Fleet sales: state contracts streamline process.

• Author: Kalytiak, Tracy
• Position: SERVICES

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What do police departments, boroughs, car-rental outlets, North Slope companies, the Alaska Railroad and countless small businesses of all types have in common? They all need vehicles to accomplish their various tasks.

Private entities that choose to buy new cars, SUVs and trucks can acquire them through dealerships' fleet or commercial departments, while nonprofits and municipalities nowadays can either buy directly from dealerships or piggyback onto State contracts.

CAL WORTHINGTON FORD

"The benefits of buying through the commercial department are pricing, of course, and the streamlined process we use to accommodate business," said Teresa Winter, commercial sales manager for Cal Worthington Ford in Anchorage. "A lot of our clients aren't here, so we provide quotes via e-mail and fax, install bedliners and Arctic gear, and make transportation arrangements for them using airplane, barge or truck."

Winter says the dealership sells to states, cities, local governments, the Alaska Railroad, car-rental companies, oil companies and numerous small businesses.

"We understand time is money," Winter said. "We save them time. I like the process when you're dealing with business customers. They're looking for the tool to do the job. Dealing with businesses is a lot easier because you know what they're looking for. They want a vehicle to do the job; they're not looking for a particular color truck."

She says the dealership sells specialty items such as telephone boom trucks, $200,000 welding trucks and dump trucks, as well as pickups, SUVs, cars and vans.

Winter says fleet sales flattened during the economic downturn.

"We're not growing, but we haven't been losing business," she said.

KENDALL FORD

Darryl Hornbeck manages commercial sales for Kendall Ford of Wasilla, which sells fleet vehicles to the State of Alaska, boroughs, North Slope companies, the Mat-Su school district, MEA and MTA.

"If you want to buy a truck with a specific application to it, I want to get you in that right truck," he said. "I just ask questions about the application. What body do you want put on the vehicle, say it's a cab chassis. If you're a plumber, you need a body application. You need a certain box on there, certain ladder racks."

A significant part of Kendall's fleet business is funneled through the State of Alaska's website, which is becoming an increasingly more appealing option for thrift-minded public agencies and nonprofits.

STATE CONTRACTS

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