The More Things Change...?

Hello Fleet Professionals!

I have a wonderful job that allows me to visit with many fleet professionals around the country on a regular basis. On a recent trip, and after meetings with many professionals from different types of businesses I realized that there is a common theme in fleet management and it hasn't really changed in the 25 years I've been in this business: experienced fleet managers are afraid that they will soon lose their jobs. Now I know what you're thinking. This Petersen guy has a real talent for stating the obvious, huh? Well sometimes you've got to state the obvious to figure out how to meet the challenge!

Corporations don't hesitate to hire consultants or MBA's who know absolutely nothing about their business and pay them top dollar to improve efficiencies and save time and money in their operations. Yet, when it comes to their subject matter experts, like the fleet manager, who can actually improve efficiency and save money (and does so on a daily basis), the corporation sides with the consultants. This seems even more ridiculous when you consider that fleets today are becoming increasingly regulated and that these corporations need these subject matter experts more than they ever have! And by all indications the current administration in Washington is going to continue to increase regulating our industry. That's all on top of telling the auto manufacturers how to build, sell and finance vehicles.

So what can we do to protect those fleet manager jobs? What can our associations (AFLA and NAFA) do to help? The obvious answer would seem to be to do your job well but that just isn't enough. I know of one fleet manager that lost his job many years ago because his boss decided to bring in a consultant (in this case a leasing company) and he never did consult his subject matter expert about "the efficient program" that would reduce headcount and save all sorts of money for the company. Now this fleet manager reported into human resources, but worked directly with the CFO, the Treasury Department and the heads of all the operating companies sales organizations. This fleet manager's job included analysing and reporting to all these groups regularly (even weekly in some cases) on every aspect of fleet management. Unfortunately for him, even though his boss was included (cc'd) on all these reports, the boss either didn't understand or care about anything other than headcount. So the fleet manager and his assistant were laid off. In less than six months (it was actually four) the company realized that a mistake had been made and at least needed someone in house to manage the management company. They ultimately "recreated" the position they outsourced, awarding the job to a former clerical employee who had no experience in fleet.

So what can you do? Well don't stop trying. From the story I've shared here, you can tell that if your manager, or your senior management decide that they are going to make a change to total outsourcing there's ultimately little you can do to change their mind. The one thing you can do is not make it easy for the consultants to replace you. And that is a very easy thing to do if you are already in a total outsourcing situation. Fleet management has always been defined as a field where you are a "Jack of all trades, and master of none" field. That is completely inaccurate! While it is true that fleet touches on many aspects of management, accounting, mechanical and so forth, to be truly successful you really do become masters of each - at least to some extent.

One last thought on this. Since we ultimately have so little control when management decides that subject matter experts are less important than headcount, you need to treat your professional life with a bit more respect. Keep your resume updated and get it out there. If you haven't already done so, get yourself a LinkedIn profile and work the system. If you aren't already going to NAFA and AFLA meetings you need to start! Your network is one of your greatest assets. Use it, leverage it, and who knows? Your next job just may come from it!

Keep your chin up and let me know what you think!