The cost of ownership of fleet vehicles has a direct impact on a business’s bottom line, especially when it comes to e-commerce organisations.

By Stanley Anderson

As the fleet of vehicles in an e-commerce business is a critical component to getting business done, logistics and having the right fleet become the cornerstone of the service delivery model and business success.

The selection of the right vehicle fleet plays a vital role in the management of downtime, supplier support, and vehicle quality – all of which greatly assist the business to manage cost of ownership, optimise costs and efficiencies, and become more streamlined to offer uninterrupted excellence in service delivery.

Businesses that operate in the e-commerce sector know that when a customer purchases a product online, that they want access to it within one to two days. Online retail businesses will continue to strive to meet this expectation if they want to entice repeat purchases or be a ‘recommended’ online store.

Looking at transport and delivery as one of the major obstacles that a business may face when entering the e-commerce sector, the reliability of vehicle deliveries becomes paramount. For example, Mr D (formerly Mr Delivery) handles a multitude of food orders daily, and rapid and accurate delivery of goods is key in the e-commerce process.

E-commerce businesses should be aware of all the elements that make up the cost of ownership of the said fleet, which can be managed by everything from selecting the right vehicle fleet through to the right vehicle provider.

Businesses should select a reliable and reputable vehicle provider, as they are ultimately an extension of their own business, and an important touch point where consumers have their first direct point of contact during a transaction.

As competition in the e-commerce industry heats up – especially in areas such as clothing, home goods, and food – it will become vital to delight customers with every transaction, through timely delivery (among other things), encouraging repeat business.

While we may have a long road to go in terms of the full adoption of e-commerce, businesses that do adopt an online store must ensure to focus on how to serve customers better, by offering fast, reliable, and low-cost delivery, where it becomes important to closely manage the costs of ownership, as well as to optimise costs and efficiencies, by selecting the right fleet for your business.

The author: Stanley Anderson is the marketing director of Hyundai South Africa.