Which route should I take? Fleet Data by Databroker

As a list broker, your best work doesn’t come from recommending run-of-the-mill lists, with a named senior contact; it involves significant research into premium data lists that have further insight into the specific needs of a target audience. In this case, we are talking about fleet data.

Databroker has helped many companies source high-quality, accurate fleet lists from industries including fuel card companies, tracking/telematics providers, vehicle manufacturers and retailers, corporate insurance providers, and mobile telecoms firms.

Just like every data brief taken by Databroker, the secret in fleet data is in the detail. How large do the fleets need to be? Which contact is required? Do you need to know the specific type of vehicle and so on?

With 10 years under my belt working in the data industry, coupled with 7 years of experience in the fleet industry, in my mind, there are two very clear routes when selecting a fleet brief, and I always aim to provide all options within a data recommendation. Picking from the two options may boil down to cost, volumes, or most likely the specificity of the data available.

 

Route 1

Let’s start with the most cost-effective option in terms of per thousand rates. In vehicle speak this is a '03 plate hatchback in reasonable condition, a couple of scratches on the bodywork, over 100,000 miles on the clock, with a decent service history. It will get you from A to B, don’t expect luxury but equally, you won’t have paid for it!

Route 1 uses data suppliers who only have modelled fleet data. This means they have researched a small part of their file for fleet information and then extrapolate this model across the whole file based on trends by industry, number of employees, turnover, and location. In terms of potential volumes, these depend on the list supplier and the brief but might range between 100,000 records and potentially double or triple that. Let’s look at the positives and negatives…

 

Positives:

  • Lower cost per record
  • High volumes, possibly ideal for a less specific campaign
  • Data accuracy (in terms of contact information) will still be relatively good

 

Negatives:

  • High wastage because the actual fleet size is unknown
  • Difficult to run specific detailed campaigns because of inaccuracies in the model
  • Cost per actual prospect is a lot higher than the rate paid because of the wastage
  • Decision-makers are often a senior contact and not one verified as being a fleet decision-maker

Overall, with Route 1 for my money, the negatives outweigh the positives for most clients. However, if you’re retailing a low-value item or if you just want the widest coverage and reach, this approach can work. If your campaign needs more specific selections, Route 2 is the only way forward.

 

Route 2

Route 2 is the data I would have chosen for my teams whilst working in the fleet sector. This sees the very highest quality fleet lists, both in terms of the information they gather and the recency of contact. Back to the car analogy, we’re talking about a high-end luxury saloon, full leather interior, all mod cons including a minibar and a chauffeur. The "Maybach" of fleet marketing data.

These top-end fleet files often hold more detailed information, such as a breakdown of the type of vehicle, details on the ownership of the fleet and even flags for FTSE or Top 5000 companies.

Many of Databroker’s clients choose this route because they know that the best data is key for any campaign and without it, the rest of the process can fail.

 

Positives:

  • The highest levels of accuracy
  • Often a 1-4-1 replacement of all inaccurate records
  • Niche fleet selections such as fleet ownership etc.
  • Best recency of contact

 

Negatives:

  • Higher costs which can put some clients off
  • Volumes are often the smallest, because of the specificity of data collection

 

Overall, you can see two clear pathways for fleet campaigns. There are no wrong answers here – each route is the correct one for some campaigns and that’s where we come back to the detail. A quality list broker takes the time to understand your brief, research your campaign and request copies of the collateral so that they are recommending the route which fits the bill.