Europcar Mobility Group UK has signed up BT Fleet Solutions to provide a tailor-made Service, Maintenance and Repair (SMR) service, helping to deliver a complete fleet management solution to its business customers.
The partnership gives Europcar Vans access to BT Fleet Solutions’ UK network of garages and mobile technicians. The business has more than 65 garages and 500 partner garages across the UK, supported by 840 in-house experts, giving 24-hour assistance to businesses. In addition, BT Fleet Solutions’ 52 mobile units bring added convenience, further reducing vehicle down time.
BT Fleet Solutions also has access to specialist replacement vehicles for when Europcar Vans customers’ vehicles are off the road for repairs or servicing.
Commenting on the deal, Stuart Russell, commercial vehicles sales director, Europcar Mobility Group UK, said: “In the last year or so we have seen a significant increase in the proportion of our van business on long-term rent, with the average number of days on rent up by a third year on year. We have also embraced the specialist vehicle requirements of our customers – many need specialist equipment such as shelving or beacons fitted or additional tooling which doesn’t come as standard.
“This change in demand reflects the fact that many businesses simply don’t want to commit to vehicle lease or acquisition – they want more flexibility. But they also need certainty of vehicle supply and reliability, which our long-term rental solutions address.
“With this change in our customers’ requirements, we needed a partner that could provide support for vehicles on longer-term rent. It is inevitable that vans doing more mileage are going to require more maintenance and support. But this can’t impact on the productivity of our customers’ businesses. By working with BT Fleet Solutions we can minimise fleet downtime for our customers and ourselves.”
Andrew Goodwin, sales director of BT Fleet Solutions, added: “Our extensive experience, already managing 80,000 LCVs and HGVs for many of the UK’s blue chip companies, gives us the insight to help Europcar Vans keep its fleet on the road, minimising downtime and giving their customers a service they can rely on in a competitive landscape.”
