A great fleet manager can be hard to come by. If you are already a fleet manager or looking to become one, you may wonder what top fleet manager skills make someone best at this profession. Of course, there is no perfect mold for an ideal fleet manager, but there are specific skills to develop if you want to be the best fleet manager you can be. Let’s go over some of these fleet manager skills and qualities.
No. 1: Time Management
Fleet managers have a lot to juggle. You’re dealing with dispatching vehicles, getting deliveries through on time, handling problems as they arise, and fielding customer needs simultaneously. This is on top of regular duties like keeping drivers safe, maintaining vehicles, and making good business decisions. You must be able to make a schedule and manage your time well to stay on top of it.
No. 2: Goal-Oriented
The best managers–and fleet managers in particular–are goal-oriented. Being goal-oriented doesn’t mean setting lofty goals and being optimistic about getting there. It means setting realistic goals and creating timelines to achieve them. It also involves knowing how to utilize your resources to achieve these goals.
No. 3: Excellent Decision-Maker
Decision-making is critical in any management position. This involves making big decisions and also making quick decisions day-to-day. Being able to make decisions with the resources you have available is an art and a skill you must develop to be an effective and efficient fleet manager.
No. 4: Accountability
Fleet managers have a lot of responsibilities and must therefore be accountable for everything they oversee. Part of making all of the decisions we mentioned earlier is being accountable for their outcome and being accountable whether things go well or wrong.
No. 5: Adaptive
A fleet manager cannot be set in their ways if they hope to succeed. You must be able to adapt to change and be patient. You must be persistent and patient, understanding that some things take time and some things happen rather suddenly. You must also be able to adapt to industry trends. A good fleet manager is a good strategic planner.
No. 6: Tech Savvy
There is a lot of technological advancement in the fleet industry. So much technology is available to help fleet managers accomplish their jobs more efficiently, so only a tech-savvy fleet manager can take advantage. Fleet managers should be able to use this software to its fullest potential to get the most out of their investment and do the most for their fleets.
No. 7: Strong Leadership Skills
Leaders know that true leadership is more about serving than being served. Managers should be a bridge between their drivers and upper management. Don’t be afraid of change; lead by example to inspire your team toward a common goal.
No. 8: Multi-Tasker
We’ve mentioned that a fleet manager has many responsibilities, and it can be difficult to juggle them all if you aren’t a good multi-tasker. Part of this involves those time management skills we mentioned earlier, but it also involves excellent organizational skills and properly weighing priorities.
No. 9: Good Communication Skills
A fleet manager must be able to communicate with words and with writing. They are responsible for emails, messages, presentations, memos, and more. It should be easy for a fleet manager to translate their ideas into words in a way that is clear for their recipients to understand. Most fleet managers are brief and to the point, showing power when explaining their ideas to various levels of management.
No. 10: Innovative
A fleet manager should be creative! Thinking out of the box is part of the job. It’s the icing on the cake that separates an excellent fleet manager from the rest. Fleet managers have to think outside of the box every single day, so being able to think on your feet is a crucial skill.
Gather the Tools to be an Effective Fleet Manager
At Azuga, we support you on your quest to become an above-and-beyond fleet manager. Our fleet management solution helps you in every aspect of fleet management, automating the easy stuff to show off the creativity and innovation that makes you stand out as an excellent fleet manager. Learn more about what we have to offer by trying a demo of our software!.
