Mercury is the leading dedicated provider of fleet management consulting services. Our focus in every project is to develop implementable, real-world solutions that produce the greatest return on our client’s investment. Some of our most common consulting projects are explained below.

BEST PRACTICES / AUDITS / BENCHMARKING

fleet management consulting companies

Best practices performance reviews are one of the most popular types of projects that we conduct. In this high-level, but comprehensive review, we evaluate current fleet practices using process mapping and gap analysis techniques aimed at first defining and then identifying strengths and weaknesses in specific functional areas. We determine how well these processes are defined and executed by assessing their soundness, consistency with industry best practices, and quantitative results in terms of costs, performance, and satisfaction levels.

  • Business Planning and Reporting
  • Customer Relationship Management
  • Financial Management
  • Fleet Service Facility Infrastructure Management
  • Fuel, Bulk
  • Fuel, Commercial Cards
  • Funding
  • License, Registration, and Titles
  • Motor Pool Management
  • Record keeping, Data Management and Management Reporting
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Safety
  • Staffing, Fleet Department and Service Technician Personnel
  • Supplier Performance Management
  • Vehicle Assignment
  • Vehicle Crash Repair and Claims Management
  • Vehicle Maintenance and Repair
  • Vehicle Remarketing
  • Vehicle Selection, Acquisition, and Replacement
  • Vehicle Utilization Management
COST OF SERVICES ANALYSIS / CHARGE-BACK RATES

fleet management consulting companies

Mercury assists fleet organizations that operate general, revolving or sinking funds and cost clearing accounts to develop budgets and charge-back rates for improved performance and competitiveness. Mercury is a strong believer that cost transparency and ownership is imperative for effective cost control. Our thinking is that you cannot effectively manage costs that you cannot see or understand and for which there is a lack of accountability.

Learn more about Mercury’s cost of service tools at https://mercury-assoc.com/resources/tools/

  • Charge-Back System Review and Rate Development
  • Review and Reengineering of Cost Charge-Back Rates
  • Internal Service Fund Audits and Replacement Reserve Funds Rightsizing
FLEET TECHNOLOGY

fleet management consulting companies

Mercury is unique among fleet management consulting firms in that its professional staff combines knowledge of day-to-day fleet management and maintenance business processes, fleet leasing company service delivery practices, and the implementation and use of fleet management information systems and associated IT solutions, such as online policy and procedure manuals, repair manuals, motor pool reservation systems, and Web-based management reports. This combination of experience and skills enables us to perform a wide array of IT projects for both fleet operators and software developers.

Our technology consulting services for fleet and fuel management operations includes systems <<see below for pop-up>>, software <<see below for pop-up>>, and computer infrastructure <<see below for pop-up>> projects.

  • Functionality, Implementation, and Utilization Assessments
  • Implementation and Integration of Systems
  • Functional specification for commercial off-the-shelf software
  • Functional “fit-gap” analyses for fleet management information systems, ERP systems, such as SAP™ and enterprise asset management systems, such as Maximo™
  • Application and database servers
  • Network and workstations
  • Design, installation, upgrading, and/or ongoing maintenance

 

We also offer consulting services for fleet software developers, including functional “fit-gap analyses and fleet market research.

FUNCTIONAL FIT-GAP ANALYSIS

  • Suitability assessments of commercial off-the-shelf software for sale to fleet operators

FLEET MARKET RESEARCH

  • Studies for software developers
  • US fleet market demographics
  • Marketing and sales strategies
FUEL TYPE FEASIBILITY / SUSTAINABILITY

fleet management consulting companies

Fuel assessment and feasibility studies are in high demand because fuel is usually second to vehicle / equipment capital cost. Many fleet organizations have a high interest in the suitability of alternative fuels and how to address or implement sustainability initiatives. Mercury conducts assessments of fuel management programs, including current and potential, as well as internal fuel practices, contracts, commercial fueling practices, use of alternative fuels, and capital improvement needs.

  • Alternative Fuels Feasibility
  • Automated Fuel Management System Administration
  • Bulk Fuel Inventory Management
  • Bulk Fuel Site Management
  • Capital Improvement Requirements
  • Contractor / Vendor Payment
  • Customer Billing
  • Customer Satisfaction Level Assessment
  • Fuel Site Location Evaluation
  • Fuel Site Sizing, Design, and Construction
  • Fuel Contract Execution and Administration
  • Fuel Facility Operation and Upkeep
  • Fuel Facility Security and Regulatory Compliance
  • Fuel Card Issuance and Control
  • Fuel Card Expenditure Authorization
OPTIMAL VEHICLE REPLACEMENT

Optimal Replacement Cycle Analysis, or simply ORCA, is Mercury’s proprietary software tool developed to conduct vehicle lifecycle cost analyses with user specific data. The tool allows us to tailor the base information to specific needs, use actual or predictive costs, and adjust variable costs in a way that directly reflects the operations at hand.

We fine-tune your input data in order to return results based on empirical data that determines when replacement would be the most beneficial to the fleet operation. ORCA also determines incremental costs of retaining vehicles for periods longer than the ideal replacement year – so it is able to adapt to real-world circumstances.

Learn more about ORCA at https://mercury-assoc.com/resources/tools/

OUTSOURCING FEASIBILITY / MANAGED COMPETITION

fleet management consulting companies

Outsourcing some or most (never all – contact us to find out why!) of a fleet operation can be a challenge. Outsourcing might bring better service, lower costs, and greater satisfaction levels; however, some fleet management functions may not be good candidates to be outsourced. Mercury strongly believes some responsibilities should never be outsourced. We have helped numerous organizations in designing, implementing, and overseeing beneficial outsourcing programs for their vehicle and equipment fleets and have helped many others empirically decide that outsourcing is not the best option for them.

POLICY AND PROCEDURE DEVELOPMENT

fleet management consulting companies

Fleet policies and procedures provide a guide for meeting organizational objectives and document the steps that employees, drivers, repair technicians, and management, are to follow when entrusted with the care of a vehicle or piece of equipment. Mercury assists fleet organizations with the development of standard operating policies, procedures, manuals, driver guidebooks, and much more. We have developed dozens of different products for a wide variety of diverse fleet operations throughout many different fleet segments.

  • Driver Eligibility
  • Driver Citations
  • Driver Motor Vehicle Record Assessment
  • Fuel and Car Washes
  • Personal Use
  • Reimbursement for Use of Personal Vehicle
  • Short-term Rentals
  • Use of Vehicle
  • Vehicle Condition, Maintenance, and Repair
  • Vehicle Crash
  • Vehicle Selection and Ordering
  • Vehicle Delivery and Acceptance
  • Vehicle Replacement
  • Vehicle Disposal / Remarketing
  • Vehicle Title and Registration
  • Vehicle Warranty
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT / MANAGEMENT

fleet management consulting companies

Mercury’s consultants have assisted many government and corporate vehicle and equipment fleet organizations in developing, launching, managing, evaluating, and finalizing requests for proposals. Because Mercury is an independent consulting firm and not an outsourcing provider, we are ideally positioned to help you attract a field of capable, motivated bidders. We offer objective and unbiased evaluations of potential outsourcing contractors’ capabilities, increasing the likelihood that the bidder is a good match for you.

  • Conduct Pre-bid Meetings
  • Develop Technical Performance Specifications for Services Procured
  • Design Price Bid Worksheets for Apples-to-Apples Comparisons
  • Develop Meaningful and Fair Proposal Scoring Methodologies
  • Secure and Evaluate Offers
  • Interview Bidding Suppliers
  • Contract Negotiation Assistance
VEHICAL REPLACEMENT PLANNING

Many fleet organizations struggle with replacing vehicles and equipment in an orderly and efficient manner. Sometimes, senior management does not appreciate the fleet’s contribution to the success of the enterprise’s overall mission and replacement decisions are based on short-term considerations. Fleet replacement costs are an easy target for budget cutting, especially in times of economic stress. Mercury consultants have been providing fleet replacement planning services to organizations for decades. We have designed programs that have brought reliability to fleet operations along with short-term fiscal stability and long-term economic value to our clients.

  • Audit of existing replacement fund for proper balance and utilization
  • Development of a fleet replacement fund
  • Development of fleet replacement cycles and scheduling services
  • Identification and analysis of alternative replacement funding sources
  • Inventory valuation
  • Lease-versus-buy analysis
  • Mileage reimbursement and user charge-back methodologies
  • Review of existing replacement plan criteria
  • Vehicle and equipment replacement planning software

 

Learn more about Mercury’s replacement plan tools at https://mercury-assoc.com/resources/tools/

CARCAP (Capital Asset Replacement Cost Analysis Program)

Mercury’s fleet replacement planning and cost analysis program projects near and long-term vehicle / equipment replacement costs, depreciation costs, residual values, funding requirements under alternative financing approaches replacement charge-back rates, and replacement reserve fund balances. The program is designed to assist organizations in determining the best way to finance the replacement of vehicles and motorized equipment, and to assist them in managing a systematic asset replacement program on an ongoing basis.

VEHICLE UTILIZATION / VEHICLE ACQUISITION METHODOLOGY (VAM)

Periodic utilization reviews and rightsizing studies often pay for themselves many times over in increased productivity and lower operating and capital costs. Mercury has performed these studies for countless organizations. Our studies have enabled clients to reduce their fleet size by as much as 20 percent while lowering their replacement costs, repair bills, and discretionary-trip expenses.

  • Database Collection of Vehicle Usage, Purpose, Mission Criticality
  • Determine How Vehicles Are Being Used
  • Identify Candidate Vehicles For Reassignment or Disposal
  • Negotiate Final Disposition of Under-utilized Vehicles

Vehicle Allocation Methodology (VAM)

VAM is a structured approach created by Mercury to assist organizations in performing a rightsizing study on their fleets with the intention of improving the quality of their fleet management and operating practices while reducing costs. This automated vehicle justification protocol analyzes utilization and mission criticality data to make preliminary recommendations for vehicle retention.

Learn more about Mercury’s replacement plan tools at https://mercury-assoc.com/resources/tools/

Proven Value and Results

Mercury delivers understandable, defensible findings and practical recommendations on managing the size, composition, and operation of your fleet. Our goal is to bring savings and productivity gains that far exceed the cost of our work.

For more information on our consulting services and business solutions, please contact us via our online form, by email at [email protected], or by phone at 301.519.0535.