Chris oversees all aspects of vehicle service and repair. His role plays a crucial part in ensuring the reliability, safety, and cost-effectiveness of our customers fleet, whilst delivering exceptional customer CARE.
In this Q&A, we sat down with Chris to learn more about his role, the value of Herd Connect, and how our fleet management services can help businesses optimise their vehicle operations, minimise downtime, and achieve cost savings.
Could you tell us about your role?
My role as Senior Fleet Maintenance Controller is to manage & oversee the service, maintenance and repair of both the Herd Group fleet, as well as that of our client’s own vehicles that we fleet manage through Herd Connect. All my role is underpinned by the Herd CARE ethos, ensuring that our customers and their businesses are our biggest focus.
What are the most important responsibilities of your role?
The most important responsibilities of my role are to ensure that we achieve the best possible costs, whilst minimising downtime to keep vehicles on the road. Another key aspect of the role is to make sure that the repairs are required & justified.
What are your top tips to help customers avoid unplanned mechanical issues?
To avoid unnecessary mechanical issues, our customers make use of our Herd Connect tools. One of the tools available, is the Driver App. On the app, drivers can easily report vehicle conditions and mileage, monitor when MOT and services are due, and book in with our suppliers. This gives us better visibility on potential issues in order be proactive. It also makes us aware of issues that we may be able to resolve, or at least offer advice on.
Can you give us an example of where you have saved costs for a Herd Connect customer recently?
We save money for our Herd Connect customers daily. One such case today was a vehicle in for an engine oil leak. By pushing for improved parts & labour costs, we managed to get the cost from £253.41 down to £181.03, representing a 33% discount.
How do you maximise uptime?
At Herd Group we will always look to minimise downtime on both our vehicles and our Herd Connect customer’s vehicles. We have many tools to assist with this, such as scheduled service reminders so that services are carried out on time, thereby reducing the chances of a vehicle failing by carrying preventative maintenance. We also use our extensive network of suppliers to find the quickest available booking, in the most convenient location. We have the Herd Hotline which has Herd Assist to help when vehicles are broken down & look to get the vehicle back on the road promptly, and the tyre line offering mobile service to minimise inconvenience to driver’s busy schedules.
What are the biggest cost savings that Herd can deliver for our customers?
We look to utilise manufacturer warranty coverage to ensure repairs are done under warranty, avoiding unjustified & needless spend. We also use the manufacturer’s breakdown services, meaning between that & Herd Assist, our Herd Connect connect customers do not need to spend money on additional breakdown policies.
Whether a vehicle is in for a straightforward service, or a major engine repair, we will interrogate the details to make sure things such labour rates, labour times & parts costs are correct. If not, we will challenge these costs.
In your words, what are the benefits of using Herd Connect?
Herd Connect customers can leave the Fleet Management of their vehicles to us, freeing up their time to concentrate on other things. We treat their vehicles as though they were our own.
It gives our customers the benefit of our extensive industry experience, knowledge, and network of suppliers. This enables them to make the most of our preferential rates & discounts, reducing both downtime & cost for their business.
Chris’s interview was the first of a new series of ‘Meet the Herd Experts’, we are pleased to share this insight about how Chris provides outstanding customer CARE and delivers significant savings for our customers every day. Keep an eye out for the next ‘Meet the Herd Expert’ coming in October.
Interested in learning more about how Herd Connect can simplify fleet management, maximise vehicle uptime, and reduce your overall costs? Visit www.herdconnect.co.uk today!
