Wise tells us the cost-of-living crisis has not only put a serious financial burden on the shoulders of consumers, but it has also put the squeeze on businesses. “The same macroeconomic trends that have dented spending power and financial stability of households have proved extremely testing for company fleets. Compounded by supply chain disruptions, the economic headwinds – from high inflation to soaring interest rates – have been considerable. Bridgestone Mobility Solutions has been committed to supporting fleets during these turbulent times.
“We have continued to develop solutions that address real-world cost challenges and have continued to help customers make the most of the rich functionality of Webfleet, Bridgestone’s flagship fleet management solution, including guidance on the use of data for benchmarking and performance improvements.
“Furthermore, at the start of the year, the company launched a 12-month cost-of-business-squeeze campaign to help fleets navigate a pathway to growth, against the backdrop of this challenging environment.
“This included a research study that set out to understand the concerns of fleet decision-makers and their business strategies. Experts from across Bridgestone Mobility Solutions offered their insights into the findings and have helped create a series of guides to highlight the opportunities for cost mitigation.”
We then talk about the main fleet growth areas of the business that Wise is most proud of. She tells us the electrification of fleet transport has continued apace, and this has been reflected in the continued development of Webfleet’s market-leading electric vehicle management toolkit. She says: “While the UK’s ban on new petrol and diesel van sales has shifted from 2030 to 2035, the urgency for the transport industry’s action against climate change remains. The extension offers fleet operators more time for transitioning to electric, but complacency is ill-advised. With 2035 just a dozen years away, businesses adopting electric fleets early will be better equipped for an inevitable electric future.
“Among the most recent advancements to help prepare for this, has been the rollout of a new EV route optimisation solution, designed to help maximise fleet productivity and minimise downtime. This has proved to be a significant innovation, allowing businesses to plan routes for drivers that take account of their battery levels, capacity, average energy consumption and charge-point locations.
“Whilst this pioneering development has had a considerable impact on EV fleet management, it is just the latest in a series of dedicated Webfleet solutions that are helping to make the running of electric car fleets more efficient.
“These include an Energy Consumption Report that details energy usage in kWh, per vehicle, per day, and a Charger Connection Insight Report that helps ensure charging occurs at the times of day when tariffs are most favourable and just before vehicles are needed for operation.
“Elsewhere, Bridgestone Mobility Solutions continues to bring practical technology solutions to market that help fleets to digitise core processes, improve efficiencies and cut costs.
“The PRO M, for example, a compact driver device, was launched to raise the bar in flexibility and convenience. Like a smartphone, it’s been designed for ease and accessibility, but like a handheld computer, it’s also been designed to carry out a wealth of essential fleet tasks.
“PRO M brings together a range of critical features in one device and follows hot on the heels of the Webfleet Work App, pre-installed on the PRO M, enabling drivers to access the Webfleet platform with nothing more than their Android mobile devices.”
When asked how Bridgestone Mobility Solutions stands out against the opposition, Wise tells me its unwavering commitment to R&D and continual innovation is unrivalled. She says: “The speed at which Webfleet is anticipating market needs and adapting its solution to meet a rapidly changing environment is seeing software innovations like no other. These directly address real-world fleet challenges.
“What’s more, the Webfleet platform and associated hardware have been future-proofed. By investing in it, businesses know they are investing in a solution that will help drive productivity gains and efficiency savings across fleets for years to come.”
“The award win is testimony to the hard work and innovation that underpins Bridgestone Mobility Solutions’ culture and values. These values will not change, and we will continue to pull out all the stops to support fleet managers by providing them with the tools that they need to run their fleets as safely, efficiently, and sustainably as possible.”
