With over 3000 assets under TIP FleetCare contracts in the UK and Ireland, TIP Trailer Services has continued with its programme to further develop the depth and range of FleetCare services during 2009 and into 2010. Year on year, the number of FleetCare contracts currently handled by TIP has increased by 11% in 2009, in comparison with 2008.
With a 12 strong branch network across the country, all offering fully equipped workshops and mobile servicing, TIP now has VOSA designated servicing lanes available at six of its depots, a move made by the company in response to customer demand. The depots in Leeds, Manchester, Nuneaton, Bristol, Felixstowe and Knottingley all feature VOSA approved service lanes, whilst four of the depots have full truck and trailer washes.
Also during 2009, TIP introduced a stepped payment plan for FleetCare customers, which has proved very popular in the current economic climate. This enables customers to achieve smarter financial planning, by retaining a larger proportion of cash in their business, rather than passing it over to a maintenance provider to accrue for later costs.
According to Karl Davies, Services and Marketing Director at TIP, "In 2009, not only did we invested in these new facilities and services to improve the FleetCare offering to our customers, but we also invested in additional headcount. We currently have 40 mobile service vans on the road as well as 100+ technicians, which makes TIP unique in the UK in terms of being able to offer in house national service support to customers. In addition, our apprenticeship scheme is now in its second year, which represents another significant and unique investment in the future of FleetCare."
TIP's FleetCare programme offers full preventative, corrective maintenance and repair services which includes tyres, running gear, tail lifts, and regulatory inspections for an entire fleet, together with access to MOT locations for compliance servicing and registration process, including ATP, ADR and TIR. The FleetCare scheme covers not just TIP's UK locations but includes a Pan-European presence providing comprehensive in-house and approved vendor coverage in 21 countries.
"FleetCare has seen phenomenal growth in a short time and now represents 20% of all TIP revenue in the UK. For 2010, there is a strong pipeline to grow this programme even more. FleetCare appeals to a cross section of transport and logistics business organisations, ranging from pan European companies through to regional and local companies who use the FleetCare service on a PayGo basis," comments Karl Davies.
FleetCare is the third party fleet maintenance product offered by TIP Trailer Services and is one of the four main business vertical sectors that make-up TIP Trailer Services, complimenting its traditional rental and leasing business and other service products.
FleetCare was borne out of our 40 years experience of maintaining in excess of 70,000 trailer units across Europe. This proven expertise eliminates the pain and heartache of maintaining a fleet and provides customers, both large and small, with a proven one-stop shop partner for their entire fleet cover.
"FleetCare is very much the future and services such as our VOSA approved on line service record system "i-comply", formal customer reviews and visible KPI's have further encouraged customer loyalty, which is reflected in the current growth of the business. In addition, the strength of the GE business allows us to take a long term view, despite the tough current economic conditions, whilst customer are reassured that, as a financially sound global business, TIP will be around to deliver the service throughout the whole contract term," said Karl Davies.