The festive season is often the busiest time of year for most fleet companies, with more deliveries and transportation services needed to meet higher consumer demand. It’s therefore vital for fleet companies to plan ahead, ensuring safe, smooth operations with sufficient forward planning to avoid disappointing customers and clients.
Plan ahead
The Christmas season always brings substantially higher demand for fleet services, so to prevent being overwhelmed, companies should start planning well in advance. Using data from previous holiday peaks and current booking trends, provides the key to forecasting expected demand. With an estimate of the increased capacity needed, you are then best placed to start scaling up your resources. Bring in additional vehicles, drivers and staff, potentially utilising temporary contractors, and communicate anticipated increases in volume with clients, so they too can prepare for busier schedules.
Many businesses pride themselves on fast delivery, particularly in the lead up to Christmas. Businesses such as Golf Swing Systems, for example, are recognised by their customers for their great service and prompt next-day delivery, claiming “working with delivery companies who can maintain our high standards is imperative to maintaining our strong reputation for excellence”. Fleet companies must ensure they can maintain these quick turnarounds for their clients during the holidays to uphold their reputation for prompt service.
Be sure to review maintenance plans to ensure enough time for servicing vehicles before the rush hits, and check spare part inventories so you can restock if required. Fleet companies need to start mobilising extra capacity early, as shortages can’t be remedied overnight and could derail your festive operations. The key to avoiding disappointment is by proactively planning for higher holiday demand across all aspects of fleet operations. Don’t risk leaving customers stranded without deliveries, by failing to prepare adequately.
[Image source: Deposit photos]
Implement scheduling best practices
The hectic December schedule requires thoughtful planning well before advent hits. Build in buffer time between jobs to account for unpredictable factors like traffic jams or extreme weather. Overloading drivers with back-to-back deliveries and no wiggle room will lead to missed deadlines but can also put your staff under undue pressure. Leverage scheduling software to optimise workflows based on vehicle specifications, driver skills and operational constraints.
Monitor your team’s upcoming schedules closely, to identify overload risks in advance rather than needing to react to issues as they arise. Your team will often be in the best position to pass on any required changes, so listen to driver feedback and act accordingly. After the peak period passes, you can then analyse what worked well versus areas needing improvement in scheduling for following years. The aim is to maximise delivery capacity through smart scheduling while maintaining high standards of customer service.
Prioritise health and safety
The intense holiday peak puts extra strain on drivers, so fleet managers must make health and safety a top priority despite tight deadlines. Encourage drivers to submit time off requests early so adequate planning can happen, and build schedules with mandated break times for meals, rest and recovery factored in. Follow regulations on maximum hours diligently, and monitor for overwork, adjusting schedules as needed. Provide incentives like overtime bonuses to reward holiday efforts, but don’t pressure exhausted drivers to overdo it.
Provide mental health resources in case drivers experience mental health issues, burnout or undue stress. Managers should lead by example when it comes to reasonable hours and self-care, ensuring drivers are getting sufficient sleep and staying alert on the road. While meeting customer demands is important, it should never compromise safe driving. The Christmas period tends to test limits, but fleet companies must reinforce that driver health and safety comes first. With adequate support, your team can shine under pressure without burning out.
Leverage technology
The holidays put pressure on fleet operations, but technology can provide much-needed efficiency gains. Route optimisation software streamlines scheduling and sequencing of jobs, to maximise assets, while drivers equipped with real-time GPS tracking apps can navigate more efficiently and keep customers updated on arrival times. Video inspections also allow drivers to remotely show vehicle issues, reducing maintenance downtime.
Predictive analytics on past patterns over the festive period enable better capacity planning, based on accurate data. But there are other ways companies can enhance the experience too, such as:
- Providing customer portals for booking and rescheduling, to ease administrative burdens.
- Automated text and email alerts to improve service level.s
- Tablet-based apps that reduce paperwork and admin time for drivers and back office staff.
Eco-driving technology even provides fuel and emissions savings despite the frenzied pace. Investing in the right technology solutions can drive substantial productivity and service improvements during the make-or-break season.
Maintain proactive communication
Keeping clients informed is imperative during this stressful season. Start by setting reasonable delivery window expectations upfront, so customers are aware rush orders may still take a day or two. Provide multiple options for status updates like text alerts, email notifications and a customer portal with real-time order tracking.
If delays or issues do occur, apologise promptly and advise revised timelines. Clients understand that delays are possible at this time of year, but a lack of communication is ultimately what will frustrate them, so make sure they are always kept in the loop. Transparency is also key – don’t go silent if problems arise. Proactively reach out to update major customers on peak operations, and encourage them to book early as capacity fills up. Clarify any contingency plans in place, such as overflow to alternative depots.
It can often help to offer exclusive holiday discounts or loyalty rewards to major accounts, to cement partnerships and thank customers for their business during your busiest time of year. This season is all about ensuring great customer service. Customers will remember who treated them well when under pressure, and this will encourage loyalty in the coming year.
Enter the new year stronger
The festive period is the ultimate test of efficiency for fleet companies. Meeting higher demand without compromising standards requires foresight and diligence across all operations. While challenging, a well-executed festive strategy cements customer loyalty and satisfaction, and companies that maintain high standard despite the pressure, demonstrate resilience and reliability; differentiating qualities in a crowded market. With adequate preparation, resources and communication, fleet operators can enter the new year with stronger client partnerships, an energised workforce and a powerful reputation.
