Fleet Management: Mobility Calls for a 360-Degree Approach
Managing a corporate fleet is complex. A range of topics, including electric vehicles and changing mobility needs, pose challenges for fleet managers. The profession is constantly evolving and calls for a wide range of skills.
There are three million companies with corporate fleets in Germany, the German Federal Association for Corporate Mobility reports. However, no two fleets are alike, says Christian Reiter. He is a DEKRA Academy coach and managing director of carmacon, a company specializing in fleet management consulting. “In my many years of professional experience, I have never encountered two fleets that were organized the same way,” says Reiter. “That’s what makes this field so exciting.” Despite the diversity, there are trends and challenges that all fleets have to deal with that cannot be viewed in isolation from one another. Leading the way: the matter of sustainability.
Companies are required to reduce CO2 emissions and conserve resources wherever possible. This is driven in part by legal requirements such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). These guidelines have an impact on an entire organization and therefore also on its fleet.
As sustainability demands keep growing, the electrification of vehicle fleets is picking up speed. Combined with the changing needs of a new generation of employees, this has led to fleet management moving toward mobility management. In other words, it is no longer just a matter of managing a fleet of vehicles such as company cars or trucks. Fleet managers are now also responsible for other modes of transportation. They now have to take care of e-bikes, e-scooters, and mobility budgets.
Accelerating processes with digitalization
Overarching these developments is the increasing cost pressure present in companies. Software solutions are one tool for overcoming these challenges and the increasing complexity caused by various trends. In the fleet sector, digitalization also helps to accelerate processes and create a comprehensive database from which to make informed decisions.
The changes in fleet management are significant — and they affect the role of the person responsible for it. “Today's job description for fleet managers is very different from what it was 10 or 15 years ago,” says Reiter. “Many new tasks have been added, and additional knowledge is required — with new tasks constantly being added.”
“In my many years of professional experience, I have never encountered two fleets that were organized the same way.”
Christian Reiter, DEKRA Academy coach and managing director of carmacon
The introduction of electric cars requires new knowledge
Reiter explains what he means by this using the example of electromobility. “The introduction of electric cars doesn't just entail having vehicles with different drive systems in the fleet,” says Reiter. A fleet manager needs to know what this implies for sustainability reporting and he or she needs the relevant technical knowledge. “It is very important to be aware of the cost implications. ”With electric cars, this involves questions such as: “Are the vehicles charged at public charging stations, at the employee’s home, or does the company have its own infrastructure?” After all, e-mobility involves dealing with a veritable “charging rate maze.” In addition, there may be new suppliers and service partners that the fleet team has to interact with when the vehicles in the fleet are electrically powered.“In addition, an electric vehicle requires significantly more instruction than a combustion engine vehicle,” adds Reiter. Fleet managers have to pay attention to this as well.“In short, e-mobility in corporate fleets has to be thought of as a systemic concept,”says Reiter.
Read more about how qualification and training formobility developments of the future look
here.
Fleet managers with a range of skills
The evolving role of the fleet manager requires a diverse set of competencies. These include technical understanding, business management knowledge, IT expertise, fundamental legal knowledge alongside project and process management capabilities. Soft skills such as curiosity and flexibility are also essential. “You have to constantly keep your senses alert and remain open-minded because the field is so fast- paced and requirements are constantly changing,” explains Reiter. As a fleet manager, you need to be able to think outside the box and take a proactive approach toward management. “The job profile requires someone who is also aware of the big picture – and not just concerned with the pure administration of the fleet.”
Training to become a certified fleet manager
Despite the wide range of tasks involved in this role, fleet management is not a profession that requires formal training. “The people who hold key positions in fleet management are lateral entrants, says Reiter. This makes high-quality training programs all the more important. Reiter can attest to this based on his own experience. He himself completed the training program to become a certified fleet manager at the DEKRA Academy. For years now, he has himself been one of the lecturers who instruct trainees in eleven different seminar subjects – from tax law and mobility management to digitalization. The rapid developments in fleet management are reflected in the training program. “All modules are constantly being reviewed to ensure they are adapted to current requirements, says Reiter. “I believe that this allows us to lay a solid foundation for fleet managers to start their jobs well prepared.” The skills they learn then only need to be supplemented with a healthy dose of openness in order to adapt to the individual circumstances that each fleet presents.
DEKRA has been a world leader in providing business-to-business vehicle management services since 1985, offering a wide range of in-fleet services, de-fleet services, inspections, logistics, responsibility and property transfer, marketing, sales and customer care centers. Find more information here:
www.dekra.com/vehicle-management-services