Our Meet the Experts series introduces and spotlights the expertise of key members of the Interleasing team – such as Business Development Manager Mayank Gupta, who’s been with the Interleasing team for over a year and in asset finance for five years.
What does your role entail and what do you find most exciting?
I partner with prospective clients to help them simplify the management of their fleet, save their organisation money and drive efficiencies. I enjoy working with people and creating solutions that meet organisational needs, whether that is simplifying processes, creating efficiencies or reducing expenses. I am most satisfied when I have proposed a solution to a client that meets the brief and is implemented successfully.
What are some of the challenges that you help solve for clients?
I assist clients with many challenges – from fleet safety, transparency into fleet operations, driving cost savings and reducing risk. This could be the implementation of tools that deliver increased visibility into assets and utilisation, improve safety measures, to the very important focus on meeting sustainability goals by reducing fleet emissions. Whilst transitioning a fleet to lower emission vehicles can be the quickest way to start the journey, it can be complicated to implement with various considerations, including vehicle choice, fit-for-purpose, charging infrastructure and driver training. Sustainability goals and meeting climate change targets is something that I am passionate about and is one of the challenge that I love to help clients overcome.
What are the biggest opportunities for clients that you partner with?
The biggest opportunity currently is for organisations to get on the front foot to transition their fleet to electric vehicles (EVs). It’s important to consider and plan this transition like you would any business transformation. As EVs are new to many organisations, I recommend partnering with fleet organisations for drive days, where teams are exposed to and are able to develop and understanding of the available vehicles, new model releases and how they fit into their fleet plans. I have recently organised evaluation vehicles for multiple client sites that enables employees the opportunity to get a hands-on experience with EVs in a day-to-day environment, helping to get buy in as well as bust some of the myths around range anxiety.
What future trends do fleet managers need to be aware of?
EVs are the future; they are technology as well as being vehicles. I believe with this accessible technology in vehicles we will have the opportunity to apply smarts on how we use vehicles more efficiently. For example, Tesla offer over the air (OTA) software updates which are similar to computer operating system updates. I recently had an update in my vehicle which improved the camera clarity and display helping to provide a better image when reversing or parking, an important safety function that has the potential to help reduce accidents.
What makes Interleasing different?
Our engaged and committed people, our agility, our innovative customer focused solutions and importantly, the ability to deliver to the bespoke needs of our clients.
What’s your proudest achievement while at Interleasing?
I am proudest of Interleasing’s partnership with the Community Transport Organisation (CTO). I had the opportunity to be the face of Interleasing in our interactions with the CTO and at their annual conference this year. CTO members provide a broad range of accessible and affordable travel options that correlate directly to community needs, focused on people with limited access to other modes of transport to reach necessary appointments. Being able to partner with this organisation and help the members utilise our services to simplify their fleet admin to provide community services has been a satisfaction boost for me.
What was your first job?
I was an overpaid 16-year-old working after school at the local McDonald’s as a kitchen hand.
Other resources
Meet the Experts: Terry Koutsouras, Manager Commercial Vehicles
