insi*ht The Road Ahead Just Got Easier. Quarter 1 · Mayfair for my personal car rental needs and...
Transcript of insi*ht The Road Ahead Just Got Easier. Quarter 1 · Mayfair for my personal car rental needs and...
in this issue:•• Cost•Savings•Series•Part•1:••Acquiring•Vehicles•for•a•Low•Price
•• Mayfair•Rent-A-Car•Customer•Satisfaction
•• Mayfair•Leasing•has•a•Blog
•• Depreciation•Costs•Up
•• Top•Safety•Picks•Named
•• Mayfair•Leasing•Offers•Used•Vehicles
•• Ford•Sync•Update
•• Chevrolet•Wi-Fi
New•Cost•Savings•SeriesA Resource for Managing Your Company Vehicles
Ewald•Fleet•Solutions•will•continue•to•expand•its•role•as•a•resource•to•assist•business•managers•with•managing•company•vehicles.•As•a•reader•of•the•Insight•newsletter•you•will•find•a•series•of•articles•in•the•upcoming•2010•editions•that•will•focus•on•practical•measures•that•can•save•your•company•money.•Ewald’s•suggestions•will•be•based•on•real•life•examples•that•Ewald•Fleet•Solutions•has•encountered•when•working•with•current•and•prospective•customers•over•the•years.•Articles•will•also•be•archived•on•our•website’s•newly•enhanced•resource•area•for•future•reference.
Welcome•to•the•first•article•of•our•reality•series•on•saving•your•company•money•on•vehicles.
How To Acquire a Vehicle for the Lowest Possible Price.
You•may•already•be•confident•that•you•are•a•
savvy•car•buyer.•Acquiring•vehicles•
for•a•company•is•a•very•different•ballgame.•
When•working•with•prospective•customers,•Mayfair•Leasing•encounters•quite•
a•variety•of•approaches•that•companies•employ•in•order•to•acquire•a•vehicle.•Vehicle•acquisition•is•an•area•where•Mayfair•often•has•the•ability•to•bring•the•greatest•savings•to•a•new•customer.
Start•with•a•plan.••We•often•encounter•businesses•that•make•last•minute•purchases,•pay•more•than•they•should,•or•settle•for•a•vehicle•that•doesn’t•meet•exact•requirements.•Look•ahead•6•-•12•months•to•determine•what•vehicles•in•your•fleet•should•potentially•be•replaced•based•on•mileage,•condition,•age,•and•maintenance•and•repair•expenses.•Then•factor•in•any•additional•vehicles•to•accommodate•future•growth•or•expansion•plans.•
(Continued•on•next•page)
Fuel•Prices•Rising•Again?
The•United•States•Energy•Information•Administration•forecasts•that•the•annual•average•regular-grade•retail•gasoline•price•will•increase•to•$2.84•in•2010•and•$2.97•in•2011•due•to•the•rising•average•crude•oil•price•forecast.••Pump•prices•may•exceed•$3•per•gallon•at•times•during•the•approaching•spring•and•summer.••
To•help•save•on•transporation•costs•for•your•company’s•fleet,•check•out•our•Fuel•Savings•Calculator,•you•might•be•surprised•at•the•savings•offered•by•increasing•your•vehicles’•fuel•mileage.
Visit•http://ewaldfleetsolutions.com/fleet-management/fuel-savings-calculator
A Publication of Ewald Fleet Solutions
InsIghtQuarter 1 | 2010The Road Ahead Just Got Easier.
1720•Paramount•Drive••|••Waukesha,•WI•53186••|••262-513-3300••|••www.ewaldfleetsolutions.com
Customer•Satisfaction•is•Our•#1•PriorityCustomer•satisfaction•continues•to•be•a•#1•priority•at•Mayfair•Rent-A-Car.••Read•what•some•of•our•corporate•customers•have•said,•in•their•own•words:
“Mayfair Car Rental has always been extremely accommodating to all my company’s car rental needs. They have given us excellent service and do whatever they can to make our rental experiences very pleasant. I have also used Mayfair for my personal car rental needs and they were great! I would highly recommend Mayfair to anyone that needs to have a very reliable and friendly car rental company.” - Administrative Assistant in the Food Industry
“We have been using Mayfair Rent-a-Car for the past few years with positive experiences. The employees of Mayfair are very friendly and willing to help us even when little reservation time was given. We had a need for changes to the agreement with Mayfair and Mayfair worked with us to meet the differences. Mayfair continues to serve our requests and their service is continually documented.” - Director of Plant Operations at a local University
“I would like to thank you and your staff so much for the wonderful service you provide for us. Steve, Nate and Paul are the nicest people to work with! Many times we have last minute requests for car rentals and cancellations; they are very understanding and bend over backwards for us. I would highly recommend your rental program to others.” - Receptionist at a Public Accounting Firm
Mayfair•Rent-A-Car’s•clients•are•continuing•to•save•50%,•or•more,•compared•to•reimbursement,•on•their•transportation•costs•by•using•our•Corporate•Rental•Program.••If•you•would•like•to•learn•more,•please•contact•Kyle•Teig•at•262-754-3515•or•[email protected].••We•look•forward•to•working•with•you•and•your•company.
(Continued•from•page•1)
Combine•purchases•to•secure•volume•discounts.•Laying•out•a•plan•for•vehicle•acquisitions•allows•the•customer•to•factory•order•vehicles•while•leveraging•vehicle•order•volumes•for•additional•manufacturer•discounts.•Clients•are•advised•to•centralize•vehicle•acquisitions•when•departments•or•divisions•are•acting•independently.
Explore•all•available•incentives.•Manufacturer•incentives•are•based•on•the•size•of•the•company•fleet.•It•is•important•to•review•the•fleet•programs•every•model•year.•Fleet•programs•will•detail•additional•benefits•such•as•commercial•upfitting•allowances.•Keep•in•mind•that•at•times,•retail•incentives•can•be•greater•than•fleet•incentives.•It•pays•to•be•an•informed•buyer.
Work•with•the•fleet•or•commercial•department•at•the•dealership.•Vehicles•should•always•be•acquired•from•a•fleet•department•at•the•dealership.•The•salesman•that•specializes•in•retail•sales•may•not•have•the•experience•or•knowledge•with•acquiring•company•fleet•vehicles.•Staying•abreast•with•commercial•vehicle•specs•and•incentives•is•a•job•best•left•to•a•commercial•sales•department•and•is•often•operated•separately•from•the•retail•sales•department•at•a•dealership.
Compare•competitive•makes.•Businesses•often•default•to•acquiring•the•same•vehicle•make•year•after•year;•a•common•result•of•rushing•to•replace•a•vehicle•due•to•a•lack•of•planning.•Vehicles•vary•in•how•well•they•hold•their•value,•so•it’s•important•to•compare•residual•value•performance.•An•opportunity•for•additional•savings•could•be•missed•by•not•researching•other•vehicle•brands.•
Mayfair•Leasing•applies•all•of•these•disciplines•when•managing•our•customer’s•vehicle•fleets.•Businesses•could•potentially•spend•several•thousand•dollars•more•per•vehicle•without•a•well•managed•program.•
Check•out•our•Blog!
Ewald•Fleet•Solutions•now•provides•another•resource•for•people•that•are•responsible•for•managing•company•vehicles.••The•new•blog•will•host•discussions•on•best•practice•tips•and•recommendations•for•fleet•management.••You•will•find•a•posts•covering•a•variety•of•fleet•management•
topics•including;•acquiring•vehicles,•maintenance,•vehicle•remarketing,•and•other•fleet•management•
subjects.••
Check•it•out•and•get•in•on•the•discussion!••Visit•http://ewaldfleetsolutions.com/resources/helpful-articles
Your opinion is important to us!You•can•tell•us•about•your•rental•
experience•by•completing•our•online•survey•available•by•visiting
www.mayfairrentacar.com/survey.php
Depreciation•Costs•Up•in•Most•Vehicle•Segments•Changes•in•the•largest•fleet•expense,•vehicle•depreciation,•impacts•fleets•in•a•big•way.•In•2009,•many•fleets•extended•replacement•cycles•due•to•the•impact•of•the•economic•downturn,•which•contributed•to•higher•depreciation•costs.
The•average•depreciation•in•2009•was•up•from•2007•and•2008•in•all•vehicle•segments•-•with•the•exception•of•the•minivan•segment,•which•actually•saw•a•decrease•in•effective•depreciation•from•2.22•percent•in•2008•to•1.93•percent•in•2009,•according•to•a•recent•survey•conducted•by•Fleet•Financials•magazine.
Fleet•Financials•went•on•to•report•that•the•average•effective•depreciation•in•2009•was•up•from•2007•and•2008•due•to•higher•capitalized•vehicle•costs•in•2009.•By•class,•compact•and•mid-size•cars•remained•fairly•even•while•larger•cars,•trucks,•and•vans•showed•an•increase•in•depreciation•percentage•in•2008.•Intermediate•cars•saw•a•return•to•2007•levels•for•effective•depreciation•performance.•The•minivan•segment•was•the•only•segment•that•experienced•a•decrease•in•effective•depreciation.
While•absolute•dollar•amounts•of•effective•monthly•depreciation•have•been•on•the•rise•for•the•light-truck•segment,•effective•depreciation•rates•for•2009•remained•consistent•with•2007•levels.•However,•the•light-truck•segment•had•slow•but•steady•depreciation•improvement•throughout•2009,•peaking•in•August
The•full-size•van•segment•underwent•the•most•significant•shifts•in•depreciation•costs,•as•well•as•replacement•strategies,•since•2007.•Truck•fleets•have•clearly•implemented•cycle•extension•strategies•to•help•manage•their•depreciation•costs.•But•extending•replacement•cycles•come•at•a•cost•that•must•be•factored•into•the•decision.•Holding•onto•an•aging•inventory•of•fleet•vehicles•will•result•in•higher•maintenance•costs,•more•downtime,•and•older•model-year•vehicles•that•have•a•less•desirable•fuel•economy•than•newer•vehicle•models.
The Road Ahead Just Got Easier.
•www.ewaldfleetsolutions.com
Buick•LaCrosse•&•Chevy•Malibu•Named•Top•Safety•Picks•The•all-new•Buick•LaCrosse•and•the•Chevrolet•Malibu•were•among•the•recipients•of•this•year’s•Top•Safety•Picks•from•the•Insurance•Institute•for•Highway•Safety.
The•Top•Safety•Pick•for•LaCrosse•and•Malibu•are•significant•because•their•principal•competitors•from•Lexus,•Acura,•Toyota,•and•Honda•respectively•were•dropped•from•the•list,•which•for•the•first•time•required•a•“good”•rating•in•a•roof•strength•test.•This•test•is•a•measure•to•help•determine•protection•in•rollover•crashes.
In•the•roof•strength•test,•a•metal•plate•is•pushed•against•one•side•of•a•roof•at•a•constant•speed.•To•earn•a•good•rating•for•rollover•protection,•the•roof•must•withstand•a•force•of•four•times•the•vehicle’s•weight•before•reaching•five•inches•of•crush.•This•is•called•a•strength-to-weight•ratio.
Achieving•a•“good”•rating•in•front•and•side•crash•tests•and•rear•impact•as•well•as•electronic•stability•control•were•the•other•criteria•used•to•select•the•27•vehicles•that•received•Top•Safety•Pick•for•2010•compared•with•94•in•2009.•
Looking•for•a•Used•Vehicle?
You•already•know•that•Ewald•Fleet•Solutions•offers•a•vehicle•management•program,•but•did•you•know•that•we•also•offer•a•fine•selection•of•used•vehicles?••Our•inventory•changes•frequently•and•features•cars,•trucks,•and•vans.••If•you•don’t•see•what•you•are•looking•for•in•the•current•inventory,•call•us!•We•have•access•to•many•more•and•can•locate•the•exact•vehicle•you•are•looking•for.
Mayfair’s•experienced••sales•team•is•ready•to•make•the•purchase•or•lease•of•your•next•vehicle•a•pleasant•experience.••Dave•Goetz•offers•28•years•of•experience•in•automobile•finance,•and•vehicle•sales•and•leasing.•
Our•inventory•is•available•online•at••www.ewaldfleetsolutions.com/used-vehicles•by•navigating•to•the•Vehicle•Sales•Page,•and•clicking•through•to•view•our•online•inventory.
Goetz
Ford•to•upgrade•Sync•systemFord•Motor•Co.•unveiled•the•latest•version•of•Sync.•The•system•includes•a•new•feature•that•will•allow•the•system•to•work•with•virtually•any•application•on•a•motorist’s•cell•phone•or•music•player.•
That•means•drivers•will•be•able•to•stream•music•from•an••Internet•radio•service•through•their•car’s•stereo•or•have•Sync•read•incoming•messages•from•their•friends•on•Twitter.•They•will•be•able•to•manage•these•applications•using•Sync’s•voice•controls•or•listen•to•information•using•its•text-to-speech•system.•And•they•will•be•able•to•use•the•many•location-specific•applications•that•provide•information•about•nearby•businesses•and•attractions.•
The•new•feature,•known•internally•as•“mobile•apps,”•will•be•available•in•select•2011•models,•but•existing•Sync•customers•will•be•able•to•download•the•upgrade•and•install•it•in•their•vehicle.•
BETWEEN•THE•LINES
Wireless•Internet•Available•for•Chevrolet•ModelsA•new•dealer-installed•system•is•now•available•for•several•Chevrolet•models,•enabling•full•Internet•access•inside•the•vehicle•-•and•up•to•a•150•feet•radius•around•the•vehicle•-•with•a•laptop•or•mobile•Wi-Fi•device.
Chevrolet•Wi-Fi•by•Autonet•Mobile•is•certified•to•work•with•the•new•Chevrolet•models:•Equinox,•Traverse,•Silverado,•Tahoe,•Suburban,•Avalanche,•Express
For•fleets•on•the•go,•the•Chevrolet•Wi-Fi•connection•offers•increased•efficiency•with•immediate•Web•access.•When•used•with•a•laptop•computer,•the•information•comes•in•a•larger,•easier•to•navigate•format•than•the•small•displays•of•cell•phones.
1720•Paramount•Dr•••I•••Waukesha,•WI•53186
InsIghtInsIght
The Insight newsletter is published by Ewald Fleet Solutions as a source of information for clients and business associates. The information provided here is of a general nature and is not intended to address specific circumstances of any individual or entity. The services of a professional should be obtained before implementing specific ideas. Ewald Fleet Solutions offers products and services through various affiliates of Ewald Holdings, Inc., including Mayfair Leasing, LLC, Mayfair Rent-A-Car, LLC, Ewald Chevrolet Buick, LLC, Ewald Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, LLC, Ewald Motors of Oconomowoc, LLC, Ewald’s Harford Ford, LLC, and Ewald’s Venus Ford, LLC.
1720•Paramount•Drive••|••Waukesha,•WI•53186••|••262-513-3300••|••www.ewaldfleetsolutions.com