Allstar ServicePoint Case Study
Who are John F Hunt?
Founded in 1982, John F Hunt are a group of 21 companies and divisions focused on the construction industry, offering everything from specialist engineering to plant hire. These businesses have a common ethos of delivering professional services on time and to budget, building strong relationships with clients, minimising potential impact on the environment, and working towards creating cleaner, sustainable energy solutions.
What is the size of the John F Hunt fleet?
The company has 400 vehicles – 100 cars, 290 vans, 10 HGVs – distributed across depots and sites throughout the UK.
How did the company handle service, maintenance and repair before adopting Allstar ServicePoint?
Hayley Barrow, Group Fleet Manager, said: “I joined John F Hunt in August 2023 and my job was a new role. Before that, fleet management functions were spread across many different people – for example, the finance director ordered vehicles. A couple of staff dealt with maintenance but it wasn’t their main job so, when I came on board, it was a case of pulling everything together. Initially, everything was managed using a spreadsheet of 400 vehicles.”
What problems did this way of working create?
Hayley said: “Fundamentally, there were no defined processes. We’d have drivers ring us up randomly in the office and say, ‘I’ve just had my service done, can you pay over the phone by card?’. We didn’t know who those garages were or what work they had carried out. I’d receive a receipt and have to push for a job card just to update our maintenance record. Sometimes, they were just small independent garages that didn’t even have an e-mail address.
“A further layer of complication was that within our group, there are a lot of internal charges. I could have someone bring me a credit card payment to reimburse, but the credit card would be from a different group company from the one they work for, and the charge itself might need to be made to a third group business. It was clear that we needed a new way of doing things.”
What solution did you adopt?
Hayley said: “After looking at the market extensively, we now use Allstar ServicePoint alongside a fleet management software system. Both were introduced slowly into the company – some drivers tested them first and as it became clear they were working well, we rolled them out to more and more drivers.
“Now, the process is that I receive a job card listing all the information needed prior to work being carried out, so I can see what is required and authorise it, rather than have someone just tell me what has been completed after the event.
“Also, I can pick and choose the work we want the garages to carry out, based on our requirements for that vehicle. Sometimes it is easier to pay a little bit more and get a job done while a vehicle is off the road to save on any additional downtime. We now have the choice and flexibility to make that decision ourselves rather than just have to pay for everything when it’s already been done.”
How is service, maintenance and repair now booked?
Hayley said: “Drivers book their own maintenance, the majority through the Allstar ServicePoint online booking portal, which is simple and easy to use, but some will call the booking hotline if they have specialist requirements or need advice on which is the best garage to use in their area.
“This process allows us to keep control of where vehicles are being sent for maintenance, as well as having full visibility of the work being undertaken at each workshop. It’s especially helpful that I can log on and see which bookings are coming up and where they are happening.”
What benefits has Allstar ServicePoint created?
Hayley said: “Having all the information needed in one place has been a game changer for us. It’s not just a matter of the control over expenditure and vehicle availability that we now enjoy, but the massive reduction in back-office administration.
“Allstar ServicePoint is also hugely useful for our finance team because it makes internal group recharges easy. When I get the invoice through, everything’s there, and I can examine the document and make the recharges needed.”
Would you recommend Allstar ServicePoint to other fleets?
“Allstar ServicePoint has worked really well for us. It’s a gem and a genuine find that has just made things so much easier. I’m sure many other fleets could benefit from using it.”
To find out more about how Allstar ServicePoint can help simplify maintenance management your business, click here.
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