Before we share the 6 best times to install fleet graphics, you need to determine if it’s time to rebrand your fleet. If it’s time, then here are 6 ways to make the transition more efficient and cost-effective. Here are the best times to install fleet graphics.
The 6 Best Times to Install Fleet Graphics
1. Off-Season or After Hours
Taking vehicles off the road and out of service is expensive. “For many company fleets, downtime is tangible and can be translated into dollars. Downtime costs a fleet an average of $448 to $760 a day, per vehicle, and those figures add up fast.” — The true cost of vehicle downtime.
$400 to $700 is a lot of money if you’re a small operation, with a small fleet, it could be disastrous. However, imagine if you have 4,000 vehicles out one day for graphics removal and surface prep and then another for new graphics installation. Two days at the low end of $400, times two, times 4,000 fleet vehicles, is more than 3 million dollars. And in many cases, it’s more than two days.
Poor planning can lead to installers with no vehicles to install, vehicles with no installers to apply the graphics, or vehicles and installers waiting on graphics, which are certainly NOT the best times to install fleet graphics.
A TKO Graphix Case Study
A national lawn care company wanted to de-identify and rebrand over 4,000 vehicles without losing vehicle work time. They used the vehicles from 6am to 6pm daily, except Sunday. Adding to the challenge, the vehicles were in over 200 cities throughout North America. We completed the job on time, after hours, at 200 locations. Their trucks didn’t experience downtime. Here’s more on this, Case Study: Rebranding 4,000 Vehicles at 200 Locations with Zero Down Time.
So, when is your downtime or your least busy time of year? Is your business seasonal? Is there a slow time for your company? Are you closed on weekends? Do you have set daily hours? Installing fleet graphics in your off-season, after hours, or anytime the vehicles aren’t in use can save thousands of dollars in missed opportunities.
2. For a Tax Exemption
Fleet graphics, in many cases, are tax-deductible. You might want to add fleet graphics to your year-end to-do list if your business is in the position to take advantage of tax exemptions.
IRS Publication 535 Business Expenses (Chapter 11) says a vehicle wrap is likely tax-deductible as an advertising expense for a business if it clearly advertises the brand and promotes it on a vehicle associated with the company.
Disclaimer: We are not tax experts so, consult with a tax adviser for more in-depth advice. If you’d like to learn more, read this, Are Vehicle Wraps and Fleet Graphics Tax Deductible?
3. Your Branded Vehicles Aren’t Consistent
Has your brand changed over the years? Did your business update your logo, add a new tagline, or revamp your typography? If your business did any of these, did you update your vehicle graphics? Or do you have company vehicles from different eras of your brand? Newer additions to your fleet have the updated branding, but older cars and trucks are stuck in a time warp? If that’s the case, it might be time to revive your older fleet vehicles with your newer, more cohesive look.
4. You’ve Ordered New Fleet Vehicles
Do you have several new cars or trucks on order? Those new vehicles will need to receive branded vehicle graphics to match your existing graphics. What if you are replacing a large percentage of your fleet with new vehicles? Then it may also be an opportune time to rebrand your entire fleet.
5. Your Wraps are Worn and Faded
Yesterday my wife and I were parked waiting for a curbside pickup when a truck parked next to us. The truck was a local HVAC provider that we had used in the past. We no longer use the company because their service, which had been outstanding, had slipped. The condition of their truck was an indication of how far they’d slipped. The side next to us had a dent in the door that had torn the logo decal.
When we left, the truck was in front of us. It was the same on the back of the vehicle. Part of the phone number was missing, and rust was showing. It did not make a good impression about the company.
6. You’re Launching a New Product
Does your business have a significant new product launch in the works? Are you planning on promoting the launch? You might want to consider promoting the new product on your fleet vehicles. Too often, marketing campaigns don’t consider how powerful of a marketing tool vehicle graphics can be.
In a white paper shared by the ATA (American Trucking Association) Vehicle Branding: Is there Hidden Value in Your Fleet? They discovered that 75% of people developed a first impression about a company and its products from truck advertising. Furthermore, an impressive 91% of people stated that they not only noticed adverts on the side of trucks but could also remember them days later. Most importantly, however, the survey revealed that almost a third of people would base a buying decision on the impression they got from vehicle advertisements.
What Are the Best Times to Install Fleet Graphics?
So, what are the best times to install fleet graphics? It depends on your business’s needs and situation. Are you updating your brand, buying new vehicles, or launching a new product? Is your off-season close? Is it time for a tax write-off? Are your vehicle graphics in poor condition, or are there several different versions of your brand on the road? Any of these reasons could be good enough to make now your best time to rebrand your fleet.
If we can answer any questions, let us know, and if you need help with design, print, or installation, Contact Us or request a quote today!
TKO Graphix is a national fleet and vehicle graphics company helping customers since 1985. We provide full-service graphic design, digital printing, screen printing, graphics installation, and removal.
TKO Graphix is proud to be a 3M™ MCS™ Certified Warranty Manufacturer, which means our customers receive consistent, outstanding products backed by 3M’s most comprehensive warranties. We are also members of the United Application Standards Group (UASG), delivering the best installation services possible.
