Saving money is certainly an important task for everyone, especially for companies that need to invest, plan, balance finances, and maintain an emergency fund. Therefore, to control these actions, a certain rigor with finances and expenses is necessary, points that are closely observed by business owners of various companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.
Among these expenses, we can mention the costs of having a company fleet of vehicles for use during working hours or for transporting employees to and from work or to events and appointments outside the corporate environment.
According to André Campos, CEO of For You Fleet, acquiring your own fleet of vehicles can be an important strategic decision. However, it is necessary to carefully evaluate the costs involved, which, according to the executive, are:
- Vehicle Purchase: The initial investment in purchasing vehicles can be significant, especially if the fleet is large or composed of armored or specially equipped vehicles.
- Fees and Taxes: These include the Vehicle Property Tax (IPVA), licensing and registration fees.
- Maintenance and Repairs: Includes preventive maintenance (oil changes, tires, etc.) and corrective maintenance (unexpected repairs).
- Insurance: Mandatory insurance (DPVAT) and insurance against damage, theft, and accidents.
- Depreciation: Loss of value of vehicles over time.
- Fleet Management: Salaries of employees responsible for fleet management, such as fleet managers and drivers.
- Management Systems: Investment in fleet management software for monitoring and optimizing vehicle utilization.
- Documentation and Compliance: Costs associated with record keeping, regulatory compliance, and third-party audits.
- Fines and Penalties: Costs resulting from traffic violations.
“Having your own fleet can offer advantages such as greater control over logistics and vehicle utilization. However, it is crucial to conduct a detailed cost-benefit analysis, considering other alternatives, such as outsourcing this fleet,” he comments.
André's stance contradicts data from ABLA – the Brazilian Association of Car Rental Companies – which revealed that fleet outsourcing can generate savings of up to 47% for companies, which can have monthly expenses of around R$ 2,000 for each vehicle, depending on the model, not counting the bureaucracy involved in documentation, registration, insurance, and managing fines.
At this point, André lists some advantages that companies of different sizes and segments can obtain by subscribing to the service:
- Purchase: Investment by the rental company (company focuses on its core business)
- Fees and taxes: The entire process is managed by the rental company.
- Maintenance and repairs: Responsibility of the rental company, with the focal point at the company.
- Insurance: The rental company manages the entire process, including providing a replacement vehicle.
- Customer Service: 24/7 Concierge
- Depreciation: There is no depreciation. After the period stipulated in the contract, the customer can change cars.
- Management: All management, including documentation and fines, is handled by the rental company.
“It is estimated that maintenance savings can range from 15% to 30%, depending on the type of vehicle and the intensity of use. Therefore, within the eternal corporate need to do more with less, fleet outsourcing has been a strategy used by companies to optimize business costs without sacrificing the comfort of having vehicles available. Furthermore, by no longer managing these vehicles, the organization's employees have more time to dedicate to the company's business,” concludes the executive.
