Plumbing companies operate mobile workforces that rely on their vehicles to get to the job site safely and on time. A well-operating fleet is an integral part of every plumbing business, and proper fleet management and maintenance can have a big impact on your overall success.
Plumbing businesses can improve their operations and benefit from outsourcing fleet services in several ways. In this article, we will outline six reasons your plumbing business should outsource fleet services.
Plumbing businesses have a lot to gain by outsourcing their fleet services. If you’re unsure whether it’s worth your while, check out these six reasons your plumbing business should consider outsourcing fleet services:
1. Access to Professional Mechanics
A significant benefit of outsourcing fleet services that plumbing businesses can capitalize on is gaining access to experienced mechanics.
Generally, fleet services companies employ mechanics who have training and experience working on a wide variety of vehicles. Not only that, but they are typically required to have all the regulatory and educational certifications, so you can rest assured you’re receiving the best service.
If your plumbing business has a large fleet with various vehicle types, it can be difficult to service them all in one shop. Companies often run into this problem because certain vehicles may require different skill sets for repairs and maintenance that the average mechanic may have experienced.
The lack of experience shouldn’t be an issue when outsourcing fleet services, as many of these companies employ a large team of experienced mechanics. With their combined knowledge, they should have the required skills to conduct maintenance and repairs on all types of vehicles.
In many instances, vehicles maintained through outsourced fleet services outlast those maintained in-house.
2. Routine Service & Roadside Assistance Keeps Vehicles in Tip-Top Shape
Plumbing businesses that outsource fleet services can improve efficiency and keep their employees on the road.
The business in charge of managing your fleet vehicles will make sure to conduct routine maintenance continually. This focus on maintenance ensures that your fleet vehicles are always in working order and helps prevent situations where a plumber breaks down en route to a job.
Routine maintenance keeps your employees on the job and out of the repair shop. And, in the rare event that one of your vehicles does break down, your fleet service manager can provide roadside assistance. This means that you can make sure your team completes jobs promptly and keeps customers happy.
3. Low Start-Up Costs and Increased Bargaining Power
Many plumbing businesses choose to outsource fleet services because it can be the most cost-effective fleet management solution in the long run. The cost of outsourcing fleet services is much lower than the alternative of creating a new fleet management program and maintenance workshop from scratch.
It can get expensive to do things in-house. In addition to renting space, tools, software, and machinery, you’ll have to pay the employees who handle fleet maintenance. You’ll be responsible for hourly wages, healthcare benefits, and sometimes overtime — just to mention a few expenses.
For some small plumbing companies, it just isn’t financially possible. And for larger plumbing companies, it often doesn’t make financial sense when fleet management and maintenance can be outsourced for a fraction of the cost.
Outsourcing fleet services can provide further cost savings by leveraging the buying power held by these experienced providers. These companies have industry connections and bulk buying power, meaning they can often acquire rented or leased vehicles at a discount and pass on the savings to you.
Another reason plumbing companies often outsource fleet services is that they can lease vehicles from a third party. That way, the fleet service provider is the one taking on that cost, not your business.
With these factors in mind, you can see how outsourcing fleet services is generally the best way to keep your plumbing fleet’s costs down.
4. Best Equipment and Technologies
Building an in-house fleet management and maintenance program is expensive, especially when you consider the types of tools it requires. Acquiring state-of-the-art equipment and technology for mechanics is just not possible for many plumbing businesses.
Outsourcing fleet services can provide plumbing companies with access to state-of-the-art equipment and technologies they could never afford to purchase themselves. When you outsource fleet services, you can access all the tools that the company owns and utilizes — without having to buy or rent them.
5. Keep Your Plumbing Fleet Compliant
Compliance regulations are complicated and can be difficult for even the most dedicated fleet manager to understand. Additionally, updates to legislation mean continually changing rules. Keeping up with these requirements can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially if you’re trying to handle it yourself.
Plumbers have more pressing things to do than worrying about making sure their fleet remains compliant. Outsourcing fleet services can help your plumbing business remain compliant without you or your team having to stress over the minute details.
Fleet management businesses stay up to date on current compliance regulations. They have processes they follow and tools they use to ensure that your fleet remains compliant, including sophisticated fleet management systems.
Of course, despite outsourcing fleet services, you are ultimately responsible for your plumbing fleet’s compliance. With that in mind, it’s essential to select your fleet management company carefully and ensure compliance is a priority to them.
6. Frees Up Resources
One of the most significant benefits of outsourcing fleet services is offloading fleet management and maintenance responsibilities to a trusted third party, freeing up time and resources.
Outsourced fleet services companies are pros at what they do and can generally operate more quickly and efficiently than an in-house team can. This means your fleet management and maintenance operations often improve when you outsource fleet services.
Not having to deal with fleet management and maintenance responsibilities can make your plumbing business more productive. Your team can pay attention to other business activities that best utilize their expertise.
Conclusion
Some plumbing business owners want to retain hands-on control of their fleet’s maintenance and management. However, this could be a significant missed opportunity.
44.83% of companies manage risk in-house, usually using fleet management software like Azuga. This is one great option that presents cost and time savings to companies you should certainly consider. However, companies who choose to outsource their fleet services can expect an improved quality of maintenance and repair service on their vehicles, the delegation of time-consuming responsibilities, and most importantly, saving their plumbing business money.
