Thinking about a fridge van for your business but not sure if it’s right for you. Maybe you’ve floated the idea but decided to put it on ice for a while, or you’re waiting for those above you to thaw on the idea.
Whatever your hesitations, there is a good chance that there are benefits of owning a fridge van that you have completely overlooked. In this guide, we’re exploring some of the lesser known benefits of using a fridge van that could make them essential for your business. Once you take the plunge, you may wonder how you ever operated without one.
How a fridge van will benefit your business
Business decisions need to come from a level-headed place. You need to consider the costs and benefits of every decision to ensure that your moves lead to growth and expansion. With this in mind, let’s explore some of the top benefits you could enjoy by adding a fridge van to your business.
Maintain quality
With a fridge van in your fleet, you can confidently transport goods over any distance without worrying about compromising the quality. Your items will be kept at the optimum temperature – whether that needs to be a cool ambient temperature or in a deep freeze. Being able to offer a service that is both reliable and high quality will boost your reputation with customers, allowing you to secure repeat contracts and a stellar reputation.
Increase service area
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of a fridge van is that you can expand your service area, as you won’t be restricted by time. You don’t have to open another site across the country, you can simply deliver your goods and be confident they will arrive in perfect condition. This is effective for a wide range of business types, including food and beverage companies, catering, butchers, fishmongers, florists, bakers, chemical suppliers, pharmaceutical companies and more.
Reduce transportation costs
With dual temperature zones, you can cut down on transportation costs by combining trips. Rather than one van going back and forth to your depot, you can load up the van and the driver can complete a scheduled round of drops. This will drive down your transportation costs and also increase your service promise by allowing you to serve more customers in a day. It’s also helpful to gain some eco-friendly bonus points with customers, as they will recognise the environmental impact of taking fewer trips.
Enhance storage capacity
Your fridge van could enable you to store more product, as you can use the van for storage overnight. Modern fridge vans are equipped with a back-up power source, allowing you to plug into the mains and keep the refrigeration running all night. If you consider this space to be an extension of your business premises, you can effectively expand your storage capacity without having to move to a new site.
Flexible sizing
Another benefit of fridge vans is that they are available in a range of sizes, making them a truly flexible choice for your business. Small vans are ideal for short city-centre drops, while larger vans can be put to work for longer trips. The versatility of fridge vans means that they will enable you to scale your business at a safe and secure pace. You won’t have to make a huge leap into the unknown, as you can simply choose the fridge van size that is right for your needs and upgrade as demand increases.
Reduce transportation costs
Without a fridge van, you will be restricted by how long your deliveries can take. This will result in delivery drivers being forced to go back and forth to your depot, taking one shipment at a time. This is highly inefficient and wouldn’t be recommended for the long-term. A far better solution would be to invest in a fridge van that will allow you to load up the van at the start of the day and complete multiple stops along an optimised route.
Not only will this drive down costs, but it will also reduce your carbon footprint, which can be a huge selling point for some customers. They will appreciate knowing that their suppliers take their commitments to the environment very seriously.
Final thoughts on fridge vans
If you’re ready to expand your business and show your customers that you take your commitment to quality very seriously, it might be time to invest in a fridge van. With so many options available, you’ll be spoiled for choice, so it makes sense to shop around for a great deal.
Consider your current needs and where you hope your business will be in a few years and this should help you to choose the right sized fridge van to help your company to grow and flourish.