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KEY TO SUCCESS

Company: Arizona Color    

Project: Fleet Graphics    

Key to success: There are many differences to taking an order for fleet graphics and one-off wraps. Understanding these differences can make your sales, printing and installation go more smoothly. 

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You have all seen the statistics from the American Trucking Association and Arbitron. They are posted on almost every wrap website out there. Vehicle wraps get 30,000 to 70,000 impressions daily, and 98 percent of people surveyed said fleet graphics created a positive image for the company. 

 

Vehicle wraps are a great way for businesses to grab some exposure and increase awareness of a brand, product or service. Now, imagine the impact a company could have in a city or area if they had an inventory of commercial automobiles on their asset list all similarly wrapped. The impact a company can have in their area of business can be astronomical.

 

Wrapping for fleets can be very lucrative and bring a lot of attention to your company, but many things can go wrong along the way. Before you go after these jobs, there are a few things you should consider.

Understand that clients expect a better deal when they want multiple vehicles wrapped. Your competitors will be quoting at lower margins, and in order to get the job, you may need to as well. In order to keep your margins intact, knowing a few simple things before taking on these larger clients can help keep your profitability where it belongs.

 

• Every mistake you make will affect your bottom line. And with less wiggle room, you better be spot on.

 

• Warranties play a big role in wrapping fleets. Don’t get yourself into a bind by offering more than you can deliver. Most fleet customers are spending a lot of money on their project and they will hold you to whatever you promise. Be sure you take this into account when pricing the fleet. 

 

• Fleet customers are looking for a partner, someone who can support them throughout the wrap process and in the years that follow. Have what you are willing to do and not do in writing; you don’t want any surprises a year after you wrapped the fleet.

 

• When going after fleet clients, you need to understand time is money; and every hour their vehicle is in your shop, it’s not earning any money. Whether it is a taxi fleet or a pest control fleet, if the vehicle is sitting it is not earning and you need to be very aware of this. 

 

• Be sure before taking on any fleet client you can meet their schedule and have an agreement in place so that both you and your client have a clear understanding of what is expected. This agreement should have a delivery schedule as to protect you from a last minute “no show” from your client and keep your installers accountable to the client’s needs for delivery. This schedule should take into account all your other clients’ needs as well. Fleet clients expect that extra level of service, and when meeting some of their special needs you don’t want to be disappointing other customers.

 

• Before printing, get a good look at the fleet. Even fleets of the same make, model, and year can have differences. Trim packages and aftermarket accessories can affect what you print and how it’s installed. Older vehicles may have dents, dings, or rust that will need to be addressed, and knowing this in advance will save you some headaches and help keep your tighter margins intact. 

 

• Knowing the fleet will also help when designing. The object of any good fleet design is consistency; each vehicle should look similar no matter what body style or manufacturer. The message needs to be instantly recognizable to the consumer to garner the greatest results for your client. Some consumers will come to know them by these wraps and they can be a cornerstone to their marketing efforts. When pricing your fleet, take into account time for design modifications. Your design will have to be modified for each different vehicle in the fleet, so be sure to include time for this. 

 

• Some fleets may have vehicles in other states that also will need wrapped. The key here is to get good photographs of the actual vehicles so you can look for the things I discussed. Have a professional installer in those areas complete your installs. Seek this person out when quoting so you can be sure of pricing and timelines. Do not cut corners here as you relinquish control of the installation quality on these vehicles. This can be a weak link and affect the remainder of the job. Always ask for references or play it safe by using a shop or installer that has been certified through a reputable industry association like the UASG. Be sure you have discussed all the details of the project with this person and make sure they understand the exact timelines you and your client expect.

 

• Planning is key for a fleet to be wrapped without a hitch. You need a crystal ball to catch everything or learn it through the school of hard knocks, so be sure you are prepared financially and have the proper staff before taking on these complex jobs. The payoff can be great, but for the unprepared it can really sting you. It is important that before you make the decision to jump into this arena you know what you are doing. Don’t be attracted to the dollars only to disappoint the customer part way into the project. I have seen this happen many times, and all you do is give a potentially great client a bad taste for wraps and hurt the industry as a whole.

 

Wrapping a fleet of vehicles can be both rewarding and a game changer for your business if done correctly. The repeat business that can be generated is amazing. You will have a customer that will be adding vehicles over the years, you will be printing and installing panels for vehicles that are involved in accidents, not to mention all the banners, trade-show displays and more you will be printing over the years. There is nothing like a fleet customer for your portfolio. Your small business prospects have probably seen your clients’ fleet rolling around town, so your work should be recognizable to them.