Guards pay attention to detail
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.'".UAR DS—smart. efficient, handpicked, chosen for a particular job, and at all times ready for service. I could almost be referring to the Brigade, but I am not, my remarks are directed to the fleet of cars operated by Carreras and bearing the proud name of Guards.
This unit of Carreras' car fleet totals 120, divided into two sections. There are 45 Ford Corsairs and 75 Vauxhall Victor Estate cars. These vehicles are in the medium car range and are allocated to sales supervisors or senior representatives and sales representatives, respectively. The saloon car is therefore a badge of rank being issued to senior staff. The Estate car is used in its dual-purpose role and is licensed accordingly, goods and private. These dual-purpose vehicles are required to carry display material and other advertising literature which are the tools of the representatives.
These vehicles which operate throughout the United Kingdom have been chosen by the company on the recommendation of the transport manager, Mr. Robert H. Allsopp. In making his choice, Mr. Allsopp had to take into account certain basic factors which are common to all companies operating a fleet of cars which are allocated to members of staff and thereafter are no more than numbers on a fleet list. Once the vehicles are issued from the Basildon depot they go into service and except in exceptional circumstances they do not return to the company's headquarters. The transport manager must therefore have a vehicle which will stand up to 30,000 miles of service in town and country, stop/start conditions, traffic jams, poor road surfaces and the many other hazards to which a car fleet is constantly subjected. Why then Corsairs and Victors? Mr. Allsopp believes that there is no substitute for experience. "I have chosen these vehicles," he said, "because
in my experience I have found that on th type of work they are the least troublesorr of the vehicles in their range.One mai, fault he lists with the Victor Estate car is tf column change. While a floor change can t obtained as an optional extra Mr. Allsop opts for the factory basic model. Linka.c wear and stretched linkages are a constai source of trouble, but these are his on Vauxhall complaints. The Corsair on the oth hand has proved highly satisfactory in eve
heavy run on clutches. Guards vehicles .pend a goodly portion of their time in heavy raffic conditions and I asked Mr. Allsopp f he had ever considered using automatics.
-us reply was short but practical, have no ..:lutch troubles, therefore I do not see why should indulge in the extra expense."
Another factor which is taken into account at the time of initial purchase is the decoration. As the illustrations show, both vehicles lend themselves to Guards' distinctive decor, although, obviously, this was only considered to be an additional advantage.
Tyres are giving the transport manager more than usual trouble and he is unable to pinpoint the cause. Guards have standardized on Firestone, Goodyear and Michelin and in some cases tyres are running out at 17,000 miles, whereas others have achieved twice this mileage. I suggested that on the door to door type of work on which the vehicles were engaged side-wall fracture might be the cause of the trouble. It appears however, that it is treadwear which is causing the headache. Fierce driving and braking does not account for it either, because as we shall see later Guards' vehicles are driven by men who realize the folly of this type of driving. The problem therefore has still to be solved, but Mr. Allsopp is working at it. The safety factor is at all times stressed by the transport manager and this could account in some measure for those tyre performances which fall below average. Company representatives are instructed that tyres must at all times be roadworthy and one feels that the extra caution being exercised by some representatives could well lead to tyre changes taking place prematurely so that the 17,000 miles may be misleading.
Servicing and repairs of the fleet cars are the responsibility of the driver. When a vehicle is first issued the transport manager selects asuitable local garage and arranges for the
vehicle to be serviced there in accordance with the manufacturer's specification. There are occasions when the driver has to be reminded that the vehicle is overdue for a service. This I believe is put down to the driver's enthusiasm for his prime function and is not considered to be blatant neglect. Carreras do not have a central repair depot, because as Mr. Allsopp points out, the vehicles are sold after 30,000 miles, and they're scattered throughout the country. There would therefore be little point in setting up a depot for the few vehicles based at Basildon. Each driver is responsible for reporting any known defect and provided the repairs cost does not exceed £5, he can put the repairs in hand. Where the cost is greater than £5, authority must be received from the transport manager. The permission to repair is invariably given by return but any doubts about the necessity are investigated.
The 120 fleet cars cover 3m. miles per annum and a very close check is kept on the cost per mile. This figure is taken out once each month. I had a sight of the detailed cost statement and I have summarized the performance and cost for the first three months of 1966 by classes. Table One (see page 88) shows the Vauxhall Victor Estate cars figures and Table Two the figures for the Ford Corsairs. I feel that the fuel consumption is on the high side, but when we have regard for the type of work on which the vehicles are engaged they may be considered to be average. The operating costs are extremely satisfactory and include all of those factors shown in COMMERCIAL MOTOR'S Table of Operating Costs.
Accident repair costs were not available and this I felt was rather a pity because Guards' drivers have succeeded in putting the current insurance trend into reverse. Insurance coverage is by blanket policy. Some years ago, the company's insurers came along with an offer to retain the premium at the existing level with the company carrying the first £25, or alternatively, increasing the premium. Carreras saw this as a challenge which they accepted and opted for the £25 excess. More recently, the insurance company made another approach with a similar offer but this time with an excess of £50. So successful had the first scheme been that Carreras again accepted the challenge. On July 1, 1966, their premium was reduced. In these days of rising insurance costs this was an achievement and another battle honour was added to an already formidable list. The company's accident ratio is one per 50,000 miles.
Constant reminders
This reversal of the insurance claim did not just happen. Company policy accelerated the action. All of Guards' representatives and supervisors are made acutely aware of their responsibilities in keeping down vehicle operational costs. In addition to normal sales instructions they receive constant reminders concerning their driving duties from the transport manager. Mr. Al!woo explained that the staff have certain privileges which can be suspended if they are considered to be blameworthy in an accident. These privileges include a weekly allowance of personal mileage, a car valet service at the company's expense and personal mileage in excess of the normal weekly allowance for any special function or holidays.
In this type of organization one is inc to forget that the drivers are first and fore sales representatives. They are engage the sales training officer and Carreras' r is to engage men over 21 years of age. man must hold a current driving lic( Before the period of three months' I training at the factory all new repres, tives are check-tested by the company's dr instructor, who is RAC qualified. If ther any deficiencies in the man's driving techr the transport manager arranges for a p of instruction to overcome the defects, same procedure is adopted if after ent the service of the company bad driving h develop. The instruction is carried out a man's home base on a national agree, with the British School of Motoring at a convenient to the representative. Membe of the Institute of Advanced Motoris considered to be of prime importance
the company pay the test fee. If the reprE tative passes this test, he receives a b.
payment of £15. This obviously reflects m company's accident rate and 60 per cei their staff have already been admitted to Institute. Membership of the Institute is however, a condition of service.
Each week, the supervisors and representatives complete an expenses re lid, is passed to their respective regional magers. These returns show mileage, fuel, parking and washing expenses and are ilt into a composite regional report compiled the regional manager and passed to the nsport manager. At the transport departant the information is posted to an all'bracing cost statement. Costs are compiled classes and therefore it is a simple matter extract the information applicable to any r, any group of regional cars, or any type of r. This information is available monthly. As th all systems the end product is dependent the number of stages through which the tail has to pass before completion. Records Basildon are about eight weeks in arrears, is should not be taken as a sign of efficiency. Rather did I find the reverse to the case. The delay means that the detail accurate, therefore, the operational costs in be taken as factual and remember it is pm this information that the fleet purchasing juicy is determined.
Veil-known decor
The Guards decor is well-known and isily recognized by the general public it is ilor made to fit the natural breaking lines in le vehicle construction. Both panels carry a .ilf-contained message and the breaks atween the sections do not upset the spacing. he colours are made to Guards specification id are obtainable over the entire country. Whether by design or not the decor helps ensure that drivers display courtesy and alf-discipline in all kinds of traffic conditions. uards drivers are instructed that no matter le speed limit, they must drive at not more lab 50 m.p.h. This ensures that the greatest dvantage is taken of the advertising media
and at the same time vehicles driven at this speed are normally well within the control of the driver. Decorated motor cars have frequently been the subject of discussion and in this respect Guards are no different from any others. Those men who have been used to driving their own cars in the more conservative factory colour scheme are a little apprehensive when introduced to the Guards decorated car. Apprehension and animosity where such exists aresoon overcome by the esprit-de-corps which prevails in the sales staff.
After 30,000 miles or two years, whichever comes first Guards cars are discharged from the service. They are stripped of their distinctive uniform and completely resprayed in less pretentious colours. They are then offered for sale and here I was interested in the method adopted.
Sold by tender
The vehicles could he traded in against new ones, but since Carreras enjoy a good trading discount it is considered that this would be pointless. They could be sold by public auction but experience has shown that by this method they have not been making the desired price. They are therefore sold by tender. This method of disposal can and frequently does lead to suggestions that one's friends are catered for. Carreras system leaves no room for suspicion. The transport manager or his senior assistant compile a list of likely purchasers and not always the same names appear on the list. Tenders are invited to be sent to the company's secretary whose responsibility it is to open the tender and check for accuracy in calculation. The tenders are then passed to the director of transport and supply division whose responsibility it is to make the final selection. The highest tender is not always accepted because on occasions there are tenders which are more favourable.
So the service of a Guards car ends. Having given all this trouble-free performance for 30,000 miles it leaves the hazardous life of commerce to enter the more sedate life of domestic service and to spend its declining years as a weekend family car. There is a saying "once a Guard always a Guard" and so it is at Basildon. The records of each retired vehicle are retained and used to formulate future company purchasing policy. So that even in retirement they continue to serve.