Managed maintenance a beneficial outsourced service

Managed Maintenance a beneficial outsourced service

With the proliferation of maintenance plans, service plans and extended warranties, what opportunities exist to reduce maintenance costs? A short answer – lots!

As most of these plans and warranties expire during the useful life of the vehicle and because those managing maintenance expenses seldom have easy access to historical records of expenditure – the cost benefits available are seldom gained.

Managed maintenance, a cost-management service developed to support established fleets, places emphasis on avoiding repeat work, correct diagnosis, using supplier guarantees and best pricing for parts and labour.

Fleet companies providing this service have extensive systems with detailed historical databases of expenditure, a network of approved suppliers and teams of highly experienced staff, collectively managing in excess of 400 000 vehicles.

The managed-maintenance customer has full access to these resources. Routine work has to comply with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) job cost, or average pricing standards, and the parts and labour rates negotiated by the service provider. Major work may require the validation of the diagnosis and negotiation by their field technicians.

Substantial savings are achieved by utilising the benefits of supplier guarantees and avoiding repeat work, which is often unseen without easily accessed historical records. Work outside of warranties is not restricted to OEM dealers and can include in-house workshops.

Importantly, all invoices are validated to pre-approved values and customer expenses are consolidated into a single tax invoice for easier administration.

While there is a monthly service fee, service providers expect a 20-percent saving – which significantly offsets any fees.

Suppliers of managed maintenance services can be found at www.fleetsolutions.co.za.

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Focus on Transport

FOCUS on Transport and Logistics is the oldest and most respected transport and logistics publication in southern Africa.
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