Leadership
VehiCare was founded in 1988 as a franchise structure, primarily serving the private and commercial automotive arena. The concept was simple; offer “on-site”, mobile preventive maintenance services, eliminating the need for vehicles to be shuttled to a fixed-bay shop for routine maintenance. No more waiting in a shop office for your car to be serviced. The idea caught on and soon there were over 40 VehiCare locations nationwide.
With the financial backing and vision of its principle founders, the concept quickly evolved to encompass the medium and heavy duty commercial trucking and off-road equipment markets. The idea was unprecedented in the industry. Soon, fleet managers began to calculate the economic impact and competitive advantages of having preventive maintenance and inspection services performed at their premises during non-operating hours - days, nights, and weekends. The cost savings and improved fleet productivity made the decision to use VehiCare an easy one.
Throughout the 1990s, VehiCare sought to build on it’s business model of eliminating downtime and creating unique competitive advantages for its customers. A number of changes and improvements were made during this period. “Single-sourcing” became a buzzword and many companies began to consolidate their outsourcing requirements. Capitalizing on this opportunity, VehiCare introduced additional products and services to compliment it’s core offerings. Not only was it possible to realize the benefits of the company’s off-hour, on-site preventive maintenance services, but now VehiCare was in the repair business. Full service repair facilities were opened and local breakdown service was offered for the first time. Technician staffing was also introduced. Geared for companies, municipalities and organizations with in-house shop operations, the staffing service was the perfect tool for those facing budget constraints or labor shortages as the result of injuries, sickness, or a less than desirable labor pool.
In order to manage and deliver on its full spectrum of products and services, VehiCare acknowledged the imperative to focus on quality and standardization. A new infrastructure was created, as the VehiCare franchise was downsized and converted to a wholly owned corporation. With greater quality control capability and further economies of scale, the corporation leveraged it’s relationship with it’s suppliers to cut costs, standardize and develop marketing synergies. On the operations side, a commitment to quality emerged as customers demanded nothing short of excellence. In turn, VehiCare asked the same of it’s employees and rewarded them through improved compensation and advancement opportunities. The company recruited the best technicians in the industry, with ASE certification becoming the standard qualification factor. A comprehensive training program was developed, embracing process, quality and continued education. Management ensures the results of the program through recurring audits of completed work.
With the 21st century bringing constant change, challenges and opportunities, VehiCare finds itself up to the task and poised to strengthen it’s position in the marketplace. Ever changing technology, a shrinking qualified labor force, increased insurance and benefits costs, coupled with lower budgets and an unpredictable economy continue to spotlight VehiCare as one of the best fleet maintenance options available today.
Powered by an additional capital infusion and further consolidation, VehiCare, LLC, as it exists today, continues to invest in tooling, systems, additional products and it’s employees. With modern diagnostic equipment and a new operating system, VehiCare is able to provide customers with more services that save time and money and back it up with reporting, scheduling and a dynamic customer relationship management system. Value added services, such as fluid analysis, a nationwide breakdown service, and a privately branded fleet card, for all of your maintenance needs, including tires and fuel, have put VehiCare in a class of it’s own. A knowledgeable sales force and friendly customer service team make doing business with VehiCare not only economically prudent, but also easy and enjoyable.
With 18 locations across the country, having performed over 40,000 service inspections last year alone, VehiCare stands ready to be of service to you today and well into the future.