It is quite easy to cost for the purchase and running of a vehicle that is important to the profitability of your business, say as a local plumber, taxi driver or even fleets of cars driven by salesmen.  You know the initial cost, you can calculate a rough idea of depreciation and then research the maintenance costs.

However things do go wrong when the unexpected occurs, outside these calculations. It is quite surprising how many businesses, think the vehicle they use will go on forever without ant mishap. The solution is of course to ensure you have some sort of breakdown cover to help when these situations arise. For the members of the public a car breakdown is time wasted, but for a business it could mean losing a client, not delivering things on time that can have knock on effect well after the vehicle has been repaired.

It is surprising then, how many businesses do not see breakdown cover as an essential buy. We will get Jonny form the warehouse to go out and fix it, is often a reply when asked the question. I normally reply, that if Jonny has so much time free to leave his post, then why is Jonny employed at all. When you bear in mind how cheap breakdown cover is today, a years premium for one vehicle could be less than a few hours wages for Jonny, it is wonder why breakdown cover is ever even considered as non essential.
There are also the breakdowns that Jonny can’t fix, that need the tools that are only carried within a breakdown cover patrolman’s van, or the recovery of the vehicle back to base to a local garage to be repaired. Business is about doing what you do best and employing others to do what they do best.

When we try to do everything in the hope of saving money, if often turns out to be false economy. So if you are a business owner and you see your staff or even you under a van more hours than running the business and making important decisions, you may find your business will suffer.