How can small businesses keep people on the move but cut travel costs? Neil McCrossan, chief executive of SME business Nexus, explains the rental approach. Sales people and other customer facing staff need to stay on the road to service customers.

But keeping them on the road costs money. And in the current economic climate, those costs can be pretty heavy.

However, I believe using rental could prove immensely cost-effective for both small and medium sized businesses.

There’s no question businesses of all sizes are thinking smarter about business travel. Sensible approaches need to be taken to business meetings.

If you can conference call that’s a good solution.

But there’s nothing like a face to face meeting to make a customer feel loved. Sometimes to close a deal, resolve an issue, generate an opportunity or even just to build relationships, you cannot beat face to face meetings.

So what are the solutions to manage transport costs while keeping staff on the move?

Different ways to tackle vehicle ownership deserve serious investigation. But a business needs to have the confidence that alternatives to direct vehicle ownership won’t have a negative effect on customer service. Or cause the business Health and Saftey issues through employees using their own vehicles which may not be appropriate.

That’s why I believe that vehicle rental – not just daily rental but long-term rental – can play a highly flexible and cost-effective role in managing business travel costs.

But the key is to find a supplier who can match your businesses’s needs. Here’s our tips on what to look for when selecting a supplier.

Make the right choice for vehicle rental

Nationwide coverage. Make sure the supplier can provide cars when and where you need them – wherever staff might be in the country. That might seem an obvious requirement. But it’s important to think about the extent of coverage you might need.

Do bigger customers get served first? It is also important to make sure that your provider has sufficient supply to meet your needs. If you are a smaller company or a small user of rental, you might find you don’t have the pulling power of the bigger buyers. And this may affect your ability to get vehicles when you need them.

Vehicle choice. Different employees, fulfilling different functions, have different business car requirements. Make sure the provider you select can mix and match.

Managing your carbon footprint. If you have an eye on your carbon footprint, any provider who can give you information on CO2 emissions – even if it’s only post-rental – will help your cause.

The right price. With a bit of planning, you can give a rental provider a good idea of your requirements so that you can negotiate the best possible rate based on anticipated volume.

Further information

For more on Nexus Vehicle Rental visit www.nexusrental.co.uk