Too Many Templates! Winnowing Vehicle Options Saves Time and Increases Safety

When process makes sense

“Process” has gotten a bad name in business, and sometimes that criticism is deserved. It can be a euphemism for bureaucratic red tape and restrictions that stand in the way of progress. But a construction materials titan faced the opposite problem when its drivers ordered new fleet vehicles. Its selector had over 100 approved vehicle templates—in other words, so little definition that it was barely templated at all—forcing the fleet manager to spend time building and modifying vehicles for the field.

Bringing order to vehicle orders

The company needed a fleet vehicle selector that organized ordering, without taking away the power of choice which is vital to driver satisfaction. Wheels had the solution: a selector that provided fewer basic templates, modifiable through options and trim-level upgrades.

Extensive onsite training at the company’s Texas headquarters familiarized company officials with the new system, and the company determined the mix of trim levels and options offered to drivers at each job level.

Measurable rewards for everyone

In just one model year, the company and Wheels slashed the number of fleet vehicle templates from over 100 to only 35. This change lifted an administrative burden from both the driver deciding which template to choose and from the company contact in charge of building the specs, saving an estimated 150 hours of administrative time. As a bonus, the new process made key safety features standard that some company vehicles had lacked before—including 4-star crash ratings, side airbags and daytime running lights—saving the drivers even more than time and money.