Category : Opinions
Q&A – Mercedes-Benz
Q: Where is Mercedes-Benz in the UK today? MB: We are the “new luxury” brand, with Audi and BMW as premium. We have grown by 34% … Read More »
Talk the talk
Carmakers like to talk the talk when it comes to how they deliver customer satisfaction to fleets. I’ve lost count of the number of car … Read More »
On the road: Tipping the limit
If, like me, you have been led by sundry children’s motoring programmes to believe that, when it comes to practicality, flexibility and all-round indestructibility, the Toyota … Read More »
What I’ve learnt – Simon Oliphant of Hitachi Capital
What you’ve learnt in your 20+ years in fleet In March this year I celebrated 25 years at Hitachi Capital. When I started out we had … Read More »
Fleet on fleet: Darren Bell of G4S interviewed
Fleet size 2,000 plus vehicles Tell us a bit about the G4S fleet and the team which runs it. The G4S fleet consists of more … Read More »
A hard habit to break
It’s probably 20 years ago that a colleague passed the comment that someone was leaving the company and she wondered if he would take his pot … Read More »
What I’ve Learnt: LeasePlan's David Brennan
Respect your firm’s heritage It is very important to respect the heritage of a thriving company like LeasePlan, and understand why it is successful. However, at … Read More »
Total recall
Following my comment in last month’s column about VOSA’s lack of interest in pursuing a handbrake recall, I subsequently saw the Which? press release which noted … Read More »
Reputation management
The recent scandal where horse meat was being passed off as more palatable fare drew unfortunate attention to several leading food retailers and their processes. But … Read More »
Taking a lead in Europe
UK fleet bosses may not know it but they have a distinct advantage over their European counterparts when it comes to using main dealers to source … Read More »
On the road: Aiding and abetting
It’s pretty much the norm now that, in an increasingly irascible attempt to assess honest mechanical engineering rather than sly, over-solicitous electronics, I spend a good … Read More »
Not what it says on the tin
Martin Ballard is at pains to point out that Volkswagen Group Leasing does more than lease Volkswagen Group cars and vans. It’s not exactly what it … Read More »
What I’ve learnt
Employees People are the life blood of any organisation. It is people who make an organisation. They ultimately determine how successful an organisation will be through … Read More »
Maintaining focus…
There's a popular misconception that fleets only use main dealers for sourcing cars. When it comes to service and repair work they go to an independent … Read More »
Reputation management
The recent scandal where horse meat was being passed off as more palatable fare drew unfortunate attention to several leading food retailers and their processes. But … Read More »
The eyes don’t have it…
During the past 12 months we have seen one in three drivers fail the basic test of being able to read a number plate at 20 … Read More »
Salary sacrifice in practice
Fleet size 400 (383 cars & 17 vans). WSP set up a salary sacrifice scheme with Venson. How is it working for you? Was it worth … Read More »
Time to be bold
The leasing industry has ridden through the rocky landscape of the economic downturn, and come out the other side in pretty healthy shape. That’s the view … Read More »
Fleet on fleet – Sarah Dopson of the AA
The AA fleet must be one of the most diverse in the UK? Yes, it must be. The group fleet has four different divisions, split between LCV, … Read More »
Volvo thinks locally
Volvo has decided it needs to get closer to small business and is using its dealer network and the Daily Telegraph to do so. As a … Read More »
Motoring seems to be increasingly erratic, The Insider reckons.
Use of a handheld mobile phone whilst driving will also attract an increased fine, now set at £90 rather than the previous £60. Illegal since 2007, … Read More »
Fleet on fleet – Tracey King at Hydro International
You have other functions to manage as well as fleet. How do you keep control of all of them? I’m the office manager at the Hydro … Read More »
Nissan’s electric shock
Every now and again carmakers launch a car they know will have legs in the fleet sector. Often it's the latest generation of a tried-and-tested favourite, … Read More »
Green’ish
Am I the only person increasingly confused by the conflicting views bandied about on reducing the environmental impact of our company cars? Let’s start with fuel. … Read More »
What I’ve learnt
Comment – What I’ve learnt On running a trade association I had worked for a BVRLA member for many years and thought I had a good … Read More »
On the road: Reaching the limit
My part of the world, Mudfordshire, has long been considered particularly pastoral. Hastily constructed from tweed, self-importance and indeterminate pieces of steam-powered Victorian engineering, the county … Read More »
Interview: Estelle Howick, fleet manager, Pfizer
You are one of a few fleet managers who has also worked as an account manager in a leasing company, so do you have any views on where … Read More »
Cenex puts a cost on carrying
It’s well known that carrying unnecessary weight in a vehicle increases its fuel consumption, but by how much has been debated for some time. At Cenex, … Read More »
Relationship management
The working relationship between dealers and manufacturers can run the gamut from good and bad through to downright ugly. While both sides know the way to … Read More »
Top news of the week
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Shock Honda Swindon closure announcement imminent
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VWFS tool guides fleets on fuel choice decisions
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Drivers back use of long-range speed cameras
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All new Ford Focus ST revealed with diesel power
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BMW and Daimler invest more than €1bn in mobility JVs
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AEB on track to become mandatory from 2022
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Drivers must not be responsible for fully automated accidents, says insurance industry
Salary isn’t being sacrificed
Salary sacrifice is back in the news again with its devotees saying business is on the up, and the sceptics suggesting it still isn’t as … Read More »