Simon Simmons, LCV Consultant for Alphabet (GB), and Rob Rudd, Head of Development for Mediafleet, got together for a chat about the benefits of the working relationship between the two organisations.
Rob Rudd: Strong working relationships between organisations bring benefits to both parties and is a key asset to any business. I think this ‘working relationship’ should have a better title that more clearly describes what it actually is – a ‘collaboration’.
Those of you that read these articles regularly will be used to me blarting on about creating ‘competitive advantage’ in order for a business to grow. But what we actually mean by this is the creation of better benefits for the customer to take advantage of – perhaps better pricing or service levels, better warranties or lead times, better support in general.
Over the past few years Alphabet and Mediafleet have operated an informal collaboration that has led to winning and the successful completion of many customer projects. I recently had the opportunity to talk to Simon Simmons about Alphabet, the relationship with Mediafleet, and the shape of things to come.
Simon: Alphabet was founded in 1997 as a division of BMW Group offering a wealth of fleet management and leasing knowledge and experience to corporates. Our comprehensive portfolio of products and services includes e-mobility consulting and funding, as well as risk management.
We are based in Farnborough, Hampshire, and we manage over 140,000 cars and light commercial vehicles in the UK. Internationally, Alphabet is ranked fourth in the European market, operating in 38 countries with a fleet in excess of 700,000 vehicles.
Rob: What is your role in Alphabet?
Simon: I am the ‘LCV Consultant’ at Alphabet.
I’ve spent most of my working life talking about vehicles; in particular commercial vehicles. I really enjoy the role, but I think that we are entering a really interesting time for the automotive market. Big changes are taking place. New legislation and vehicle regulation, advancing vehicle technology that the market is having trouble keeping pace with, and therefore a growing reliance on people like me to give the clients the right advice. And sustainability is an on-going issue that needs careful attention.
Rob: Why do you think your customers choose Alphabet over other successful UK leasing companies?
Simon: I believe it’s the approach we adopt with our clients. We offer a friendly, approachable service all backed by excellent product knowledge, strong procedural and professional processes, and the business governance and credibility you would expect from the BMW Group.
Rob: That friendly approach is interesting, as it’s the same approach we adopt at Mediafleet. It’s the legacy of once being a small family business. Our Value Proposition, for want of a better phrase, is in delivering our services via family values but now supported by 23 years of experience in delivering vehicle graphics. So, our Brand Values are of a friendly but professional family-oriented business, combined with significant competitive advantage through careful business planning. And clearly, this is what the market likes as Mediafleet now brands more LCVs than any other livery provider.
Supply chain relationships are a crucial part of that business plan. We have worked hard to develop collaborative working relationships that differentiates us from our competitors.
Rob: How and why did you decide to work with Mediafleet?
Simon: Alphabet has been involved with Mediafleet for the past 11 years, but the relationship was formalised in 2017 via formal tender led by the procurement team. It was the typical corporate process of bid response, site visits, presentations all against a score card. The decision was then made. I am happy to say we were all impressed with Mediafleet. The process was then repeated in 2021 as part of our procurement process, and once again you won the tender against strong competition.
But when you remove the ‘red tape’ and the formal processes, there’s a wish to do business with Mediafleet as the relationship offers real benefits to the customer and to Alphabet. In fact, Mediafleet is unique as far as our conversion supply partners are concerned; we have four converters for internal racking, two for drop-side and tipper, two for wheelchair access, but we only have one livery partner, which is Mediafleet.
Rob: What does Mediafleet ‘bring to the party’ that allows you to justify that single supplier approach?
Simon: The working relationship is very strong, and you bring benefits that aid our customer approach. For example, we are happy for members of the team at Mediafleet to be involved in customer meetings when trying to finalise the design. In fact, we see Mediafleet, and Barney in particular, as an extension of our own sales team. Barney is a safe pair of hands – he understands the way Alphabet works, and he knows what I expect of him and Mediafleet – and he sticks to those guidelines. You could put Barney into any customer facing situation, and they’ll love him to bits!
Rob: Another value-added service we are immensely proud of at Mediafleet is our vehicle storage and logistics hub…
Simon: At Alphabet, we use you regularly for this service. In fact, I’ve had several projects where Mediafleet has managed the build completely. Alphabet has introduced ‘build management processes’ to all of our supply chain partners because that’s the key element and at the core of any conversion programme. Regular communication occurs across a variety of channels with all supply chain partners to discuss all aspects of the build. Delivering this concise information to the customer gives them confidence and develops trust because of the transparent nature of the build programme. I’ve managed build programmes where the vehicles are delivered to you and, after livery conversion, you have transported the vehicles to the next converter in the supply chain, or directly on to the customers. This makes my life so much easier, but more importantly, the customer is impressed – and that’s what’s important.
Another example of how Mediafleet adds value to the relationship
is in the creative design service. A recent example would be
the Marlowe Environmental Services account. Alphabet were
approached for the vehicles at the same time as Marlowe were
considering a brand refresh. I showed the team at Marlowe some
examples Mediafleet’s design work for other customers, and that
triggered a conversation between James (head of design and
specification at Mediafleet) and the marketing team at Marlowe.
At this point, I am comfortable in stepping back and letting
James and Mediafleet take control. And this is where the ‘added
value’ comes in again. Some of the work that James produces is
amazing! Marlowe liked the designs and that is now the adopted
livery. It was very well received by everyone who attended the
launch event and attracted some frenzied social media activity.
Rob: This is a great example of collaborative working – companies with different skill sets coming together to add value for the customer. This goes back to how we started this article – talking about competitive advantage creation or, in other words, ‘benefit creation’ for the customer. However, this is not an easy or comfortable process. True collaboration means the sharing of sensitive information, and this can often be a stumbling block for some organisations. Openness is required at all levels across all organisations involved in the collaboration. Therefore, trust is required. Planning and business co-ordination needs to be orchestrated at management level and those new processes disseminated across the business. And of course, this takes resource so there is a significant risk element…at the end of the day, it could be unsuccessful. But, in my opinion, trust and transparency are the key factors.
Simon: That is one of the great things about working with Mediafleet – the openness that the team adopts. There are always going to be challenges that arise in any large build plan, but the thing about Barney is that he will always make me aware of the potential ‘danger points’, or call me when an issue arises. But more importantly, he will always provide the solution. Mediafleet will never just land me with a problem…there is always a solution.
Rob: Providing solutions is a key aspect of the Mediafleet business. Whether that is a solution to non-conformity or a solution to a challenging project. We will go the extra mile to ensure the client, and the supply chain is happy.
We are proud of the relationship with Alphabet. Strong relationships with supply chain partners like Alphabet are hard to acquire. Having a loyal database is essential and that loyalty is borne out of a high level of trust that develops between a supplier and a customer when agreed objectives are delivered time and time again.
Mediafleet is constantly reviewing its own internal processes, and the successes or failures. This inward reflection is sometimes a difficult and uncomfortable process because it can reveal issues in processes and procedures. But organisations that continuously use their results to review, question and improve their processes will gain a better understanding of how to develop more resilient services.
I am very pleased Alphabet is happy with our service, and we hope you will continue to be a strong advocate for the business.
Simon: I am happy to introduce our potential clients to Mediafleet for all our client branding requirements.
Rob: Changing the subject, what do you see as the key issues in the fleet market over the next few years?
Simon: The future of the automotive industry is a hot topic and a lengthy one, and I am regularly involved in such discussions as I’m a member of the BVRLA. But in brief, here are some thoughts…
I don’t think we’ll see many changes to the vehicle conversion process. Some talk has been around the centralisation of conversion by manufacturers, but in reality, due to the complexities of many conversions and the variances involved, I can’t see manufacturers wanting to get involved. They are specialists in mass production of vehicles, not creating bespoke conversions for individual customers.
Environmental issues and the green agenda will continue to be an important issue for all businesses. We should all be thinking about and delivering amended services that will help the planet…but this is a huge topic with many complex conundrums.
On that point, the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) from fossil fuelled vehicles for businesseswill continue to be problematic in some cases for fleet managers. At Alphabet, we provide help and support for companies wishing to make the change. But the fact remains that in some working environments, EVs will not ‘cut the mustard’. For example, the operating nature of large LCVs carrying big weights, such as in the utility sector for example, is such that it’s non-viable to make the change due to the frequency of charging.
Rob: For Mediafleet, the next few years will see Mediafleet continue to develop its customer support programmes to enable us to clearly differentiate ourselves in the market and continue to enable high end collaborative working with the supply chain. This longer-term strategy support for Mediafleet customers, such as Alphabet and our end users, has two important elements – firstly, Vinyl Technology Awareness.
The major vinyl manufacturers, all which Mediafleet have a strong relationship, are constantly developing new vinyl technology to aid, Durability, Ease of application, Quality of finish, Cost Reduction and Sustainability. More recently, sustainability via a more environmentally friendly vinyl and recycling process has been key in supporting customer strategies. Mediafleet recognises that customers should be aware of the impact on the environment in purchasing vehicle graphics, and the impact at the vehicle’s end of life. To that end, customers are always offered sustainable vinyl technology. Moreover, customers like Alphabet, will be kept appraised of all new environmentally friendly options that will be developed in the future.
Secondly, Marketing Awareness. Mediafleet has in-house marketing experts that enables its customers to have access to the latest trends in vehicle advertising. By understanding the customers goals, Mediafleet will help design marketing communications that will deliver real value. Alphabet has introduced Mediafleet to some strategic customers, and I am happy to say the results have always been impressive, with excellent feedback. The involvement of client marketing teams in vehicle branding will grow over the next few years and we will ensure that Mediafleet has the support infrastructure to help Alphabet and other clients with this process.
Thank you, Simon, for giving up your time for this article. I appreciate your thoughts, and kind and forthright comments.
On behalf of everyone at Mediafleet, I thank you for your support and we look forward to helping you with many projects in the future.
By the way…if anyone reading this wants to talk to you about Alphabet services, who should they call or email?
