A new study commissioned by Mercedes-Benz Vans has revealed that the average firm loses £1,172 for every day a van is out of action, at a time when vehicle reliability is becoming increasingly critical for fleet operators.
The research, conducted by Opinium among 500 senior decision makers in UK businesses which use vans in their daily operations, also found that on average these companies have faced six and a half days of disruptions in the past 12 months.
For firms that rely on vans as core operational infrastructure – including logistics, food delivery, blue light, facilities management, construction, pharmaceutical and utilities – the study highlights how the impact of downtime quickly extends beyond the vehicle itself.
Also, 41% of business leaders said downtime causes stress among staff, 33% said it disrupts workflow and 29% said it results in employees working longer hours.
In addition, the findings show 24% of businesses have faced customer complaints, 24% also missed performance targets, while 18% worry about losing contracts.
Nearly two in ten (17%) say they experience frustrated or abusive customers, while 16% report a loss in wages.
For SMEs in particular, where fleets are often smaller and every vehicle plays a critical role, the impact of downtime can be immediate.
Simon Neill, Operations Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK said: “Our new research lays bare what happens when vans – which are often at the heart of our communities – go off the road.
“Vehicle uptime isn’t something you can park in the operations folder and forget about. It shapes productivity, customer relationships, and it lands on people first.”
