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Watching paint dry is the epitome of dullness. But you ignore the quality of paint on your vehicles at your cost. A well managed livery can reduce the lifetime maintenance costs of your fleet and increase the residual value of your vehicles. It also has less tangible benefits— like enhancing the image of your company and acting as a powerful advertising tool, says Mark Louch, ICI Autocolor's business manager for commercial transport.
A consistent and professionally presented fleet livery is a key part of a company's marketing.
Just look at the lengths many big companies, like Safeway and Whitbread Beer Company, go to branding their vehicles.
Whitbread's John Hazelwood sees vehicle livery as an extension of the company's brand advertising and the ideal medium to increase brand awareness.
A good livery helps convince customers and potential customers of hauliers they are operating sound and safe vehicles on the public highway. "It demonstrates that we are a sophisticated, hi-tech, efficient industry and not a bunch of roadcruising cowboys," says Wincanton's chief executive, Chaz Lawrence. "It is absolutely essential we do all we can to improve the image of our day-today operations which bring us in such close contact with the public."
The problem for fleet operators, large and small, is ensuring their fleet image looks good and stays looking good for as long as possible.
The price of getting it wrong is not only a bad image and poor public relations: it can lead to increased downtime, lost revenue, extra work, extra repaint costs and reduced residual value.
And as Louch says: "Reduced residual value is not to be understated. After five years, you could be looking at the difference between L5000 for a poorly painted and maintained tractor unit and £14,000 for a well maintained and presented vehicle that has been clearly run by a reputable, image conscious company"