Global consolidation is a reality that many companies frequently face in today’s internationally focused society. But what does this mean for fleet managers? For many, it means a rapidly expanded fleet that is much more complex and time-consuming to manage than a local fleet.
In part one of this Q&A series, Esther Calvo Bolaño, vice president international sales for LeasePlan International, explains why it’s important to understand global fleets and how to manage one.
1. With the global business landscape constantly changing, have you seen local fleet managers suddenly gaining responsibility of a global fleet?
Yes. This is a situation that many fleet managers are facing today. Companies that operate in an international environment are growing and developing a more global approach.
I just attended the Global Fleet Conference, where I met with fleet managers who are now suddenly in charge of a global program, or they will be in the near future. They are quickly becoming aware of the challenges ahead and are already preparing themselves for that.
2. What advice do you have for a fleet manager whose role recently expanded globally?
Running a global fleet is much more complex than working at a local level, because there are many parties involved. The first step should be to ensure support of all stakeholders before proceeding with a global fleet plan.
It’s also important to collect data at the local level within countries where the fleet operates. Analyzing data from each local market will provide insight that will be vital at a later stage. Fleet managers can work with a partner to obtain data from already existing relationships in some local markets.
I also recommend attending conferences and networking events to meet peers and exchange best practices. At these global fleet events, fleet managers can also gain insight on the latest developments and market trends, which are crucial to designing the global fleet program.
3. How important is it for a U.S. fleet manager to know how to manage a global fleet?
Nowadays, we see the globalization trend at multinational corporations. Many of our clients are looking for a way to harmonize their operations at diverse levels in order to gain visibility and control, and drive down cost. That is why, even if a fleet manager is just responsible for a local market like the United States, it is good to start thinking globally. It’s quite possible, especially if you work in a global headquarters, that you will be tasked with taking your program to a global level, and the need to understand the complexity of managing a global fleet may come sooner than you expect.
4. What are the challenges of managing a global fleet and how do you handle them?
It’s important to have the knowledge and ability to move in different environments. This is true locally and globally. Fleet managers need to be able to sell internally what they know is the best solution. In order to do so, it’s important to identify regional differences, like culture, fleet sizes, country maturity level, main key cost drivers, available makes and models, policies in place and taxes and regulations.
If you’ve recently become responsible for managing a global fleet, or would like more information on how to better prepare, visit LeasePlan USA’s global site.
Read Managing the Complexities of the Global Fleet: Part 2
Esther Calvo Bolaño works as vice president international sales for LeasePlan International. She is responsible for developing strategic international relationships with multinational companies headquartered in the Americas and APAC. She has more than 10 years of experience in operational leasing services and has worked in The Netherlands, Spain and now the United States over the past 16 years. She started her career at LeasePlan in October 2006 in Europe and moved to the United States in 2014.