ONE of the most problematic issues that SME small fleets face when it comes to running their company cars can very often be the management of maintenance.

Maintenance management can not only be time-consuming, it can also be difficult to budget for and as a result, can have an unexpected negative effect on cash-flow.

Many businesses have already turned to contract hire as their chosen form of funding, and in a time where we all want to fix our motoring costs, maintenance contracts are becoming increasingly popular.

For many leasing companies, maintenance contracts account for around a third of their net profit over the term of the agreement.

Due to their bulk-buy discounts, it can often seem that the customer is getting a good deal but could you manage vehicle maintenance requirements in-house and actually reduce costs?