Amy Nash is an area fleet manager for Škoda UK, looking after businesses with fleets comprised of Škoda cars across the south-west and south coast of England. She describes here what a typical day for her entails – although, as she says, there’s really no such thing as “typical” – as well as explaining why the all-new Škoda Superb is an exciting proposition for fleet drivers.
Preparation starts before bedtime
Nash’s day starts the night before. “I always plan my journeys in advance,” she says. “Before I switch off my laptop and phone for the night, I log into the MyŠkoda app on my mobile.”
Entering her first destination into the app, it sends the details to her Škoda Superb Estate, Laurin & Klement, 1.5 TSI iV plug-in hybrid. It means that when her alarm goes off, there’s no scrambling for postcodes, she just grabs a coffee and heads for her first meeting after the school run.
The Superb plug-in hybrid is available as an estate and delivers an electric range of up to 84 miles – giving drivers the option of travelling on electric power, petrol power or a combination of the two. What’s more, its lower CO2 emissions mean drivers who choose it as their company car pay less tax on the benefit than if they’d gone for a vehicle that ran just on petrol or diesel – at 5% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK).
Nash uses the MyŠkoda app for seamless business driving, with routes planned out in advance
Arriving fresh and ready to go
Nash’s first meeting is with a prospective customer two hours away. With her mobile charging on one of the two wireless smartphone charging pads in the Superb, she’s on her way. “The Superb has seamlessly picked up the destination I sent it last night,” she says. “It also syncs with my phone, so I have access to my music – although as an audiobook fan, I usually pop one of them on.”
Innovative technology is offered as standard in the all-new Superb, including Wireless SmartLink for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a 13in touchscreen display with satellite navigation.
Driver and safety systems such as lane assist and blind spot detection underpin the drivability of the car. While the massage function on the driver’s seat, a standard feature on every new Superb model at no extra cost, helps ensure that Nash arrives at her meetings refreshed and ready to go.
Listen and inform
Nash’s meetings are a chance to build relationships with her clients, which include many well-known UK businesses. “It’s important to understand how their fleet is run and what they want from it,” she says. “It’s about recognising pinch points and removing any stresses.”
Her meetings often include an opportunity to give product updates, such as providing a deep dive into the key features of new products, including the all-new Škoda Superb. She also arranges demonstration vehicles for customers, to help staff choose the right car for them. The goal is to provide a bespoke service, says Nash, as no two customers are the same. As well as technical support and product advice, she uses her knowledge and experience to tell them about industry-wide regulations updates and even to advise companies on formulating internal fleet policies.
It’s important to be a good listener, says Nash. Businesses are increasingly focused on saving time and costs, as well as meeting sustainability objectives and addressing their environmental footprint. Fleet managers also help to keep their clients on top of changes in legislation, taxation or interest rates that can affect fleet operations.
“I constantly ask myself how I can support customers,” says Nash. “We want them to view us as partners, not just suppliers, so we come up with solutions like ‘lunch and learn’ to help demystify our role. If you’re on holiday with your car and get a flat tyre, all you want to know is how we can fix it.”
For Nash, the new Superb is ideal for doing business on the move – but also perfect to pack out for weekend trips
An office on four wheels
First meeting done, Nash stops at a service station to join colleagues on a video call. The spacious, luxurious interior of the Superb serves as a four-wheeled office – the perfect place for doing business on the move. It’s also a chance to grab a sandwich and charge the car. Her Superb Estate combines a 1.5 TSI petrol engine with an electric motor. When hooked up to a fast 50kW DC charging point, charging the battery from 10% to 80% takes as little as 26 minutes*.
Before her next appointment, Nash uses Laura, the AI-based voice recognition function in the Superb, to enter the destination. She could use Laura to access the climate controls, but one of her favourite things about the all-new Superb is the return of Smart Dials, which combine haptic and digital elements. It’s been introduced in response to customer feedback, says Nash. “We’ve almost gone back to go forwards,” she says. “It’s really exciting. When you change the temperature you feel it click.”
The Superb’s battery can charge from 10% to 80% in as little as 26 minutes – ideal for a stop in between meetings
Work. Life. Balanced
After the meeting, and back in her car, the drive home is a chance to make phone calls but also decompress. Waiting for her is her child and three dogs. On weekend trips they all benefit from the huge load capacity of the Superb – up to 690 litres in the Plug-in hybrid Estate.
As she preps for the next day, Nash reflects on the essence of her role. “As an area fleet manager, the customer relationship is the most important thing,” she says. “It isn’t about spreadsheets. Our focus is always the people choosing to get behind a Škoda steering wheel each day.”
To learn more about how Škoda can support your fleet requirements and explore the all-new Superb further, please visit the Škoda website
*Charging times will depend on various factors, including temperature, state of the battery, state of and capabilities of the charging unit and power supply. Actual charging time will vary depending on the level of charge in the battery, as well as environmental conditions. Charging times will also be affected by the charging curve – for example, once charging passes 80%, charging will slow to protect the battery’s longevity.
