Fleet and network leadership · Work led by Luke Stephenson

Controlling a national commercial vehicle maintenance network

Senior responsibility across a mixed commercial fleet, logistics trailers, internal operations and a national network of third party repairers, with different customer promises, asset profiles and maintenance requirements.

National maintenance network coverage

Mixed commercial and specialist assets

Tiered supplier management approach

Significant maintenance budget accountability

The context

What needed to be understood.

Managing a large portfolio is not only about network coverage. Each customer, vehicle and repair still needs the right technical decision, commercial control and service response. I led regional and operational managers across a national maintenance network and connected customer requirements, job control, suppliers, cost and performance.

The challenge

The issues underneath the headline.

Different customers and specialist assets required different maintenance approaches and service commitments.
Technical decisions and escalations needed consistent control across a very large repair network.
Unnecessary labour, parts replacement and repeat work could quickly increase cost at portfolio scale.
Management needed useful performance information without losing the vehicle level history underneath it.

My response

How I brought it under control.

Introduced clearer central job allocation, review and technical escalation controls.
Led supplier agreements and performance across internal workshops, mobile teams, manufacturers, dealers and independent repairers.
Categorised suppliers by service type and placed them into Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 groups so capability, importance, risk and management effort were clear.
Implemented service level agreements that set expectations for both parties and supported longer term partnership development.
Developed dashboards, audit controls and structured supplier reviews.
Implemented national supply arrangements for tyres, windscreens and parts.
Supported technical teams to improve triage, evidence capture and first time decision quality.

The value

What the work gave the business.

Stronger connection between customer commitments, technical decisions and repair spend.

More consistent supplier and repair control across a complex national network.

Better evidence for escalation, cost challenge and performance conversations.

Supplier relationships managed around capability, performance, risk and shared expectations rather than one undifferentiated list.

An approach that could grow without losing accountability for the individual vehicle and job.

Discuss your operation with Luke Stephenson

Tell me what needs bringing under control.

I will listen to the requirement, explain how I could help and be honest about the right next step.

Email Luke Stephenson Call +44 (0) 7787 301330 WhatsApp Luke

View all case studies →