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Fleet Management

Key things to consider when building a fleet business case

There’s no question that a business fleet is a significant investment for a company. 

A clear business case (whether you’re championing a transition to electric, or investment in fleet infrastructure, or something else) can help you secure approval for the budget or resource you need from senior stakeholders.

 

If you’re in the process of building your case, or yet to start, here are the key factors to consider.

What makes a strong business case?

Write for your audience

Knowing who will be responsible for reviewing your case (e.g. a Sustainability Manager vs a Chief Financial Officer vs a Chief Executive or Managing Director) will allow you to focus on what is most likely to engage them and ultimately gain their approval.

Connect to the wider business strategy

Alignment to your wider business strategy or objectives will help your key stakeholders to view your case as a priority rather than a ‘nice-to-have’.

Do your research

A business case should involve a thorough assessment of the options open to you. Make sure you devote the time required to research the opportunities, options, and potential risks so that you are prepared should a question arise.

Keep it focused

Your audience is likely to include senior stakeholders, whose time is at a premium. A clear structure and concise argument is vital to keep them on side.

Show the Return on Investment (ROI)

Generating greater profits might not be the only reason for investment (e.g. if you’re asking for investment to meet sustainability goals), but it’s always an important consideration for budget-holders.

Before you start writing...

Different companies have different approaches to decision-making, so before you invest significant time, check whether there is a framework, template, or process already in place for you to follow.

 

For example, if you are in a Public Sector organisation you may need to follow the ‘5 Case Model’ methodology.

This first step involves demonstrating the business opportunity and clearly defining how your proposal supports one or more of your company’s strategic objectives.

 

You might then present this to a potential project ‘sponsor’ (a senior stakeholder who will help support your case to other decision-makers) for approval before moving on to building the detailed case.

What should be covered in your fleet business case?

How much detail you go into, both in researching and building the business case depends on the level of investment (both financial and in terms of resources) required. In general, the following sections should be covered:

1.

Executive summary

2.

Background information/context

3.

Vision and objectives (incl. how this supports the business strategy)

4.

Benefits and limitations

5.

Option identification and selection (what other options are there, and on what grounds have you identified this as the best one?)

6.

Scope, impact, dependencies (what will be covered? which parts of the business will be affected? what else is needed for it to work?)

7.

Investment required and likely return on investment (profit/savings generated)

8.

Risks/sensitivity analysis (e.g. what is the impact if petrol pump prices rise by X% vs Y% vs Z%)

9.

Outline plan to deliver (including who, what, how, when)

10.

Key Performance Indicators

11.

Reporting (what, how often, to whom)

12.

Appendix

Get in touch with our expert team to book a consultation and see how we can help you make the case for investment.

Whether you’re making the case for fleet electrification, outsourced fleet management, shifting funding solutions or something else entirely, we’ve been helping fleets of all sizes with every conceivable challenge for decades.

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