EDF SA, a French power generation, transmission and supply operator, started looking for a new vehicle fleet management solution to better meet its needs and to overcome the limitations of its previous software solution. Philippe Bernardeau, cross-functional Project Manager, then chose GAC Car Fleet for the A-to-Z management of the company’s vehicle fleet. He provided his feedback on the roll-out of the project.
How did you manage your fleet before installing fleet management software?
Up to now, we were using software that enabled us to manage our fleet and car-sharing operations via a single solution. However, this option only covered some of the features we were looking for and did not allow us to boost our productivity. We also had to ask an in-house employee to tweak certain elements of the solution and make up for the publisher’s shortcomings. Finally, we noted an overall dissatisfaction among both managers and drivers. We needed to replace this solution with a more suitable option.
Why did you opt for fleet management software?
We recently centralised our fleet management. We decided to opt for separate fleet management and car-sharing management software solutions. These solutions provide us with an overview of our fleet and related data.
We also aim to optimise our fleet, particularly in terms of costs, all the more so in the current context (rising fuel and raw material prices, etc.). Vehicle fleet management software such as GAC Car Fleet is a definite ally in helping us achieve this objective. This solution brings a host of features ensuring precise fleet data analysis (dashboard, driving rules, etc.). Such input helps with decision-making and allows us to achieve our objectives more quickly.
Why did you choose GAC Car Fleet to manage your vehicle fleet?
We began our search by comparing the solutions available in France. We realised that very few of them met our needs. GAC Technology and its GAC Car Fleet software stood out from the crowd on several levels:
- Proven reputation and expertise, particularly with peer companies;
- A transparent response to the call for tenders and information on their real ability to meet our expectations;
- An “off-the-shelf” solution. We preferred a comprehensive solution able to meet our need to reorganise and standardise processes, without any requirement for specific developments.
How did you go about setting up the software?
We worked closely with the GAC Technology teams when deploying GAC Car Fleet vehicle fleet management software. We have a fairly large fleet (over 8,000 vehicles) with complex specifications, which means it’ll take just over a year to fully deploy the solution. Several stages were required before the software could be made available to all stakeholders:
Stage 1: kick-off meeting
To begin with, we met the GAC Technology teams, in particular Antoine, the Key Account Project Manager assigned to us. In my opinion, having a dedicated contact is very important and was a key factor in the success of the project. The aim of these initial discussions was to take stock of our vehicle fleet and share our various needs. Listening and finding solutions were key points, both during this meeting and throughout the project. We quickly established a relationship based on trust.
Stage 2: joint workshops
Secondly, we organised joint workshops to express our expectations. Antoine suggested suitable solutions after each workshop. These workshops also provided an opportunity to discuss potential adaptations in terms of both GAC Car Fleet and the EDF teams.
Stage 3: project ambassadors
Meanwhile, we set up a new structure for our vehicle fleet management team. A new solution indeed meant new processes and a new way of working to optimise the management of our vehicle fleet. Training in the new solution was crucial at this point so we decided to appoint ambassadors for this purpose. These ambassadors represented different manager profiles within the company (customer managers, billing managers, purchasing managers, etc.) and their role included helping users get to grips with GAC Car Fleet.
Stage 4: pilot phase
The next step comprised a pilot phase during which we rolled out GAC Car Fleet with a limited number of vehicles for use by ambassadors only. The aim was to allow the ambassadors to get to grips with the solution before making it available to all users. This enabled us to make a number of adjustments, but also to work out whether the solution worked for us.
Stage 5: training all users
The rest of the teams were trained by the GAC Technology teams a few weeks before the switchover. The ambassadors also played a key role at this stage. GAC Car Fleet is now up and running for our various teams.
Are you satisfied with our partnership in this project?
We are very satisfied. The software and roll-out period met all of our expectations in full, in terms of both timing and budget. Our partnership didn’t stop there, as there are still a few stages to go, such as setting up connections with our suppliers (insurers, lease companies, fuel suppliers, etc.). As GAC Technology is already familiar with most of these stages, we are not expecting any difficulties to arise, which is a definite advantage when it comes to a quick roll-out.
Generally speaking, both our teams and GAC Technology staff have grown and made progress thanks to this partnership. On the one hand, GAC Technology suggested how we could restructure our teams to optimise our management processes. They also shared past experiences with other customers, which enabled us to take a step back and assess how we operate by comparing our approaches with those of our peers. We were also able to provide our opinions and suggestions, which ensured that the final solution and the inherent functions matched the actual situation as closely as possible.
In the end, I quickly realised that, during our discussions with GAC Technology teams, we were not working in a “traditional” supplier-customer relationship. We truly worked as partners, and this approach quickly established the mutual trust and transparency we needed to ensure the success of the project.
What benefits has the new software brought to your company?
First of all, we will be able to optimise our vehicle fleet and reap economic gains in the process. For example, thanks to GAC Car Fleet, we will be able to identify assigned vehicles that are under-used, and thus assess the benefits of assigning such a vehicle to an employee. We will also be able to convert some under-used cars into shared vehicles, as our aim is to encourage this type of vehicle use.
We have also optimised and automated our processes, which was not previously the case. This will make the day-to-day work of managers much easier.
What I can also stress is that GAC Technology’s experience and expertise in its field bring real benefits for us. Such bonuses may take the form of advice from teams, or the organisation of events with other customers (webinars, breakfasts, etc.). This is new for us. This approach brings real added value, as we can share ideas with other fleet managers facing the same issues as us on a regular basis.
Did you encounter any difficulties when launching the software?
We managed both a new structure and a solution switchover simultaneously. Despite training and the introduction of ambassadors, a period of adjustment is necessary. Having said that, users are already satisfied.
What advice would you give to a company looking to acquire a software solution?
I would recommend avoiding any custom features as far as possible. What I mean is, it’s important for companies to bear in mind that they will need to adjust their organisation when they adopt vehicle fleet software. This is not a bad thing: on the contrary, it allows companies to optimise their processes. Teams just need to adapt.
I would also mention that, for a large fleet such as ours (with over 8,000 vehicles), it can take some time to implement the software. So you need to plan ahead, because you can’t switch solutions overnight.
What are your plans and prospects for managing your vehicle fleet?
Our priority is the electrification of our vehicle fleet, with all the inherent details. For example, we will need to connect GAC Car Fleet to suppliers of vehicle charging points. And we need to make the most of the new technologies available to us, particularly telematics.
As I mentioned earlier, we also aim to reduce the number of vehicles in our fleet. We called in a GAC Technology partner, Mobility Tech Green, an engineering company specialising in car-sharing, for this purpose. Thanks to this close partnership, we have been able to adopt this approach, which has given us complete satisfaction.
Could you tell us a story about GAC Technology? Could your sum up your partnership in one sentence?
When we met the GAC Technology teams, and Sébastien (GAC Technology Sales Director for France) in particular, we shook hands as if we were almost friends. I think this is a perfect illustration of the trust and transparency that have been built up since the beginning of the project.
GAC Technology gave us reassurance, which allowed us to move forward together, and we don’t regret our decision. They were also able to meet our stringent requirements, particularly with regard to the GDPR. If we could claim the same experience with all of our partners, we would be delighted!
Photo credit: Image by user6702303 on Freepik