Why Dealership Fleet Departments Can’t Sit in the Corner Anymore
The Traditional Dealership Model Is Still Inbound-First
Most dealerships are split into two clear functions: retail and fleet. Operationally, this makes sense. Strategically, both functions still behave the same way. They wait.
Outbound relationship development is often seen as old-school, inefficient, or too hard to prioritise against day-to-day delivery pressures. As a result, activity spikes when demand arrives and slows when it doesn’t.
This creates volatility, not momentum.
Fleet Often Sits on the Sidelines
In many dealerships, Fleet Managers are positioned away from the front-end growth engine of the business. Marketing spend is focused on retail. Sales training is prioritised for showroom teams. Fleet success is usually measured through a narrow volume-versus-gross lens.
The outcome is predictable:
Fleet Managers are under-supported
Outbound engagement is inconsistent
Relationships depend on individual effort rather than strategy
There is little clarity on how the role should evolve
Some Fleet Managers succeed despite this. Others struggle because of it.
That difference is rarely capability.
It’s design.
Why This Would Be Unthinkable Anywhere Else
In most businesses, relationship-led roles are protected so they can stay visible, consistent, and front of mind.
Imagine asking a finance lender BDM to visit dealerships, build relationships, collect applications…
then rush back to head office to personally process credit, manage settlements, and resolve post-approval issues.
Or a commercial agent lining up tenant meetings, only to cancel them because they’re drafting leases and coordinating fit-outs.
Or a head chef responsible for growth and quality, but constantly pulled away to unload deliveries and wash dishes.
In every case, the outcome is the same.
Momentum dies.
Relationships weaken.
Growth stalls.
Not because the people aren’t capable, but because the role is overloaded.
That’s the reality many Fleet Managers operate in today.
Inbound vs Outbound: What the Patterns Are Telling Us
Across B2B industries, the data is clear. Organisations that rely solely on inbound activity consistently underperform those that invest in proactive, relationship-led engagement.
Industry research shows that businesses with structured outbound relationship management achieve 20–30 percent higher growth than inbound-only models. In complex sales environments, the majority of long-term revenue comes from existing relationships, not one-off transactions.
Automotive has traditionally leaned heavily on inbound behaviour, but the patterns we observe daily suggest the same dynamics apply here.
At Book A Test Drive, the dealer partners who:
Proactively share stock lists
Regularly check in
Stay present even when no deal is on the table
are consistently the partners with the strongest relationships, the smoothest transactions, and the happiest customers.
This isn’t coincidence.
It’s intent.
Why the Fleet Manager Role Looks More Like a BDM Than a Sales Rep
Dealer Principals don’t need an explanation of what a BDM does. They see them every day.
BDMs:
Reach out constantly
Book appointments
Drop into offices
Check in even when there’s no immediate opportunity
Stay front of mind with partners, SMEs, and referrers
They’re visible.
They’re remembered.
They have the receipts.
That’s the story.
Now ask a simple question.
When a broker, SME, or partner thinks about sourcing a vehicle, who comes to mind first?
Is it one of your Fleet Managers?
Or is it whoever last showed up?
Where Fleet Falls Behind (And It’s Not Their Fault)
Fleet Managers are often just as capable as BDMs. The difference isn’t talent. It’s interruption.
Fleet Managers are regularly pulled into:
Delivery coordination
Issue resolution
Pricing complications
Internal handovers
Every interruption breaks rhythm.
Outbound pauses.
Check-ins stop.
Presence fades.
Over time, relationships become reactive instead of cultivated.
What BDMs Get Right
BDMs don’t stop being visible because a product is being delivered. Their cadence continues because the business is structured to support it.
They are not responsible for managing every downstream issue. They are supported by teams that allow them to stay focused on what matters most: remaining front of mind.
That operating rhythm is deliberate.
And it works.
A Quick Check for Dealer Principals
This isn’t a test. It’s a mirror.
Do your Fleet Managers have protected time for outbound engagement?
Are they expected to maintain cadence regardless of delivery pressure?
Are relationships farmed consistently or only revisited when stock is available?
If your strongest Fleet Manager left tomorrow, would the system still work?
If these answers feel unclear, that’s not uncommon.
It’s also the opportunity.
Proactive Engagement in Practice
Recently, while in Sydney, one of our dealer partners, Rhys, took the opportunity to visit and reconnect with several fleet partners in person. There was no urgent transaction attached. No immediate delivery issue to resolve.
Just presence.
That outreach strengthened relationships, improved alignment, and reinforced trust across the network. It reflected exactly what we see time and again. Outbound engagement builds momentum long before a deal exists.
More importantly, it showed how quickly things improve when relationships extend beyond a single dealership.
What stood out wasn’t a single deal or outcome. It was the intent. Prioritising partners. Making time for face-to-face conversations. Strengthening relationships even when it meant jumping on a plane.
These weren’t volume discussions. They were strategic ones. Conversations about alignment, cadence, and how to work together better over the long term. That kind of engagement doesn’t chase outcomes. It creates the conditions for them.
“For me, it’s about understanding our partners properly. I want to know what they’re focused on today and where they’re heading next, so we can support them proactively. That doesn’t happen sitting in a chair all day.It means getting out, sitting down face to face, having strategic conversations about alignment, cadence, and future planning. When you do that, checking in regularly, sharing stock, and asking where support’s needed becomes natural. And when the focus is on understanding first, the outcomes take care of themselves.”
— Rhys Vincent, Dealer Partner
What Happens When Dealers Collaborate Instead of Compete
One of the most overlooked opportunities in automotive is dealer-to-dealer collaboration.
In other industries, this is normal. In automotive, it’s often seen as counter-intuitive.
Yet some of the strongest outcomes we see happen when dealers stop operating in isolation and start behaving like part of a broader ecosystem.
We regularly see situations where:
One dealer identifies demand but doesn’t have the right stock
Another dealer, sometimes in a different state, does
A simple conversation leads to the right outcome for the customer
No territory protection.
No ego.
Just professionals solving a problem together.
When this happens, everyone wins:
The customer gets the right car
Relationships between dealers strengthen
Fleet and procurement teams gain trust and credibility
The industry operates more like a network than a set of silos
This kind of collaboration isn’t theoretical. It already exists in pockets. It just isn’t systemised or encouraged enough.
And when it does happen, it changes how Fleet Managers are viewed, not as order-takers, but as connectors.
Where Book A Test Drive Fits
At Book A Test Drive, we source vehicles and manage our own customers. We also bring dealerships pre-qualified buyers through broker and partner channels.
This doesn’t compete with fleet.
It strengthens it.
When aligned properly:
We manage sourcing, qualification, and buyer confidence
Fleet Managers focus on relationship continuity and dealership execution
Dealerships gain clearer visibility over demand and timing
Customers experience faster, lower-friction outcomes
This works best when fleet is treated as a strategic partner, not a handover point.
Why This Matters Now
With more brands, more models, and more procurement pathways than ever before, dealerships cannot afford to rely solely on inbound behaviour.
Vehicle procurement sits at the intersection of finance, stock, confidence, and trust. When treated strategically, it becomes a competitive advantage.
When ignored, it becomes a bottleneck.
The Future Is Collaborative
Other industries have learned this lesson already. Finance brokers, lenders, and partners collaborate openly, share best practices, and build stronger ecosystems together.
Automotive has historically operated in silos.
With increasing complexity, that approach no longer serves dealers, partners, or customers.
At Book A Test Drive, we believe the industry works best when:
Fleet Managers are supported, not sidelined
Relationships are prioritised over transactions
Dealers collaborate rather than compete unnecessarily
Knowledge is shared, not hoarded
That’s why we’re facilitating quarterly dealer sales and fleet catch-ups in Sydney and Melbourne. Not to sell, but to connect, share, and strengthen how vehicle procurement works across the industry.
Fleet can’t sit in the corner anymore.
And the dealerships that recognise this early will help shape what comes next.
If you’re a dealership interested in collaborating as a preferred partner, or in being part of these conversations alongside other professionals and OEMs, we’d welcome a quiet introduction.
Because the future of vehicle procurement isn’t built in isolation.
It’s built together.
