Wheels introduced a new format for its 2013 Fleet Summit, held in Chicago last month. For the first time, Wheels showcased customer success stories with presentations by the customers themselves– five in all. Called Results+ after Wheels’ proprietary methodology to identify the purpose of the vehicle and the desired outcome. “Our clients have told us this process has helped them see fleet in a new light, with more opportunities to add value to their drivers and company,” said Laura Jozwiak, Wheels Vice President of Client Relations.
The presentations comprised customers’ successes in five categories: Total Cost Management, Integration and Control, Risk Mitigation, Driver Productivity and Satisfaction, and Fleet Administration.
Selecting the winners was not necessarily easy explained Joe McDonald, Director of Account Management. “So many of our clients have ‘great results’ day in and day out. We asked our Account Management team to nominate their clients and articulate the results they achieved. Once the submissions were made, a committee at Wheels chose the winners.”
ADP won the Gold award for Total Cost Management. Top among its accomplishments was modernizing more than half its fleet, yet still reducing average depreciation per vehicle, by selling its used vehicles at advantageous prices.
Service Corporation of America won Gold for Integration and Control by modifying its fuel and registration processes, and selling excess vehicle inventory; a new Fleet Management Advisory Council includes company leaders in key decisions.
Mettler-Toledo won Risk Mitigation Gold for a new multi-faceted safety program that included bans on electronic devices while driving, quarterly online safety training, and monetary rewards to drivers scoring high under Wheels’ Change Driver program. Noted Robert Nitrauer, Mettler-Toledo’s Fleet Coordinator, “In the last two years, Wheels helped take my fleet to heights I did not think could happen with all my additional duties at Mettler-Toledo.”
John Deere won the Driver Productivity and Satisfaction Gold. The company switched for a single-sedan option to four new vehicle options for each size category using Wheels’ Selection Modeler Tool to meet requirements, including U.S. and UAW-built, and TCO. Results: annual costs savings — and overall driver satisfaction — of nine percent.
Finally, Merck won Gold in Fleet Administration. Wheels played a key role in helping Merck consolidate fleets in Canada and Puerto Rico into its overall fleet, and has since taken over day-to-day fleet management, while Merck’s fleet office focuses on strategic initiatives and projects.
In addition to the five Gold winners, there were two Silver Award winners in each category. Jann Stapleton, Fleet Manager at Safeway said that she was honored “to be included as a Silver Award recipient [in Total Cost Management]. Wheels put on a great event with many opportunities for celebrating, networking and learning. Anytime fleet managers and other professionals gather…. I always find the networking valuable.”
