{"id":13631,"date":"2022-05-01T16:47:20","date_gmt":"2022-05-01T14:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=13631"},"modified":"2022-05-01T16:47:51","modified_gmt":"2022-05-01T14:47:51","slug":"upfits-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2022\/05\/01\/upfits-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Tips for Successful Upfits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Upfits are an important investment: A well\u2010executed upfit improves productivity, safety, ergonomics, and employee satisfaction. A poorly planned upfit can waste both your time and your money.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you ensure your upfit is a success? Adrian Steel\u2019s Adam Gregory, Sales Engineering Manager, and Katie Groves, National Fleet Sales Manager, share five tips to make the most of your upfit investment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip #1: Take a Big\u2010Picture Approach to the Order Cycle<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

When ordering and upfitting new vehicles, fleet managers have an idea of what they want and when they want it. But there are a lot of moving parts between ordering a vehicle and putting it on the road that can derail their plan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the toughest challenges fleet managers face today is creating and maintaining a realistic, comprehensive fleet plan,\u201d Groves said. \u201cIt\u2019s important for fleet managers to understand how their decisions affect their overall timeline, which ultimately impacts the delivery of their vehicles.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Each decision made \u2014 especially changes made midstream \u2014 can affect the overall timeline and delay vehicle delivery, so Groves says taking time to establish the \u201cwhat\u201d of the order can ensure the ideal \u201cwhen\u201d can be achieved.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to keep in mind that your fleet isn\u2019t the only party involved: the OEM, the upfitter, and sometimes a fleet management company all have their own set of tasks and priorities, so taking a step back and understanding all of the steps required before placing the order is critical to develop a realistic timeline.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is imperative that fleet managers have strong partners that understand the entire value stream,\u201d Groves said. \u201cAdrian Steel Company works with our fleet customers to build an annual plan one year to 18 months ahead of vehicle delivery. This approach sets the fleet order cycle up for successful implementation by ensuring the OEM, the fleet management company, the upfitter, and the customer are all on the same page.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip #2: Align Fleet and Field Needs with a Site Visit<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Just as OEMs, upfitters, and fleets all play a role in a successful upfit, oftentimes multiple stakeholders within a fleet are involved in an order. When these parties have conflicting goals, it can jeopardize an upfit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMany times, it is procurement, and not operations, that places the equipment order for the upfit to be installed in a fleet vehicle,\u201d said Adam Gregory, Sales Engineering Manager. \u201cWhile procurement negotiates the price, operations is the team that ultimately uses the vehicle equipped with the cargo management solution.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To ensure the goals of those placing the orders meet the needs of the end user, Gregory suggests those responsible for ordering see first\u2010hand how the truck or van is used and what drivers need out of the vehicle and the upfit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cParticipating in a ride along and\/or a site\/field visit will help fleet managers obtain a better understanding of what is happening in the field,\u201d Gregory said. \u201cRide alongs and site visits are a standard part of our process at Adrian Steel Company, so that we can understand our customers\u2019 business and operations needs and bring the greatest value as a strategic upfitter and supplier.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip #3: Get Help Navigating Supply Chain Challenges<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Just like everything else these days, upfits are susceptible to supply chain disruptions. Whether it\u2019s vehicle availability or unreliable delivery times, fleets need to anticipate these hiccups. Katie Groves said having a partner with the expertise to help anticipate and navigate potential disruptions can help create a realistic \u2014 but successful \u2014 timeline.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSupply chain reliability is a problem most industries are facing today,\u201d Groves said. \u201cAdrian Steel works to get in front of those issues and help fleets navigate them. As their one\u2010stop shop for the upfit solution, we articulate risk when it arises and make sound recommendations to the customer to assist with timely decision\u2010making in order to give the customer the best chance of maintaining their timeline.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip #4: Make a Plan for Onboarding and Training<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Once your new units arrive, Adam Gregory warns against sending them out to the field without proper introduction to their users.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnboarding and training are an important part of a successful upfit,\u201d he said. \u201cTechnicians need to know how to navigate their new workspace to stay safe and maximize productivity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond keeping drivers safe and making the most of their new upfits, Gregory said taking time to orient drivers with the features and benefits can help fleets retain technicians.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShowing employees that you\u2019ve invested in their comfort and safety demonstrates you care. And making it easier for them to do their jobs improves their satisfaction,\u201d Gregory said. \u201cThis ultimately results in a happier workforce, which means a more productive workforce.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip #5: Measure Past Performance to Fuel Future Success<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Measuring the success of your upfit can help you make the next one even more successful. However, it\u2019s important to do so in a consistent manner in order to work from the best data.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMeasuring the success of a fleet is a major challenge for any company,\u201d Adam Gregory said. \u201cMany companies measure success or savings year\u2010over\u2010year, but that is an incomplete picture.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gregory suggests asking the following questions to accurately measure success:<\/span><\/p>\n