Fleets stay true to their suppliers, as long as they continue to meet their needs in pricing, parts availability and delivery speed.
More than half — 54 percent — of the respondents in the Aftermarket Business World Fleet Product Study say they never change suppliers, while 38 percent only change suppliers when necessary, results show. National parts retailers and warehouse distributors are the preferred suppliers for fleet respondents.
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Nearly half of respondents use only one supplier for their fleets while about one third or respondents use two. Three-fourths of those surveyed indicate their fleets include up to 50 vehicles, with the most common makes including Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, GMC and Toyota models.
About 20% of the fleets represented in the study say between 16-25 percent of their fleet receives service monthly, and more than half use an on-site, fleet-owned service facility to complete and service and maintenance needed.
In terms of inventory, quality, reliability and price — in that order — are the most important considerations when selecting product brands for fleet use, respondents say. And 43 percent order inventory as needed, while one third stores a one-month supply onsite.
Click here for full study results.
METHODOLOGY: The Fleet Product Study was fielded via email to readers of Aftermarket Business World who are part of a fleet. The results are intended to show general market trends, not specific industry certainties, and should be used as such.
About the Author
Krista McNamara
Krista McNamara is the former Editorial Director for the Vehicle Repair Group at Endeavor Business Media. She oversaw five brands — Motor Age, PTEN, Professional Distributor, ABRN and Aftermarket Business World. She worked in the automotive aftermarket industry for more than 15 years.