Choosing the right vehicle for a business can be a confusing and stressful procedure, just as much as buying the right car for personal use. In fact, it can be trickier – a company vehicle can say much about the company. Are the vehicles, clean, modern and well maintained, or are employees driving around beat-up bombs?

A company vehicle is a mobile face for the company. Outside of the office, advertising and employees, it can be a highly visible aspect of the company – which can mean make or break for public perception.

Therefore, a business must think carefully about their strategy when buying, leasing and operating a fleet of vehicles.

Covering the Basics

The first thing to consider is what the needs of the company are. A plumbing business will have greatly different needs to a design firm – no one size fits all. A run-through of why a business needs vehicles, and what they will be used for is the first important step in selecting the ideal fit.

Budget Concerns

Obviously a critical point is what the business is willing to spend on its fleet. Here there are a few options. Owning outright is the most expensive, especially initially – and there’s always a risk of vehicle damage or costly repairs that can also eat into the budget. That said, a company care is regarded as a valuable perk for staff retention.

Leasing and hire purchases require less up-front expenditure, as well as providing an outsourcing for the maintenance of the fleet. While it means that per vehicle, the costs may be higher than a company-owned vehicle, it does have the added benefit of freeing up company resources and staff that would have organise registration, insurance, repairs and servicing.

Go Online

While there are a number of companies that will sell vehicles for fleet purposes, as well as lease and hire purchase organisations, it’s always helpful to take a look yourself. Although lease companies usually pick reliable vehicles, it pays to take a look at what similar businesses are using for their company vehicles. Web searches for car reviews are an excellent way of finding out a vehicle’s suitability as a company car. Unless your company is a niche business, chances are there’s somebody who is in your shoes who has some opinion and preference.

Speak to Staff and Clients

Of course, the important part is to speak to the people who will be using or benefiting from these vehicles. Implementing the most cost-effective strategy or choosing a vehicle based on its appearance won’t help much if they don’t do what staff and clients need them to do. Client feedback is vital in understanding if their particular needs are being met, and staff should be more than happy to have some input into what can be an important factor in their jobs.