Preparing for peak: how businesses can best prepare themselves for the upcoming peak season

As the fleet vehicle and plant hire industry gears up for the 2024 peak season, businesses face a critical period of intense demand. With demand surges inevitable, preparing for the peak season requires thorough planning, streamlined processes and the right technology to ensure efficiency and customer satisfaction. Leading vehicle and plant hire solution, Nexus has created a handy guide for businesses to prepare for and make the most of the peak period.

Vehicle condition and maintenance

For a successful peak period, ensuring vehicles are in the best possible condition is one of the most important elements. This includes checks on oil, AdBlue, coolant, screen wash, tyre pressure and thread depth prior to vehicle delivery. It is also important for all vehicles delivered to come with all copies of associated paperwork to include the last PMI, Plating Certificate, Tacho Calibration Certificate, MOT, and Tail lift service where appropriate. Supporting paperwork should also be uploaded to the relevant vehicle rental management system (in our case, Iris®).

Demand forecasting

In the run up to the peak period, conducting reviews of previous similar periods can help to anticipate demand surges. Using the insights gained, it is possible to predict stock needs and avoid issues like idle vehicles, or maintenance issues arising from lack of planning – both of which can harm business success and overall customer satisfaction. Proper forecasting can also help prevent maintenance issues by identifying high use vehicles and undertaking proactive servicing before the peak period begins.

Make the most of an agile vehicle rental management system

Scaling operations to meet the demand throughout the peak period is essential. Leverage the available technology to help improve efficiency and make the most of available analytics. With Nexus, businesses have access to Iris®. Offering real-time access to the UK’s largest vehicle supply chain, with over 500k rental vehicles available from over 300+ UK suppliers in 2,000 locations. It seamlessly and effortlessly connects businesses with vehicles, and suppliers with customers.

Prepare your employees and website

With higher volumes of rental requests, websites and staff must be prepared and optimised to handle the increased workloads. The last thing that any business would want to happen is to have the website crash during the busy period. Therefore, businesses should ensure websites and systems are able to handle increased traffic with a solid infrastructure. Employees should also be trained in advance to effectively manage the increase in demand and have the ability to provide knowledgeable and positive customer service experiences. Systems such as Iris® can manage information in one simple to use platform, streamlining processes and leading to a seamless booking experience.

Create an agile and scalable operation

Creating an agile and scalable operation is essential when preparing for peak periods. Demand surges during these times can easily overwhelm dated and static systems, leading to delays and customer dissatisfaction. An agile operation enables streamlined delivery and collection processes, as well as easy adjustments to logistics and staffing in real-time. Scalability is also critical, allowing businesses to expand or contract capacity as needed. With Nexus it is easy to acquire and return vehicles, as the technology allows teams to anticipate needs, streamline fleets and optimise vehicle numbers.

Collaborate with key partners

Collaborating with key partners such as Nexus can provide an advantage in peak periods. With Nexus, businesses have access to a larger and more flexible inventory pool, meaning they can respond swiftly to unexpected demand surges without overcommitting resources or underutilising available vehicles. Working closely with partners can also improve supply chain resilience and streamline maintenance services. By creating these types of relationships, businesses can begin to scale their operations effectively and have the competitive edge many search for.

Conclusion

The peak season can be a challenging yet brilliant opportunity for businesses in the fleet vehicle and plant hire industry. By preparing in advance, businesses can make the most of the busy period and effectively use it as a period of growth and success. By partnering with Nexus, unpredictability will feel like business as usual.