Jim Howard operates the official Europcar franchise for the South West peninsula at outlets based in Exeter, Plymouth and Taunton through his independent company Vehicle Save (UK) Limited. Jim also owns Vehicle Save Contract Hire & Leasing Limited an independent company based on Marsh Barton which specialises in long term vehicle contracts typically from 6 months – 4 years.
MONDAY: I drive to Exeter Head Office from my home in Torquay. After catching up on e-mails and telephone calls I sit down with the Contract Hire team for our regular review meeting. As a locally based and independent contract hire business we have the ability to give both existing and prospective customers totally unbiased advice in selecting the best and most cost effective solution in their choice of cars and vans. Today we’re discussing the results of a survey we have carried out on vehicle fleets operated by local SME’s. It’s no surprise to discover many business owners still base their vehicle buying decisions purely on the cost of purchase which is usually a false economy as they need to take into account the whole picture. This includes the value of the vehicle on disposal; fuel economy; maintenance costs; emissions levels; the consequent cost of road tax and even the tax and national insurance liabilities of both employer and the employee. What appears to be the cheapest option often proves not to be the case and a more informed buying decision can achieve savings that run into four figures over a typical three year period of ownership. As a result of our findings, Jane Knight, our contract hire General Sales Manager will concentrate on taking this message to our South West customer base. Her deputy, Andy Tomlinson will develop our niche market product of contracts for those businesses employing personnel on short term or probationary contracts of between 6-12 months.
After a working lunch I meet with Tim Burling of Lombard Finance with whom I have enjoyed an excellent working relationship extending over 16 years as we are planning to buy a further 30 vans to be operated on the daily rental fleet at our Europcar branches in Exeter, Taunton and Plymouth. We discuss and agree the terms of the funding.
Tomorrow is a meeting with Sharon Tuckwell, Europcar’s regional director in Bristol and I agree with James Eland my daily rental Operations Director and our Company Accountant Jeremy Chudley points for discussion before jumping in my 1969 E-Type Jaguar Series 2 Coupe to drive to the David Lloyd Centre for a work-out.
TUESDAY: 7.45 am I meet James and Jeremy at our Europcar rental branch on Marsh Barton before heading to Bristol for our meeting. The meeting is cordial and constructive, dealing with many aspects of the sometimes complex relationship between franchisee and franchisor. Europcar is focusing on improving the quality of customer service delivery at their branches across the UK and it’s good to know that our branches are consistently achieving a very high level of positive customer feedback. Despite the economic climate customer demand is running at an unprecedented high level. Our corporate customers, who represent 80% of transactions, are recognising the merits of short term rental as an efficient method of providing solutions for staff who have to travel. Historically our rental vehicles have been driven for an average 2000 miles per month and the uplift in demand is double edged. On the one hand, improving average utilisation levels which is good for the bottom line, and on the other increasing the mileage driven. This means our team has to be extra vigilant when carrying out usual safety checks between rentals to ensure routine tyre checks and maintenance requirements are identified and acted upon if necessary.
On our return we visit the Taunton branch to catch up with the Manager, Sean a highly motivated individual who does an excellent job of running the smallest of the three offices. Back to my desk at Exeter and at 5 pm off to David Lloyd before for an hour’s tennis before heading home and then to Ashburton Conservative Club with my partner Christine for the bi-weekly quiz night.
WEDNESDAY: Meeting with Volvo Finance to sign the paperwork for funding for 15 new Nissan Primastar vans for the daily rental fleet offered on extremely favourable terms. We are using Volvo as the funder as they have a very close working relationship with the supplying dealer which works to our benefit.
I then meet with the brokers who arrange the insurance on the daily rental fleet. We review the claims experience over the last six months and it’s good to know that these are running at a lower level than expected, which bodes well for the pending annual review of premiums.
After lunch Jeremy and I meet with Debbie Franklin, a partner and corporate tax expert with Peplows, our accountants and auditors of many years. We have an excellent working relationship and discuss company results at the mid year and associated matters arising. Then James, Jeremy and I discuss the agenda for our monthly Branch Managers’ Meeting which is held alternately at each of the three branches with tomorrow’s at Plymouth. It’s a good opportunity to get feedback from the managers and circulate the previous month’s Management Accounts for discussion. We identify what went well at each of the three locations and where improvements can be made. We express all our cost areas, many of which are variable, large or small, as a percentage of monthly turnover and against budget forecasts. The two largest elements are fleet costs and drivers’ wages; where effective hands on management at branch level makes an enormous contribution to the bottom line. The agenda features regular elements including health and safety and employment issues as well as what is topical.
An hour’s tennis session with Riccy my coach at David Lloyd follows in the early evening.
THURSDAY: Driving from home I get to the new Europcar premises in Millbay, Plymouth which was officially opened in the summer by the local Mayor and conveniently situated close to the city centre and the ferry terminal. Simon the Branch Manager gives me feedback on how the new site is operating and confirms the larger and more secure premises represent a vast improvement in the overall customer experience. At 10 am Eric the Exeter Manager and Sean from Taunton join us. The individual Manager’s input is invaluable, particularly where an initiative can be adopted at each branch. We work through the agenda incorporating a working lunch. The meeting concludes at 3 pm and I drive to Exeter for an hour at my desk. I leave a little earlier than usual to travel back to Plymouth with Christine to see a play.
FRIDAY: 8.10 am I start the day at Michelmores breakfast at Exeter Golf and Country Club which is well attended by the local business community. It’s an excellent chance to meet colleagues as well as establish new contacts. This event is particularly enjoyable as Jenny Bond; one time Royal Court reporter for the BBC delivers a humorous and interesting account of her illustrious career. It’s a lovely morning so at 10 am I head over to Exeter Airport. I’m the proud part-owner of a unique Sportavia RS180, a four-seat sport aircraft one of just 18 produced in Germany in the late 70’s and the only one on the British register and thus a bit of a rarity in UK skies. I fly down the coast over Torbay and Dartmouth and on the return trip turn up the Exe estuary before touching down again at Exeter.
After lunch a meeting with our PR consultant Glen King of many years who works very hard on our behalf to promote all our services for both contract hire and daily rentals. She raises our profile across the South West and has achieved great success. I then catch up on the tasks built up over the week before heading home for the weekend and dinner with old friends.
For further information please visit www.vehiclesave.co.uk
Photos courtesy of Mark Campbell - www.onthemarkphotography.co.uk
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