4 Common Fuel Management Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
A key part of the fleet manager’s role is to ensure that fuel management systems are running smoothly and meeting business requirements. However, it can be easy to neglect certain aspects of fuel management, especially when they don’t seem important in the short term. Negligence of these aspects can reduce the efficiency of a fleet’s operations, leading to higher costs and more wastage.
We’ll be covering four of the most common fuel management mistakes, from poor data utilisation to inadequate staff training, to help you avoid making these same ones. As a leading supplier of fuel management systems, we build our equipment and software to help make the fleet manager’s job as seamless as possible, as well as provide current data for further efficiency insights. Keep reading to learn more about common fuel management mistakes and how to avoid them.
Poor Data Utilisation
Despite the advanced capabilities of fuel management systems today, many fleet managers do not take full advantage of the insight they can provide. This means that you could be missing out on critical opportunities to improve fuel efficiency, reduce operational costs, and alleviate the overall running of your fleet. Without analysing fuel data, businesses may not notice inefficiencies in fuel consumption.
For example, fuel may be used wastefully due to poorly chosen routes or certain driving behaviours, and this could be corrected using proper data utilisation. Equally, by using the right software, fleet managers can have access to detailed reports on fuel usage and access, providing a full breakdown of costs and areas for subsequent improvement. Not only does effective data utilisation improve the efficiency of operations but it can also prevent against things like theft and unnecessary wastage. After all, what’s the point of investing in a system that can give you this information if you’re not going to use it to make data-driven decisions?
Neglecting Maintenance
If you want your fuel management system to be working at its absolute best, then carrying out routine maintenance on your systems is imperative. It is common for fuel tanks to wear and corrode over time, which can lead to cracks or rust spots. This can result in major problems like leaks or contamination, costing your fleet more money than is necessary.
Not only this but carrying out regular maintenance gives fleet managers the opportunity to spot any issues that may have gone unnoticed, saving on maintenance costs and wastage later down the line. By performing regular maintenance using a predetermined schedule and inspection logs, fleet managers can ensure that systems are working safely and suitably.
Ignoring Scalability
As businesses grow, so do their fuel management needs. This is why it is vital to select a system that not only works for a company’s current fleet requirements but also has the capacity to expand to meet a growing demand. Our fuel management systems contain scalable models that can grow with a business, whether it’s expanding to a larger fleet, managing more fuel consumption points, or handling more complex data requirements.
The Fueltek FMO software is completely scalable, making it adapted to large fleets that involve multi-site and multi-user applications. Due to this software’s ability to accommodate any number of administrators and users, Fueltek FMO works as a solution for fleets that are either currently or planning to expand their operations. Choosing the right fuel management system means that you won’t have to look for replacements when your business inevitably grows, avoiding excess administration and costs.
Lack of Employee Training
There’s not much point in having a stellar fuel management system without properly trained staff to operate it. To make the most of your fuel management, fleet managers should provide regular and updated training to all of their staff. This is especially important when you are introducing a new fuel management system, as a lot of businesses don’t allow time for training in their plan, leaving things more complex than they need to be. By correctly training staff on the key operating features and processes, fleet managers can avoid accidents or wastage, ultimately lowering fuel management costs.
These are just some of the common mistakes made by fleet managers in this industry. It is an integral part of this job to be constantly learning and adapting operations to maximise business goals and meet demand. We are always available should you wish to contact us with any queries regarding fuel management software or how we can help you and your fleet.
