Stuart O'Brien, Author at Fleet Summit - Page 11 of 54
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Stuart O'Brien

Do you specialise in Driver Training for fleet? We want to hear from you!

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Each month on Fleet Management Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on a different part of the fleet market – and in May we’ll be focussing on Fleet Management Software solutions.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help fleet buyers find the best products and services available today.

So, if you’re a supplier of Fleet Management Software solutions and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 / c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.

Here’s our features list in full:

May – Fleet Management Software
Jun – Telematics/Tracking
Jul – Contract Hire & Leasing
Aug – LPG/Alternative Fuel & Fuel Management
Sept – EV Infrastructure
Oct – Duty of Care
Nov – Grey Fleet
Dec – Service, Maintenance & Repair
Jan 24 – Electric & Hybrid Vehicles
Feb 24 – Dash Cams
Mar 24 – Driver Training
Apr 24 – Accident & Risk Management

‘Finding ways to cut vehicle downtime is the only way fleet and leasing companies can stay competitive’

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Leading technology provider for the automotive industry, OEC, has found huge efficiencies with its innovative authorisation platform, reducing vehicle downtime for manufacturers, fleets and lease companies…

  • Athoris can save millions in processing costs by enabling efficiencies through providing access to manufacturer, repairer and leasing company data
  • The digital tool can be fully integrated into any third-party application, seamlessly working in suppliers’ workflows to provide e-invoicing and automated authorisation

As fleet operators and lease companies face pressure from all directions, with heightened operating costs, skills shortages and challenging efficiency targets, a huge area for opportunity is the processing time of authorising the many jobs that keep a fleet on the road. Service, maintenance, repair, body, glass and MOT are all costly – both in time and money – for suppliers, fast fitters, fleets and lease companies, so making this happen as efficiently as possible is key to remaining competitive.

Leading technology provider for the aftersales industry, OEC, has found a way to do this with its innovative authorisation platform, Athoris – reducing vehicle downtime and saving millions in processing costs. This web-based application is an intelligent digital workflow tool, transforming complex authorisations into a single click action, that is completed in seconds, reducing the number of manual administration processes required by technicians and leasing companies.

With access to original equipment (OE) approved data, pricing, labour and parts information, direct from the manufacturer, Athoris provides a line-by-line breakdown and automatic approval without the requirement for human interaction – reducing the number of processes and checks in the event of further approval or payment failure, and resulting in quicker integration of billings, invoicing and payments for fleet operators.

Tim Perry, Fleet Product Manager at OEC comments: “Athoris is an essential solution for the lease and fleet sector, helping suppliers, lease and fleet companies, alike gain huge efficiency in the vehicle work approval process. Athoris helps get work approved quicker, repaired quicker and back on the road quicker. It drives efficiencies and reduces administration through our high levels of automatic authorisation.”

European OEMs have tried and tested Athoris, with one manufacturer saving over three million pounds per year, and eliminating an average of 80 per cent of its authorisation time. Faster authorisation means faster completion of repairs, keeping fleets on the road as much as possible. Tim added: “Cutting vehicle downtime is the only way fleets and leasing companies can stay competitive. We give back thousands of working hours a year, allowing technicians and accountants to use their technical expertise where it matters.

“Also, by being a web-based service, Athoris is compatible with any third-party application, allowing for line-by-line breakdown for invoicing and payment. This, coupled with its e-invoicing and automatic approval for parts and accessories, with access to the OE databases, is a huge win for all companies working in the fleet sector, at a period when time and money are more valuable than ever.”

To learn more about Athoris or for more information about OEC and its range of technology solutions, visit the website: https://oeconnection.com/

Join these fantastic companies at this summer’s Fleet Summit

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Have you registered yet to attend the Fleet Summit? You’ll be in good company, with professionals from some of the UK’s largest fleet operators in attendance.

June 12th-13th, Radisson Blu Manchester Airport

The Summit is free to attend and gives you access to 1-2-1 meetings with innovative suppliers who can help with your upcoming projects, networking breaks to meet new peers, a series of seminar sessions, overnight accommodation and all meals/refreshments.

You’ll be joining other senior fleet professionals, with our already registered delegates representing:

Adler and Allan
Altrad Services
Aspire Housing Ltd.
Auto Windscreens
Babcock International
Bi Frost Transport
Cheshire Constabulary
City Sprint
Clarke Transport
Coca-Cola European Partners
Cummins
Currys
Denbighshire County Council
DS Smith
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Eclipse Energy
EMIS Group Plc
For Farmers UK Ltd
G4S
GBA Services
Getinge Lancer UK
Grosvenor Facilities Management
Imperial Tobacco Ltd
JR Dixon Ltd
LocalTaxisGroup
Manchester Airports Group (MAG)
Mawdsleys Logistics
Metworks
MI Transport Ltd
Pret A Manger
Quatra UK LTD
Rexel UK
Tesco Maintenance
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Unipart Group
Vantec Europe Ltd
Wigan Council

Register for your free place here.

Or for more information, contact us today.

Only 15% of digital transformation projects reach completion

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New research shows that businesses have faith in technology to boost their productivity, but are facing major knowledge and skill barriers to complete their digital transformation projects.

European businesses expect technology digital transformation projects to boost their productivity by an average of 38% in just 3 years with overall Return on Investment (ROI) expected in just under 5 years, senior decision makers have reported. But so far, on average only 15% of organisations have completed their digital transformation projects.

The survey, carried out by independent research company Opinion Matters and commissioned by Panasonic Connect Europe, questioned 300 senior decision makers with responsibility for business digital transformation across the UK, France and Germany.

Almost 40% of respondents said they felt their organisation was lagging behind competitors when it came to digital transformation. The major barriers to deploying digital transformation technologies were: Lack of internal knowledge (35%), lack of internal IT people resource and skills (32%), concerns about the interoperability with existing IT infrastructure (30%) and a lack of external specialist IT support or awareness of specialist providers (30%).

“This research shows that European businesses understand that the latest technology solutions can transform their business operations and help them take major strides forward in productivity but for many there are still obvious barriers to overcome,” said Jan Kaempfer, Marketing Director for Panasonic Connect Europe.

“Businesses have a lack of internal expertise and resource and are struggling to find the external specialist support they need to execute their plans. This was precisely the reason why Panasonic Connect Europe was formed just over a year ago – bringing technology hardware, software solutions and service expertise together to help business-to-business organisations address their digital transformation challenges.”

Unmarked HGV cabs spot 700 offences in police crackdown

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Almost 700 offences were spotted in just one week by police officers patrolling the M1 in National Highways’ unmarked HGV cabs.

Eight police forces travelled the route between Leeds and London in the HGVs on the look-out for unsafe driving in a week of action targeting the motorway.

They stopped a total of 663 vehicles and uncovered 691 offences. The most common offence was not wearing a seatbelt with 239 people caught without their belt on – 73 in South Yorkshire alone.

This was followed by 181 people spotted using a mobile phone at the wheel then 44 drivers not in proper control of their vehicle and 43 driving without due care and attention.

Penalties ranged from words of advice and traffic offence reports to 14 court summons and even five arrests.
National Highways provides the unmarked HGV cabs to police forces across the country as part of Operation Tramline. From the elevated position in the HGV, officers can spot unsafe driving behaviour – whatever vehicle the motorist may be in.

The 663 vehicles stopped included 180 HGVs and 204 private vehicles.

They included one driver in Northamptonshire who was stopped due to the front side windows being heavily tinted and when tested they only allowed 11% of light through. The driver did admit to officers: ‘I sometimes have to wind the window down to see at night’. He was reported for having a vehicle in a dangerous condition.

The same force also stopped this driver with an insecure load for which he argued ‘that their own weight holds them on’. They were also reported for traffic offences.

Meanwhile Derbyshire Police spotted a number of insecure loads during the week of action – labelled Operation Freeway – including this vehicle which was seen travelling along the motorway.

The week of action took place during the first week of March during some severe wintry weather. Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Police officers had to pull over a number of vehicles to remove the snow off their roof or turn their lights on as visibility was very reduced.

National Highways Head of Road Safety, Jeremy Phillips, said: “Hundreds of thousands of motorists travel over 21 million miles on the M1 every day – accounting for one in seven of all motorway journeys – and the vast majority are safe and legal drivers.

“But there is a minority that continue to put themselves and others at risk. It is disappointing that almost 700 offences were spotted in just one week – but thanks to Operation Freeway those drivers were prevented from continuing with their unsafe behaviours.

“Through this week of action we aim to reduce the number of incidents on the M1 and to encourage motorists to think about their driving and to adopt safer behaviours.”

Connected Kerb plans 10,000 new EV charge points

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By WhichEV

Connected Kerb’s new partnership with Surrey County Council will see up to £60m invested in public EV charge points, resulting in a 25% increase in availability across the UK.

At the time this story was published, the UK had just shy of 39,000 public charge points across the country. Measured against that installed base, it’s easy to see what a mammoth commitment is being made when Connected Kerb announces plans for an additional 10,000 points. From this one company alone, that’s a promise to increase the nation’s charging options by 25%. We’re keen to know how long this will take, how much it will cost and will the chargers be concentrated in South East England.

One scheme is focused on streets and public car parks across Surrey, with over 1,500 locations to benefit from this new network of chargers. It will be the largest roll-out of its kind by any local authority. Right now, the country can only offer one charger per 9,000 residents, which is clearly going to present a challenge as the market moves to stop petrol/diesel car sales by 2030.

To read the full story, hop over to WhichEV…

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT: Introducing Aftercare Response, the Commercial Vehicle Services Specialists

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Fleet maintenance has become a hot topic in the post-Covid era, with operating costs continuing to rise and a degree of uncertainty regarding the return of business growth to pre-2020 levels. Exercising caution against heavy investment in new vehicles, many commercial vehicle operators are extending their fleet age for longer periods – and against this backdrop, the requirement for efficient maintenance and repair plans is paramount.

Aftercare Response, part of Bevan Group, is proving to be an essential partner for many businesses in this position. Founded in 2003 (as Bevan Aftercare), Aftercare Response is now the UK’s leading provider of mobile maintenance and breakdown services in the UK.

With over 260 active customers – and more companies choosing to partner with Aftercare Response every week – the business is experiencing a particularly buoyant time.

Aftercare Response offers a wide range of services, including:

  • On-site commercial vehicle body repairs.
  • Tail lift installation, maintenance, servicing and repair.
  • Fleet maintenance contracts.
  • OEM warranty work.
  • Nationwide emergency roadside assistance – available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

What really sets Aftercare Response apart is the on-site service offered. 95% of jobs are completed on-site at customer premises nationwide; not only does this reduce vehicle downtime, it also reduces overall fleet mileage and emissions, as well as fuel and driver costs.

Aftercare Response Video

Aftercare Response customers have total control of each job, following the launch of Aftercare Response Video in 2021. The first initiative of its kind within the industry, the platform allows engineers to share videos with customers, providing recommendations direct to camera and enabling the customer to make a fully informed decision on whether to proceed with the suggested work. Aftercare Response Video ensures end-to-end visibility, complete transparency, and improved knowledge – as well as enabling the customer to re-charge damage repairs fairly. The videos supplied are also proving invaluable in supporting warranty claims.

Investment in Electrification

With the continued shift towards vehicle fleet electrification, Aftercare Response has invested in training to ensure that its engineers are educated on the requirements for working safely with new technology.

Recently awarded Enhancement Scheme Approval to complete tail lift fitments to N1 and N2 panel vans, Aftercare Response is now able to fit tail lifts to all types of manufacturer panel vans –equipping drivers with a safe way to transport heavier loads.

In today’s climate, effective fleet maintenance is more important than ever – and finding a proactive, innovative partner to support your business is essential. Contact Aftercare Response today to find out more about how the team can support your business requirements.

Find out more at www.aftercareresponse.uk or email info@aftercareresponse.uk for more information.

Do you specialise in Driver Training for fleet? We want to hear from you!

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Each month on Fleet Management Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on a different part of the fleet market – and in April we’ll be focussing on Accident & Risk Management solutions.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help fleet buyers find the best products and services available today.

So, if you’re a supplier of Accident & Risk Management solutions and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 / c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.

Here’s our features list in full:

Apr – Accident & Risk Management
May – Fleet Management Software
Jun – Telematics/Tracking
Jul – Contract Hire & Leasing
Aug – LPG/Alternative Fuel & Fuel Management
Sept – EV Infrastructure
Oct – Duty of Care
Nov – Grey Fleet
Dec – Service, Maintenance & Repair
Jan 24 – Electric & Hybrid Vehicles
Feb 24 – Dash Cams
Mar 24 – Driver Training

Delegate places at the Fleet Summit are going fast!

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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This is just a reminder to secure your free place to the Fleet Summit – an exclusive, must-attend event for fleet professionals.

June 12th & 13th 2023

Radisson Blu, Manchester Airport

The Summit has been designed to help you build business connections with the latest innovative and budget-saving suppliers within the industry.

Your complimentary guest pass includes:
– An itinerary, designed by you, of pre-qualified one-to-one meetings with solution providers.
– A seat at the industry seminar sessions.
– Networking breaks to optimise your opportunity to make new connections.
– Overnight accommodation, networking gala dinner, lunches and refreshments throughout.

Register today to secure your free place on 12th and 13th June at the Radisson Blu, Manchester Airport.

VIDEO: Locks 4 Vans unveils security range for the Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV

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Light commercial vehicle aftermarket security specialist Locks 4 Vans (LV4) has taken the wraps off it’s latest project: a range of bespoke products for the ‘van of the moment’, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz.

We were lucky enough to have a closer look at this new EV and get hands-on with the product at L4V’s Innovation Centre, which showcases myriad opportunities to upgrade vehicle security against the latest attack methods.

Terry Rayner, Commercial Director at Locks 4 Vans, explained: “We worked through several challenges during the development journey. Due to the composite materials used for electric vans, we needed to adjust how we fitted our solutions in terms of location and bracketry so that we didn’t compromise functionality. The team were also conscious to ensure that the finished design of our products were sympathetic to the visual ‘look and feel’ of the van’s iconic style.”

The result is a blend of solutions that work together to provide the optimum security upgrade with an impressive aesthetic.

On the rear of the van, L4V designed a hook locking solution for the tailgate doors, as well as a protective window shield due to the glazed rear window on the tailgate model. To complete the security range, L4V designed a custom-made anti-peel kit for the ID. Buzz which it says dramatically reduces the risk of the growing ‘peel and steal’ attack method on side loading doors.

Rayner added: “The team here at L4V are continually pushing boundaries to ensure that the application of our security solutions move with the next generation of vehicle. This is a great example of where our products are fresh, current and relevant, and by being first to market we demonstrate once again why we are first choice in the industry.”

L4V recently invested £2.5million to extend its capabilities further, with the ID. Buzz products the latest of many in the Innovation Centre roadmap. Check out the video below:-