Enterprise Flex-E-Rent is recruiting more than 100 new technicians and has significantly broadened its technician training programme in its work to develop the CV rental sector’s most comprehensive repair and maintenance capability.
It’s making major investments in people, training and equipment to ramp up its inhouse capabilities as OEM and dealership facilities continue to see higher vehicle off-road times (VOR) periods.
James Walker, group service maintenance and repair manager at Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, said: “Our goal is to build an exceptional technical and maintenance resource internally to provide our customers with lower off-road times and help businesses get their vehicles back as soon as possible.
“The key element is bringing in and developing the best automotive brains in the UK. Investment in people is at the core of Enterprise’s business, supported by investing heavily in our workshop infrastructure and parts supply chain.”
As a result of its investments, recent average vehicle off-road times for Enterprise Flex-E-Rent vehicles at its inhouse workshop network have fallen to around two-thirds of VOR seen for its vehicles in OEM and dealership repair facilities.
The commercial vehicle rental specialist continues to increase the number of mechanics working at its 28 depots around the UK, while its training programme now provides bespoke career planning and training for every technician. This enables them to develop their expertise across Enterprise Flex E-Rent’s complete range of vans, trucks, refrigerated vehicles and specialist vehicles – and now its fast-growing fleet of electric vans.
James Walker added: “We’re looking to recruit more great technicians to meet increasing customer demand, from entry-level apprentices to mechanics with some experience wanting to reskill. We’re expanding our rigorous training programme to help ensure they have the skills and knowledge required to work on anything from a plug-in electric van to a traffic management vehicle to a 44-tonne refrigerated HGV.”
As well as increasing its technician workforce, Enterprise Flex-E-Rent has invested more than £1m in diagnostic and workshop equipment across its depots over the past couple of years and is now certified to handle warranty repairs for Ford and Mercedes commercial vehicles.
It’s also developing capability for maintaining and repairing electric vans, with more than 500 of these vehicles now available through the Enterprise Flex-E-Rent fleet. Across its wider fleet, Enterprise has around 3,000 EVs.
