How to choose the perfect company car for your employees

When you have the job of choosing a company car for employees, you need to take some time to make a considered decision. Not only is it a question of looking at all the financial elements, you also need to think about aspects such as comfort, safety and reliability. Obviously, certain brands have a good reputation in some areas, and some will be known for competing better in others, but in order to make the best choice you need to get a full overview of your own needs and resources.

Start-up or big business?

If you are buying for a big business, you might well be looking at adding to, or building a fleet of vehicles, rather than buying individually. In this case, things can be very different from being a start-up or entrepreneur running a small business. Obviously, a corporate or established company will have greater resources and finances at its disposal. For smaller operations, every car might best be bought on a case-by-case basis, because then it can be tailored to suit the individual employee’s exact needs.

Why buy?

Businesses need to buy company cars for many different reasons. Some companies may have workers who are constantly away from base, being on-call or travelling to and from different working locations. For others, company cars may be a reward or part of a remuneration package for employees. Whatever the reasons, a company car will always benefit employees, as it means that if they own their own vehicle, it won’t have the extra mileage and wear and tear added by extensive work use. It can also mean that public transport or expensive rail or air tickets can be avoided, which can be particularly important if your business runs on interstate lines.

How to choose the perfect car

The most important part of buying the perfect company car is working out exactly what it will be used for. If it is primarily going to be a vehicle for your employees to get around in, you need to make reliability and running costs your top concern. A car that is frequently off the road and in the shop is of no use to anyone, so picking a model from a manufacturer that has a good track record for reliability is vital. Likewise, a gas-guzzler will cost a lot to run, so making sure that any purchase is fuel-efficient is also a big consideration.

Main use

As well as simply being an extension of a personal vehicle, as in the case of an executive car, your purchase might need to take on other roles, such as making deliveries or transporting larger groups of employees. This is where SUVs or vans might actually be part of the solution. Of course, your choice will also say something about your company in terms of public perception, so you might even want to think about branding the vehicles in some way to give them greater visibility and maximize advertising opportunities.

Buy well

Once you have narrowed down your ideal company car, choosing where to buy is the final part of the puzzle. Buying from a reputable, established dealer means that you can benefit from their experience of selling to other businesses, while also being able to take advantage of their other services. Getting a good deal is also assured, as a dealership will know that return business is the basis for commercial success and so will be looking to establish you as a regular customer. One other major consideration is that a good dealership will be able to offer some great deals on pre-used cars, so you might also save money in that way.

Extra costs

Extra expenses such as gas, insurance and taxes will all need to be taken into account to make sure the company’s bottom line doesn’t take too much of a hit, whatever car you buy. However, if long journeys are part of what the car will be used for, comfort and a relaxed in-car environment need to be considered, and these can mean a little extra outlay.

Big responsibility

Buying any new or used vehicles for your business is a big responsibility because it can be among the biggest outlays a company can make. As the options on offer can be confusing, it is essential that you do some research before you make a move. You don’t really need any technical knowledge to make a good choice, as long as you arm yourself with all the information you have about your own needs and those of your employees, before you even begin to think about spending your business funds.