Some 55 percent of fleet managers prefer to buy parts from national parts retailers and 30 percent prefer to buy from warehouse distributors, according to the 2015 Aftermarket Business World Fleet Product Study.
Dealerships and OEM manufacturers were a distant third and fourth at 6 percent and 5 percent respectively.
The top characteristics that fleet managers look for in suppliers are parts availability, fast delivery, price and customer service, in that order. The next tier of the most important supplier characteristics included good relationship, carries specific brands and return policy.
When it comes to why fleet mangers buy certain products, the most important characteristics are quality 33percent, reliability 18 percent, brand name 13 percent and price 12 percent.
After suppliers acquire fleet managers’ business, they are in a strong position to keep it as only 17 percent of respondents said they are open to switching to a new supplier. Forty-eight percent of those managers who are open to switching suppliers said they prefer to be contacted by email, while 26 percent said phone and 13 percent by a personal visit.
Fleet managers prefer to keep thin product overheads as 72 percent said they order parts as needed, while 18 percent said they keep a one-month supply of products, and 8 percent keep a three-month supply. Click here to see the entire study.
The Fleet Product Study was fielded via email to readers of Aftermarket Business World who are part of a fleet. The results are intended to show general market trends, not statistical certainties.
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