We cannot emphasise enough just how stressful the challenges are that fleet managers have to face every day. The fleet manager’s daily responsibilities not only include dealing with drivers, HR and Health and Safety staff, but also Head Management.
Managers, of course, are likely to have the greatest input into decision-making when it comes to funding, or governing the structure of big fleets, or instigating global changes that have an effect on the whole company.
Their presence can assist fleet managers, but they can also be guilty of interfering. At the end of the day fleet managers are specialists, experts in what they do, and sometimes the requests of an intervening manager can lead to frustration.
Here are a few tips that might help you as a fleet manager deal successfully with Head Management:
1 - Deal with management conscientiously. Make time to prepare yourself properly before you deal with directors: schedule meetings and develop relationships, keeping everyone informed on major decisions, and your reasons behind them.
2 - Have data prepared and an analysis of your fleet during the previous years, also have information on vehicle selections to hand and fleet policies, especially if the manager is new. Make sure, in any case, that you have the numbers ready.
3 - Be sure you know exactly who belongs to the management committee and that you are familiar with the sensitive areas in which they are most likely to intervene in the decision-making process.
With all the preparation done properly, you will hopefully find that management is just another part of the team with whom you have to collaborate from time to time.
For more information, check out our Fleet Management resource centre and our blog post: Managing a fleet: who is your best employee?
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