The corona crisis poses challenges to all of us. Fleet managers are out of their usual comfort zone and facing issues that concern their own health and finances, those of their employees and of their company. A small survey reveals that fleet managers have taken the bull by the horns and are taking action.

One of LeasePlan's recommendations that many have followed is to extend their lease contracts. A mini survey by specialized website FLEET.be, conducted at the end of March, indicates that 46% of surveyed fleet managers are considering this. 13% are still unsure, but do not rule it out. Extending lease contracts is a measure that we at LeasePlan strongly encourage. A new vehicle delivery ties you to a lease contract for the next three or four years, and it's hard to make predictions over such a long period right now. In addition, an extension like this often leads to immediate savings. And, perhaps most importantly, it offers you the flexibility to act quickly once the economy picks up again.

Other ways to keep your employees safe and as mobile as possible are to allocate unused vehicles to employees who are entitled to a new car (if your car policy allows this) or to opt for short-term rentals in order to respond as flexibly as possible to developments in the coming months. In these cases, too, LeasePlan is happy to advise you.

Service intervals are another challenge to many fleet managers. Many employees are supposed to work from home, and non-essential travel is not permitted. This includes travel for service and repairs. These are being rescheduled to a later date on a massive scale; certainly a good strategy for non-essential matters.