By Kingbee
April 12, 2023
Successful fleet management requires accurate projection, diversification, and a good amount of luck. To keep logistics pipelines running smoothly, you need to fulfill your clients’ orders in a timely manner. That can be difficult with auto manufacturers texting ‘new phone, who dis?’ whenever a new order is placed.
The entire fleet industry is experiencing a low-supply, high-demand scenario. Despite a year-over-year increase in sales, fleet volumes are still down from pre-Covid levels. And with demand expected to rise in 2023, fleet management companies are scrambling to find the available inventory for unfulfilled orders. In short, if acquisition stops, everything stops.
- OEMs aren’t producing enough to keep up with current demand
- Vehicle orders are constantly being delayed or canceled
- Typical lead time is 6–9 months
A New Lease on Life
Acquisition is the single biggest challenge faced by fleet managers and management companies in 2023. Add this to the long list of puzzles that include fuel costs, maintenance, and sustainability, and it’s easy to see why fleet managers would rather think about Mai Tais at happy hour.
Maximizing profitability of assets is a major priority for any organization, and fleet management is no different. Purchasing or long-term financing, particularly in today’s market, makes utilization difficult for the following reasons:
- You don’t know when you’re getting the vehicles
- You’re on the hook for a long period of time
- Large purchases don’t accommodate the ebbs and flows of the business
When maximizing profitability is a priority, or if vehicles are simply not available, there’s a more flexible solution in long-term rentals.
Our Vans Will Never Break Your Heart
Kingbee has one of the largest allocations in the country, with hundreds of brand new vans upfitted and ready for work. Last month, we partnered with one of the largest fleet management companies to supplement over 400 vehicles to a leading solar installation company that otherwise was unable to fulfill their order.
Kingbee long-term rentals let you side-step the total cost of ownership. In 3-4 weeks, you could have spankin’-new vans that are wrapped with your company’s branding and upfitted with shelves and racks, all without adding to the balance sheet.
