It’s a fair question but a tough one to answer because there are many things to compare depending on your specific needs. Whether your main PCN fleet management system is a module in your fleet management system, a Google Docs spreadsheet or you are using a full blown outsourced service, we believe that keeping your PCN management in-house will offer you a number of benefits.
Fleetworks uniquely offers a way to process tickets received from all UK issuers and some European issuers. With nearly 30 ticket types issued by approximately 700 issuers, Fleetworks offers one simple process to help users focus on fast reassignment requests.
A fleet fine handling system is essential for fleets who want to manage fines whether that means reassigning them or paying them. Such a system should have several features and capabilities to ensure that the company can manage fines and penalties effectively. Here are seven things that a fleet fine handling system should do well:
With as many as 700 issuers in the UK, anyone processing fines will need to become an expert at the requirements and processes of all those issuers. Don’t gather any more information than you really need to. This will minimise the work and reduce the chances of errors.
The system should be able to generate reports that provide information about fines and penalties. This includes reports on the number of fines incurred, the cost of fines and the types of fines incurred. Reports can be used as a risk management tool or simply to keep an eye on expected admin fee’s generated and possible debt levels.
As well as helping to create some form of digital submission that can be sent to the issuer, the system should be able to notify the relevant parties, such as the driver or the company and your accounts department. This will ensure that everyone is aware of the fine and that they can take appropriate action.
The system should be able to collect, store, and manage all the fines and penalties associated with a company's fleet of vehicles in a central location. Possible documents to store might be:
This will ensure that the company has a complete record for all the making it easier to manage and monitor them. In our article, ‘5 Common Mistakes when Fine Handling’, our number 1 point to address is to ensure that the fines are being posted to one address. From there, having a single handling method for that fine type is important to ensure that responsibility can be clearly defined.
Inevitably, a fleet will encounter situations such as a Charge Certificate, Order for Recovery, payment reminders and other debt letters. Having a robust system in place will help prevent these situations in the first place but when they do occur, a good PCN management system will help the user create a quick defence and file it with the issuer.
You might have a range of clients with different terms and conditions (such as different administration fees) and different support needs (such as their own PCN processing team working remotely and part-time). A good PCN handling system will be an extension of your service delivery system and will help your client take the right action. You might have a range of email templates that can selected by the type of client or allow for the bulk delivery of client notifications each day or week. Or finally, it might offer your client a way to review all the PCN details as recorded in your system.
Collecting an administration fee for fine handling is important for several reasons. First, managing fines and penalties can be time-consuming and costly for fleet companies. The process of collecting, reviewing, reassigning or paying fines requires significant administrative resources, including staff time and software systems. Charging an administration fee can help to cover the costs associated with managing fines. Furthermore, charging an administration can act as a disincentive for drivers to pick up tickets in the first place. This could result in better driving standards with a lower risk level.
PCN handling in a fleet environment is often made complicated by the volume of tickets, the complexity of the issuer’s portal and the ancillary work that is needed to be done. A robust fine handling system will help users to minimise the time spent on each ticket and do it in such a way that it can positively support your customer experience.
To read a case study about PCN management in a rental fleet environment then click here.
