The tool is exclusively available to the firm’s customer base of contract hire and leasing companies and draws on its nationwide network of more than 7,000 service outlets that undertake service, maintenance and repair (SMR) work on vehicles supplied to fleet customers across the UK.

Two different versions are offered. "Downtime Management" sees Fleet Assist identify critical cases by the type of work required or how the vehicle arrived at a garage – afor example on a breakdown and recovery truck. It then manages the vehicle through its entire fix process ensuring vehicle parts are delivered on schedule and work continues to be carried out on time consistently liaising with its leasing company customers. In turn contract hire companies can decide what action, if any, to take and liaise with the lessee concerned.

Meanwhile, "Downtime Management Lite" enables any SMR work scheduled to be completed in a single day automatically flagged up to Fleet Assist by the garage undertaking the job if the timescale will not be met. Fleet Assist’s call centre will then highlight the delay to the leasing company which in turn will decide what action, if any, to take and liaise with the lessee concerned.

Vincent St Claire, commercial director, Fleet Assist, said: ‘Cost management is the eternal focus for fleet decision-makers with maximizing the uptime of vehicles a key issue in keeping operating budgets under control.

‘Therefore, it is essential when vehicles are off the road they are returned to the fleet as soon as possible to ensure downtime costs are minimised. To make certain that happens, clear communication between garages undertaking SMR work, leasing companies and their customers is critical.

‘Fleet Assist’s newly developed Downtime Management Tool enables our leasing company clients to be kept fully informed on the progress of SMR work enabling them in turn to keep their customers up to date as to when vehicles will be back on the road.’