However, the festive period also provides opportunities for boosting productivity and profits and it’s a great time for those looking for cheap van deals. All you need is the right approach with your fleet management, and with that, here are a few top tips to consider.

Plan ahead for scalability

While you still have time, it’s worth considering what additional requirements, demands and issues you might have with your fleet over Christmas, so you have an idea of how you can make it flexible and scalable enough to accommodate them.

To do this, you should review your sales and company data from previous years to see when your peak working hours were and to see any record of problems like late deliveries, missed appointments or vehicle breakdowns. These can provide a reliable guideline for you to follow so you can get ready to handle – and capitalise on – the increased demands you’re likely to see.

Take on more staff

Your initial data analysis (and any extra orders/bookings you’re starting to get) should be able to inform you whether or not you should take on more staff for your fleet. Whether it’s additional drivers, depot managers or customer service members, you should look to boost the areas where you expect to see employee and shift shortages.

This can also cover you for any absences due to illness – particularly with rising Covid cases and seasonal cold and flu viruses being more prevalent at this time of the year. What’s more, you’ll probably also have your current staff looking to take annual leave for the holidays. So new or temporary Christmas staff can help you manage and facilitate these well-earned breaks, while at the same time keeping your fleet teams feeling happy and supported.

Get your current fleet properly prepared

The winter weather can take its toll on your vehicles, so now is the time to get them checked for any issues that might lead to breakdowns in the colder, wetter conditions. While there may be some expense in carrying out any necessary repairs, the financial loss you may suffer should affected vehicles then break down will be much worse.

The added benefits to doing this is that you’re making your fleet safer, which will boost the morale – and possibly productivity – of your drivers. In addition, you’re mitigating the risk of upsetting your customers, be it through missed deliveries or appointments.

Consider extending your business hours

During the mad rush of Christmas, customers still want convenience and fast service. One way to help manage this is to extend your fleet’s operational hours, which in the case of deliveries, might mean you have your vehicles running 24/7 to ensure your patrons get what they need.

Doing this can also increase your capacity to handle last-minute orders, and by literally going the extra mile, it can reflect well on your brand and potentially earn you repeat customers in the future. It’s not the easiest thing to do, and it might not be viable for everyone, but it can be hugely worthwhile if you pull it off.

Invest in or hire new vehicles

Purchasing or hiring some additional vehicles for your fleet can help cover increased demand and provide added peace of mind that your drivers are out on the roads in newer, safer cars, trucks and vans. As we touched on above, the festive season can also be a great time to purchase a new fleet vehicle as it’s often a quieter time of the year where dealers want to shift more stock.

However, if you’re specifically looking for cheap van deals, for your fleet then be sure to have a look at what we have available here at Van Discount. Feel free to browse our current stock online to see the low prices we have on a huge range of vans. Or, give us a call on 01282 872 530 if you want find out more, or make an enquiry. We’re here to help!