Category : Opinions
Interview: Francis Bleasdale, fleet and remarketing director at FCA
It can be hard to keep up with the various comings and goings of the Fiat Group and its various brands, which have been through many … Read More »
Pimlico Plumbers: A very modern old-fashioned fleet
Stopping to chat with busy mechanics during a tour of Pimlico Plumbers’ HQ, managing director Charlie Mullins’ pride in his company’s in‐house fleet management operation is … Read More »
The Insider: A wishlist for 2016
Let’s start with the return of the spare wheel to all vehicles as standard. Damaged tyres are one of the biggest causes of trouble in fleet, … Read More »
What I've Learnt: Robert Pilkington of Ebbon-Dacs
Don’t assume you can do it all yourself Earlier in my career, when I was IT director, I felt that I was capable of designing … Read More »
The power of choice: Ford of Britain's Andy Barratt on the brand's growth plans
Only halfway through his first year as Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, Andy Barratt, may have taken on the role in one of the … Read More »
Clouds on the Horizon: a look at forecasts for 2016 new car sales in the UK
No sooner had the festive period passed and the celebration of record breaking registration levels in 2015 subsided, when the frantic new and used car trading … Read More »
On the road: a beast of burden
Not so much the elephant in the room as the Nellie on the bonnet, one of the less trumpeted pitfalls of increasingly stringent pedestrian impact legislation … Read More »
Tyred out?
Fleet managers need to do more about the tyres fitted to the cars and vans they operate. That's one of the clear messages from research conducted … Read More »
The Insider: Driving less, living more
As I write this, our company has been making an effort to support Road Safety Week, with initiatives targeted at our own employees. And I’ve been … Read More »
VW Group: the next step
The Volkswagen Group diesel emissions scandal has been grabbing headlines since it broke in late September and will continue to do so as internal investigations are … Read More »
What I've Learnt: Fleet Hire's Nick Poole
Valuing the power of qualifications One of the things we at Fleet Hire are passionate about is the development of our people. We use an array … Read More »
Q&A: Arval managing director Benoit Dilly
What does the acquisition bring to Arval’s proposition? What we are putting together are two companies, both in good shape, and what we get from GE … Read More »
The Insider: The emissions scandal and the tip of the iceberg
First let me say that I don’t dispute that it is totally and utterly wrong to knowingly mislead the public and we could debate the moral … Read More »
Reasons to be cheerful – National Franchised Dealers Association poll
Ever wondered what dealers think of the car brands they represent? Clearly you would rather your drivers take their cars to a dealer who is fired … Read More »
What I’ve learnt: Malcolm Maycock of the Licence Bureau
Dealing with people The police force taught me a number of skill sets at the outset of my working life for which I am most grateful. … Read More »
Interview: Andy Barratt, chairman, Ford of Britain
How does Ford see the fleet sector developing at the moment? The fleet sector is hugely important to us both on car and commercial. The car sector … Read More »
Interview: Paul Philpott, president & CEO, Kia Motors UK
How is 2015 shaping up so far? We’re on track to do about 80,000 units this year, that’s the first time we’ve broken through 80,000. Last … Read More »
The Insider: Medical schooling
The Glasgow bin lorry crash, together with other similar cases that are now coming to light, is incredibly sad, and highlights a number of areas where … Read More »
Breaking traditional perceptions of the vehicle finance broker network
Alphabet's broker network is celebrating its one year anniversary. Its strategy to work only with established broker businesses that focus on renewals, retention and referrals is … Read More »
Interview: Jeremy Hicks, MD, Jaguar Land Rover UK
How will Jaguar convince fleet buyers that JLR has the right products for them? You can pin nearly all our growth in the last five years … Read More »
Hour by hour
How much do you pay for service, maintenance and repairs? The answer, invariably, is too much. However, you could actually be paying over the odds … Read More »
Interview: Ken Ramirez, MD, Renault UK
What are your plans for next year? Next year is an important year for us. We’ve already outgrown the market this year, we’ve had 17% growth … Read More »
Interview: Jim Wright, MD, Nissan Motor GB
How has 2015 been for Nissan, so far? In terms of car share, we’re about 5.8% which is about 0.6% up year-on-year, and in fleet it’s … Read More »
Have you got the Power?
When it comes to surveys there's one particular researcher that can strike fear or joy into carmakers. For over 40 years JD Power has held … Read More »
What I've Learnt: Auto Windscreens' Chris Thornton
Share your goals and dream big To really develop a business in a meaningful way, develop a clear vision and a strategy to get there, most … Read More »
The Insider: Energy conversation
Now here’s a thing. We recently tackled our ESOS transport energy audit and, reading through all the preamble, I was pretty sure I’d got it taped. Our … Read More »
Is a pool car always an expensive luxury?
Short-term rental versus long-term lease is a debate that will undoubtedly continue to rage in the offices of finance directors and fleet managers for years to … Read More »
Should we be worried?
It is worth reflecting on how far vehicle development has come over the last 40 years. Without delving into great detail, it does not require too … Read More »
What I've Learnt: Alphabet's Martin Quail
The value of keeping it personal In the business world, it is vital to ensure the tone you are using is relevant for the person you’re … Read More »
The Insider: Feeling the (Ad)Blues
This month, I’m suffering from the AdBlues. Having read the available information, taken on board the published advice and informed our drivers well in advance, reality … Read More »