FRANK KINTUM
A tempting price can seal a fleet deal. But when vehicles break down, spare parts disappear into supply chains and deliveries grind to a halt, the savings can quickly evaporate.
The truck is in the workshop. The driver is waiting. The customer is calling.
Meanwhile, the business is paying.
For companies that depend on vehicles, few things expose the weakness of a procurement decision faster than prolonged downtime. A vehicle bought to generate revenue becomes an idle asset, swallowing money while the work it should perform remains undone.
Yet fleet purchases are frequently judged by acquisition price, financing terms, fuel consumption and specifications. All matter. But they tell only part of the ownership story.
The uncomfortable question often comes later: When this vehicle stops working, who will get it moving again. And how quickly?
When the Wheels Stop, Costs Keep Running
A delivery vehicle scheduled for several assignments breaks down. Suddenly, the company must hire replacement transport, rearrange routes, redistribute cargo or explain missed deadlines to customers.
A sales representative loses access to a company car, cutting customer visits. A service team misses appointments because its van is awaiting repairs. Another operator pays overtime to recover work delayed by an unavailable vehicle.
The workshop invoice captures only a fraction of the damage.
Lost revenue, replacement transport, disrupted schedules and strained customer relationships can turn a seemingly minor mechanical problem into a costly business interruption.
This makes after-sales support a procurement issue from the outset. Buyers must assess both the vehicle and the supplier’s ability to respond when trouble strikes.
Put Promises to the Test
“Excellent after-sales service” sounds reassuring across a showroom desk. Fleet buyers need to establish what it means in practice.
How extensive is the authorised service network? Are trained technicians available where the vehicles will operate? Which spare parts are stocked locally, and how are shortages replenished?
Can routine maintenance fit around operating schedules? Is roadside assistance available? Who handles a repair that has exceeded its promised completion date?
Where suppliers offer repair deadlines or temporary replacement vehicles, the conditions should be documented.
Verbal assurances become difficult to enforce when a vehicle is immobilised and several departments are passing responsibility around.
Location matters, too. Support that works for a fleet operating within one city may prove inadequate for vehicles travelling across several states. The service arrangement must match the routes, workload and operating hours of the business buying it.
Measure What the Fleet Actually Delivers
The procurement decision does not end when the keys change hands.
Once vehicles enter service, managers should track availability, maintenance expenditure per kilometre, average repair turnaround time, repeat faults, parts fulfilment time and unplanned days off the road.
These measures reveal whether the ownership experience matches the sales promise.
Frequent workshop visits may point to unresolved problems. Long repair delays may expose shortages of parts or technical capacity. Rising maintenance costs may justify reviewing servicing practices or planning vehicle replacement.
For larger fleets, consistent records can help identify recurring faults and schedule preventive work before disruption spreads.
Over time, this evidence gives buyers a firmer basis for choosing suppliers and negotiating future contracts.
Look Beneath the Package
Structured after-sales programmes can strengthen a vehicle’s commercial appeal.
In Nigeria, Carloha’s CarlohaCare 6-6-7 programme provides an example, offering a six-year warranty, six years of free servicing and a seven-day repair promise, subject to applicable terms and conditions.
Such commitments deserve attention from fleet buyers. Their practical value, however, depends on coverage, delivery capacity and suitability for the intended use.
What does free servicing include? Which components and consumables are excluded? Does the warranty accommodate the proposed fleet operation? Where can support be accessed?
Buyers should also establish how the repair promise operates, which circumstances affect it and what happens if the commitment cannot be met.
Management reporting deserves scrutiny as well. A provider that maintains clear service histories and supplies useful maintenance reports can help fleet managers control costs and plan ahead.
The offer must stand up to the demands of daily operation.
Buy Beyond the Price Tag
A sound fleet purchase balances acquisition cost with operational suitability, maintenance requirements, expected availability and dependable support.
After-sales capacity should therefore be assessed during supplier selection, reflected in contractual commitments where appropriate and measured throughout ownership.
The lowest quotation may deliver good value. But its true worth becomes clear only when the vehicles begin working—and when something goes wrong.
Before approving the purchase, ask what a stranded vehicle would cost the business each day. Then examine how convincingly the supplier can reduce that risk.
A fleet earns its keep on the road. Every unnecessary day in the workshop eats into the deal.
FRANK KINTUM is the Publisher/CEO of Transport Day Newspaper
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