Fleet professionals enjoy the hospitality of Holman, while gaining insight into some of the challenges facing our industry.

After a long pandemic-induced hiatus, the annual Holman Fleet Forum (formerly known as the ARI Fleet Forum) was back at the Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont. on Sept 8. A large number of Holman clients, OEM fleet representatives and the media came out to enjoy a day of instruction and of course, a round of golf.

After a brief welcome message, Bob White, President of Holman Fleet and Mobility talked about the rebranding of ARI as Holman. “Coming together under one brand, one banner is really an opportunity for us to communicate to the market about all the competencies and capabilities we possess in all of our businesses,” he explained. “It’s also an opportunity for us to be able to leverage all the talents and experiences and skill sets that we possess throughout our organization.”

Emily Graham, Director of Sustainability at Holman spoke to the audience about the transition to an electrified fleet. “Electric vehicles are set to reshape the automotive and mobility industries, and it’s happening faster than we’ve ever expected,” she explained. “Countries worldwide have made some pretty aggressive goals, and that’s what’s fuelling our transition.”

Graham outlined a step-by-step process for fleets to integrate electric vehicles into their operations, and explained that it’s important for fleet managers to start small, learn from their experience, and then translate that new knowledge into insight that will allow them to grow their electric fleet effectively.

The supply chain

Next, Craig Pope, Manager of Client Relation at Holman took to the stage to tackle the topic that’s on everyone’s mind—the supply chain. “Lead times have increased by 50%,” he said. “We don’t feel as though that is going to come back in 2023. Labour and chip shortages are big components of that. Most experts are saying that the chip shortage will likely be corrected by the end of 2024. So when that happens, we think that that the lead times will adjust accordingly.”

While this may not be the news fleet managers want to hear, Pope explained that supply chain issues seem to be improving and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Michael Stallone, VP of Application Development at Holman talked about how Holman’s investment in technology is changing the customer experience for the better, and how the Insights app that many fleet managers and drivers use is now easier and more intuitive than ever.

“We set out to improve our service experience,” Stallone explained. “We wanted to be easier to do business with. You have less time, you have to be able to just get into our systems, use them, and get out as quickly as possible. We wanted to align to your personal experiences. Everybody has apps on their phones, and they have an expectation for how that technology is going to operate. And we wanted to make it easy and intuitive.”

The morning program concluded with a presentation by the keynote speaker, Arlene Dickinson from CBC’s Dragon’s Den. Dickinson spoke about her humble beginnings and the challenges she faced during her childhood years that shaped her and turned her into the success we have all seen on TV.

Look for full report on Holman’s Fleet Forum on Autosphere.ca.