Special Considerations For Choosing A Fleet Mechanic
Finding a mechanic to service your personal vehicle can be a challenge, but finding a mechanic to service an entire fleet is a whole new challenge. Your trucks are the lifeblood of your business, and making sure that they are operating properly is not only important for your day-to-day business operations but also for the long-term financial health of your company. Vehicles that are not maintained properly and more likely to break down, and vehicles that are not repaired properly after breaking down are more likely to break down again in the future. For these reasons and more, it is important to keep these special considerations in mind when considering mechanics to maintain your fleet.
Do They Have Experience with Large Fleets?
There's more to maintaining the vehicles in a fleet than simply being familiar with the vehicles themselves. Mechanics with experience working on fleets also know that work vehicles suffer far more abuse than most personal vehicles. This means you can trust them to understand the level of maintenance required to keep your vehicles on the road and reliable. Experienced mechanics will also be able to recognize maintenance trouble spots and solve problems before they become critical issues that take a truck off the road.
What Is Their Parts Policy?
Not all mechanics have the same policies when it comes to parts purchases. Does the mechanic that you are considering use genuine dealer parts, or do they use OEM or aftermarket replacements? Do they insist on using a particular brand of parts, or will they allow you to make your own selections? There are many quality aftermarket parts suppliers, and OEM parts are generally identical to dealer parts, so the important thing is that the mechanic you choose uses the type of parts that your company prefers.
Is Their Service Guaranteed?
Most mechanics offer a guarantee on services performed, but the level of warranty provided can be somewhat more variable for fleet vehicles. Be sure to find out exactly what the warranty entails and how long work is warrantied for. It's worth also determining whether the mechanic you will be working with handle parts warranties themselves. If a replacement part is defective, will you need to handle the warranty claim on the part yourself? Will the mechanic cover replacement labor even though their work was not the source of the problem?
What Is Their Emergency Policy?
Your business doesn't stop when a truck breaks down, and getting that truck back on the road is often a top priority. Your mechanic should be available to solve problems as they come up or, at the very least, should have a policy for bringing your trucks in quickly when there is an emergency. Be sure that the availability of any mechanic that you are working with lines up with your company's needs.
Remember that the mechanic you choose will become an important part of your business' operations. It is a choice worth spending time researching and considering carefully. Contact a company like Folsom Diesel Works for more tips on choosing a fleet truck mechanic.