FleetWeek

Chrysler, GM and Audi have each announced final order cutoff dates for most of their major 2012 fleet models:

Most Chrysler models will reach order cutoff between the end of March and the end of May. 
Ordering for most GM models will close in March or April, though ordering on certain models will remain open through the end of August. 

The Audi A3, A6, A7, A8, Q7 and TT will reach final order cutoff on March 1.  The Audi Q5 will reach final order cutoff on April 1.

2012 order cutoff dates were previously announced for most Ford (cars, crossovers and SUVs), Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Subaru and Volkswagen models.

A complete list of announced order startup/cutoff dates is available here.

It is very important to note that all announced cutoff dates are tentative and subject to change, sometimes with very little notice from the manufacturers.  In addition, some manufacturers do not allow will-try opportunities for orders they receive after the cutoff date. Therefore, clients looking to acquire any models approaching cutoff are encouraged to submit orders as soon as possible.  We recommend you submit orders to Wheels at least two days prior to the cutoff date if possible, to account for processing time.

Please contact a member of your account team if you have any questions about order cutoffs, production startup dates or your vehicle selector.

As you review and update your fleet policy or encounter any other situations in which you need to distribute communications to drivers, it is essential to ensure that your message is being delivered clearly and effectively. Effective communication not only keeps drivers informed, it also helps you garner useful driver feedback that may help when making adjustments to your policy or ordering process.

Below are some tips to keep in mind for creating and distributing communications to ensure you are always delivering a clear message.  Please keep in mind that FleetView includes functionality that enables you to create and schedule automated e-mails to be sent to your drivers.  Please see this week’s “Tech Tip” for more details on how to develop Driver Communications in FleetView.

State the goal. Each communication serves a purpose, and that purpose should be obvious to the reader right away. Generally, the goal will be to distribute information or to provide a call to action for the recipient.

Less is more. Communications should be as concise as possible. Drivers on the road often do not have time to decipher long and complicated communications, and might miss key details if they are buried amongst large blocks of text.

Drive a mile in their car. As you develop the communication, try and think like the recipient. Let someone who isn't as familiar with the content read it for you and provide feedback. Did that person identify any areas as being unclear or confusing?  If so, it is possible other readers would have the same reaction, so be sure to reword or reformat those areas as necessary to make the message clearer.

Timing is everything. Even well-developed communications may generate phone calls. While the goal should be to address all key information points up front, questions should still be anticipated. Knowing this, carefully determine the best time for distributing the communication. It will be easier on the recipient and those fielding the calls if they don't hit at a peak time for the call-taker. Generally, inbound call volumes peak on Monday and Friday, so if possible, try to schedule communications for distribution during the middle of the week.

Communicate the communication. Before you distribute the communication to the drivers, send it to anyone who may be in a position to receive driver questions or comments on it. This could include internal stakeholders as well as external partners, such as Wheels, if we field your driver calls.  Ideally, you want to give these parties the opportunity to understand the nature of the communication, and ask questions or provide any feedback they may have on its content before it goes out to drivers.

We would be happy to review any fleet communications you are preparing. Please contact a member of your Wheels account team if you would like assistance.
 

Clients whose insurance policies expire March 1 are reminded to send their new certificates of insurance to the Wheels Risk Management Department as soon as possible by e-mailing them to RiskManagement@wheels.com or by faxing them to 847.627.8544 for processing. Certificates must list Wheels, Inc. and Wheels LT (and Wheels Leasing Canada Ltd. if applicable) as additional insureds.

It is important to send new certificates to Wheels in a timely fashion regardless of participation in our insurance programs, as current insurance certificates are contractually required and impact many fleet-related processes. For example, expired insurance certificates affect new vehicle deliveries, vehicle license plate renewals and state/province transfers. We encourage clients to contact their risk management department/insurance broker, if necessary, to expedite the certificate process.