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This feature is available in Notilus YourWay, the fleet management software, and is useful for all fleet managers, since, no matter the size of their fleet, they still need to place orders as part of their job. This topic covers complex issues depending on the level of maturity of the company. Does it have a car policy, a validation workflow, negotiation levers with its suppliers, a clear vision of its fleet? Moreover, does it know all the vehicles options, and is it able to anticipate entries and exits in the fleet?
Our duo deconstructed each step of the process to relieve the – often multi-tasking – work of the fleet manager. In the end, the functionalities developed are relevant to both centralized processes, which require each time to specify the model ordered and request a quotation, and more mature processes, where everything is negotiated upstream. The benefits are multiple and the manager’s efforts are streamlined over time, as he now has better visibility into his progression and saves significant time from the moment the vehicle is delivered. Finally, the availability of a decentralized and dematerialized process, which can be consulted by third parties, means that data management no longer relies on a single person.
A few clicks are enough to launch an order
In the “real world”, ordering a vehicle can take up to several weeks. With Notilus YourWay you can create a request in just a few clicks, from various entry points (new vehicle, renewal, etc.). The list of suppliers and dedicated contacts can be configured by the client.
“This feature allows you to centralize communication points,” explains Benjamin Torossian.
A lot of things happen via email and phone. All these exchanges are dematerialized and centralized to make the information flow more smoothly.
“Based on the beneficiary and the type of vehicle (service or function), several elements are implemented into the system to ensure that the manager never loses sight of the financial transactions related to an order,” adds Frédéric Martin.
Either a supplier is approached for negotiations, or a request for quotation is made to contacts at different leasing companies according to various financing methods. Requests for quotations can also be done for the purchase of a vehicle. Irrespective of whether the company has a car policy or not, Notilus YourWay adapts itself to the maturity of the enterprise.
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The advantage of a car policy
Fleet management is generally driven by the purchasing, finance, or HR departments, and the focus varies according to the client. Depending on the company’s strategy, a car policy could be drafted as a means to control expenses or retain talents.
“All the steps – vehicle assignment, selection, financing, etc. – are spread out over time. In the absence of centralized information, some customers find it difficult to know where they stand at any given time,” says Frédéric Martin.
Notilus YourWay’s “allocation grid” makes it possible to allocate certain types of vehicles according to employee categories, for example, their department, position, function, or according to a cost centre. It eliminates the risks of mistakes such as incorrectly assigning a BMW intended for members of the Executive Committee, to a junior employee.
If a car policy exists, the manager’s work is greatly facilitated. If not, the manager still has access to all the existing vehicle models in France: the solution does not penalize the absence of a car policy, even if it can lead companies to reflect on the subject. After all, having a wide variety of models in a corporate fleet represents a significant cost, as the more diverse the models are, the less the company will be able to negotiate easily with manufacturers, given the multiplication of involved parties.
Gestion de la car policy dans Notilus YourWay.
The benefits of centralized data
The solution requires providers to fill in financial data in a form so that it becomes easy for managers to assess at a glance the proposed tariffs against the fleet’s mileage limits, instead of having to gather various scattered documents. They can also evaluate the search’s relevance to the request.
According to Frédéric Martin:
“It’s a time saver for service providers: instead of writing an email, attaching a quote, or following up manually, they simply respond to a request on which they are positioned.
Suppliers sometimes offer specific conditions for given periods, which can be documented in the application, as part of their financing conditions. It also saves a lot of time when placing an order. As soon as the preparatory work has been completed upstream, the software presents all the offers validated with the leasing company.
Benjamin Torossian concludes:
“In just a few clicks, the manager can order the right vehicle for a given employee. This saves dozens of emails and phone calls.
As a result, the time needed between the request and the launch of the order is very short. And even before the vehicle is received, the system makes it trackable for the employee.”
Multi-brand management is no longer a headache
While developments in the automotive world are never-ending, consulting manufacturers’ websites is very time-consuming, especially since they are not uniformly designed. As he studies offers, the fleet manager must list the various models on paper or Excel, risking duplication. Moreover, from one website to another, the number of descriptive fields can be infinite. By the time the manager decides to place an order, it is not unlikely that a vehicle with a specific option has been replaced by another.
Notilus YourWay has a multi-brand configurator to overcome this tedious process.
“With our partner Autovista, we synchronize every week all the models currently on sale in France. By launching a multi-brand search for a gasoline/electric hybrid that is currently doing well, for example, the solution directly filters the possibilities according to a given price range. The filtering possibilities are numerous, such as gearboxes, fiscal power, number of doors, paying options (LED lights…), monthly benefit in kind, etc. Generally, if customers know the models they want to order, the software relieves the manager from having to visit a lot of different websites,” explains Benjamin Torossian.
Note: in the absence of a car policy, the user can select the various vehicle options himself.
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Retrouvez aussi les options et différents modèles
Data available at all times, for all stakeholders
The main question for managers arises when vehicles need to be renewed. If the company does not wish to modify the contract – so no extension of the rental period – it must anticipate vehicle orders for its employees.
The Notilus YourWay engine generates a battery of indicators that allow the manager to assess the number and status of requests in the blink of an eye. Once the employee has taken possession of the vehicle, the manager’s work becomes very simple: he clicks on the request, views the summary of the vehicle being delivered, enters the delivery date, and validates the financing elements on the launch date. The vehicle enters the fleet and the employee’s assignment is managed via a centralized process. The manager can take the vehicle out for renewal in a few clicks.
Demandes de véhicule et modes de financement dans Notilus YourWay.
“We centralize every step of the process. The system can generate reports on the vehicles to be renewed over the next 12 months by the supplier. When a vehicle enters a “vehicle request” process, it is removed from the alerts program. The manager can also see non-renewed vehicles”, explains Benjamin Torossian, who adds:
“A validation workflow can be added on top of this process; for example, a vehicle request that must be validated by the direct supervisor, the HR manager, or the CFO, etc., before the order is placed. This is often the case for large organizations.”
In summary: Notilus YourWay allows the fleet manager to visualize information on his vehicles, make his management more fluid, and have a complete follow-up in line with the car policy if there is one. Financing and interactions with leasing companies or dealers are integrated into processes that enrich a global strategy. The solution also enables the company to anticipate renewals, and greatly simplify exchanges with service providers, while enabling the company to become more mature in its fleet management. The organization enjoys a centralized vehicle purchasing policy without its fleet managers having to negotiate individually.
Our solution is dedicated to the moblity management. In addition to the expense reports management you can plan, book and track your business trips. It is also possible to manage your car fleet.
