Effective forklift truck fleet management is essential for limiting or even eradicating unnecessary downtime. More importantly, it can increase the longevity of your trucks and ensure the safety of operators.

What is a managed forklift fleet service?

A managed forklift fleet service is an integrated solution that involves outsourcing forklift management, maintenance, and operational oversight to a specialised provider. 

This service encompasses a comprehensive approach to managing a fleet of forklifts, including procurement, routine maintenance, repairs, and asset tracking.

Key Features of Managed Fleet Services

Managed fleet services encompass various advanced features designed to enhance operational efficiency and safety in material handling. One of the most significant features is tracking technology, which enables businesses to monitor the location and status of forklifts and other equipment in real-time. This visibility aids in optimising routes, reducing travel time, and increasing overall operational efficiency.

Managed services also often include scheduled maintenance programmes that ensure regular servicing and timely repairs. By preventing equipment breakdowns and prolonging the lifespan of forklifts, companies can minimise downtime and associated costs. As we’ll detail later, this proactive approach to maintenance is crucial for maintaining productivity in fast-paced environments.

Another vital component is data analytics, which provides businesses with insights into equipment performance and utilisation. By analysing data on operating hours, load handling, and maintenance history, businesses can make informed decisions on fleet usage, helping identify areas for improvement. This data-driven approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also informs safety measures, allowing companies to implement tailored training programmes based on real usage patterns.

Together, these features of managed fleet services create a holistic solution that not only streamlines operations but also fosters a safer work environment, ultimately contributing to a more profitable business model.

What are the Benefits of a Managed Service?

As mentioned above, there are multiple benefits of engaging a managed fleet service, but organisations mostly speak about their:

• Reduced operational costs and improved total cost of ownership (TCO)
• Enhanced safety compliance
• Improved equipment uptime

We’ll dive into greater detail about these key benefits for the rest of the article, as they tend to be the primary reasons companies choose a managed forklift fleet service to minimise the complexities of managing a diverse range of equipment. 

The Cost Implications of Managed Fleet Services

Engaging managed fleet services can significantly impact a business’s bottom line and TCO by providing long-term cost savings and enhanced efficiency. 

One of the primary financial benefits is the reduction in maintenance expenses. As mentioned, managed services typically include regular maintenance schedules which prevent costly breakdowns and extend the lifespan of your equipment. By ensuring that forklifts and other handling equipment are well-maintained, businesses can mitigate unforeseen repair costs that often arise from neglect.

Additionally, managed fleet services improve asset utilisation, allowing companies to optimise their fleets based on real-time data and usage patterns. This means you can avoid over-investing in equipment that sits idle or under-utilised. 

It's essential to consider the comprehensive nature of managed fleet services as part of the total cost of ownership. While there may be an upfront expense for outsourcing management, the return on investment typically reflects in improved productivity, reduced operational costs, and enhanced safety compliance, making managed fleet services a financially sound choice for modern businesses.

How managed forklift fleet services can improve operator safety

One of the benefits that we find especially important is the improvement of operator safety. By implementing managed services and taking complete control of your fleet, your business can effectively monitor your forklifts to reduce the risk of accidents.

With features including access control, you can provide endless reports and perform a variety of safety functions, including mandatory pre-operational checks. Gaining these insights can be invaluable for your business, as it enables you to make iterative improvements that enhance operator safety and efficiency.

You can choose either a basic operating system or a more sophisticated solution, designed specifically for TCM trucks and fitted by your local dealer. 

Shock reporting is also an important safety feature of managed services. With shock reporting, we can measure the size of an impact, when it occurred, and who was on the truck when it happened. It’s even possible to enforce a remote shutdown of the truck, if necessary.

The ability to be notified of damage remotely prevents further unnecessary damage from occurring due to unreported or late-reported incidents. 

Additionally, having greater visibility on forklift truck impacts by utilising fleet management analytics makes it easier to schedule servicing and maintenance as required. This ultimately reduces the likelihood of a truck going down and interrupting the production line.

To learn more about impact detection and how it can improve safety and efficiency in your business, speak to your local dealer today.