HomeTown Services, a leading cohort of 26 residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical service providers, has streamlined its fleet management with the help of Ford Pro software. Founded in 2021, HomeTown Services operates 1,500 vehicles, including Ford Transit vans, E-350 box trucks, and F-250 Super Duty trucks, which are crucial for transporting and servicing expensive home and business electrical equipment.
Managing such a diverse fleet across a large geographic area presents significant challenges, compounded by the integration of multiple brands into the relatively young company. “Our oldest brand was founded in 1961,” said Del Underwood, vice president of Purchasing and Fleet. “Even the youngest is at least 10 years old.” Historically, these brands managed their fleets using manual processes, lacking software support.
Recognizing the need for a unified and efficient system, HomeTown Services turned to Ford Pro™. The adoption and implementation of this software were guided by Ford Pro experts, resulting in a seamless transition from paper-based to digital fleet management.
Underwood highlighted the importance of flexibility in fleet expansion, noting that HomeTown purchases between two and 250 vehicles annually. To facilitate this growth, the company established a Commercial Line of Credit (CLOC) with Ford Pro FinSimple. This arrangement allows for easy addition of vehicles to the fleet, ensuring that fleet growth projections are met without delay.
Post-purchase, HomeTown uses Ford Pro Fleet Management Software to track cost-related data, vehicle maintenance history, and activity through a centralized dashboard. “The Fleet Management Software has brought a lot of organization to our business,” Underwood said, emphasizing the time saved on licensing, registering, and titling new vehicles. “The software helps us do our jobs and make money.”
Proactive vehicle maintenance is another key benefit of the Ford Pro software. By creating and tracking work orders, HomeTown ensures consistent vehicle upkeep across its diverse brands. This proactive approach is critical in minimizing downtime, which can be costly. “Whenever a service unit is down, it costs us up to $12,000 per day, while the revenue losses from a down installation unit can be as high as $22,000 per day,” Underwood explained.
Furthermore, understanding the total cost of ownership is vital for deciding when to decommission vehicles. Ford Pro Fleet Management Software consolidates financial information, aiding in these decisions. “At some point, its total cost of ownership will start to rise to a point where it makes more financial sense to bring in a new vehicle,” Underwood said.
In the dynamic commercial fleet industry, adaptability and organization are crucial. HomeTown Services demonstrates how leveraging Ford Pro solutions can simplify processes, increase uptime, and provide a comprehensive view of total cost of ownership, ensuring business success and growth.
