Improve fleet insights through more accurate data and the technological help available. By Gerry McCaig, chief operating officer, Nexus Rental.

Gerry McCaig, chief operating officer, Nexus Rental

In a world where technology is leading transformation, it’s fair to say the vehicle rental industry is far from being the most ‘tech savvy’. There is no longer a question of whether the area should modernise and embrace technology, but rather how fast it can adapt and bring itself into present times.

Nexus is leading the way in the vehicle and plant hire industry with innovative technology, leveraging its Iris platform to make unpredictability feel like business-as-usual.

Iris is the UK’s leading B2B vehicle and plant hire platform, providing realtime, automation-driven access to more vehicles and plant hire than anyone else. Users can see all rental solutions in one place, streamline tasks and resolve issues, and view usage trends to improve and maximise efficiencies.

The uninterrupted service also allows for constant availability across a secure and stable platform.

When rental operations run smoothly, businesses can scale faster and respond to challenges without delay. Alongside customer service and unexpected rental necessities, vehicle downtime is one of the largest challenges faced in the fleet sector. When a vehicle is off the road, it is costing the business money. Through Iris, users can submit a photo of the damage, which is then quickly analysed and immediately shows the issue so that the claim can be processed. We can then liaise with suppliers to either dispute the claim on our client’s behalf or negotiate the best outcome for our clients and provide them a pack via our team of specialists.

In 2024 alone, we were able to save our clients over £4m by dealing with claims following the above process. A great example of the benefit of technology in vehicle rental is the use of Iris in a partnership between Nexus and Persimmon Homes. The client approached the Nexus team looking to optimise its fleet of over 900 vehicles and tackling the nationwide shortage of commercial vehicles. Persimmon was facing delays in vehicle delivery, maintenance issues and difficulty coordinating 36 regional sites, but Nexus stepped in, providing total visibility, easy reporting and cost control through Iris.

Iris is the UK’s leading B2B vehicle and plant hire platform

Another example is with Polygon UK & Ireland, a global leader in the property damage restoration sector, delivering 24-hour service through 5,700+ employees across 16 countries. The client needed a rental partner that was capable of quickly responding to fluctuating demands, unplanned service and maintenance, and the ability to access commercial vehicles in remote areas.

With access to real-time data through Iris, Polygon streamlined suppliers and ensured any maintenance or damage claims were dealt with efficiently. Nexus leads the charge in normalising the unexpected – and the expected.

It is not about trying to flatten the peaks and troughs that come hand in hand with business; it is about making those fluctuations business-as-usual. With Iris, each customer is treated as an individual, as the needs of a UK-wide corporation will be much different to those of a business with a fleet of 10 vehicles.

The needs are addressed by a dedicated contact, and the technology is then built around those requirements.

AI and technology do not replace the need for humans, but their ability to streamline data and tasks mean technology can focus on the time-heavy, mundane processing tasks and free up the people to create a better overall experience for customers, addressing the strategic insight and analysis needed to drive a business forward.

Nexus will be at this week’s Great British Fleet Event on Thursday 8 May in Milton Keynes to showcase the UK’s largest rental supply chain with 300+ partners, 550,000+ vehicles, 2,000 vehicle branches and 24/7 rental booking and support. More details of the show and how to sign up for a free ticket are online here.