Home Services Fleet Masters Fleet Costs

In the home services industry, the strategic alignment between service providers and fleet management plays a pivotal role in shaping success.

No one knows this better than George Donaldson, CEO of the Fix-It Group. As the owner of a company growing in revenue from $1.7 million to $100 million in six years and looking to reach $1 billion, Donaldson knew he needed a fleet management company (FMC) that could keep up with rapid expansion. Mike Albert Fleet Solutions proved to be that company.

Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Fix-It (also known as Fix-It 24/7) specializes in residential services like HVAC, plumbing, and electricity. The company has grown rapidly over the past six years, acquiring businesses in four new markets—Dallas, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; Phoenix, Arizona; and Orange County, California. Donaldson initially encountered Mike Albert through one of the companies he acquired. At the time, his business was utilizing another fleet management company, which was fulfilling their needs but not exceeding expectations. Fix-It was interested in an FMC that could scale and evolve alongside their company, meet critical deadlines, and, along the way, make fleet management as easy and efficient as possible.

Starting out.

With a fleet of 84 vehicles then, Fix-It Group sought consistency in their fleet processes as they ramped up for significant growth. The Mike Albert team educated themselves on the company’s needs and goals to come up with a plan tailored to Fix-It’s situation.

“I didn’t really know Mike Albert yet when we started working with them, and we wanted to make sure we were getting the right partner,” says Donaldson. “They stood out to us because of their efficiency and willingness to meet our needs.”

“From a sales perspective, the last thing people want to do is have somebody try and sell them something,” says Steve Johnson, Director of Sales and Strategic Alliances at Mike Albert. “We enter these meetings with more of an educational mindset. We want the client to know what we offer and how it can improve their situation,and if something interests them, well, then let’s talk about that.”

After a thorough discussion and analysis of Fix-It’s needs, the two companies worked together to implement new processes and educate Fix-It’s entire team, standardizing Mike Albert technologies like Overdrive® and AlbertIQ® across all the company’s markets.

“We were able to put everything together in one ‘box’ for them—a simple, intuitive platform,” says Christina Hartzler, National Client Partnership Manager. “We started a fleet policy with their main fleet manager, added Fix-It to a variety of our services, and moved them to a national team platform befitting their size and growth.”

Efficient, even with supply-chain woes.

Persistent supply-chain issues have made it more difficult for fleet owners to acquire new vehicles, as well as parts to fix older ones. Under these conditions, many owners are choosing to hold on to older vehicles despite their higher maintenance costs or purchasing used vehicles at near-new vehicle prices.

This is where the right FMC partner can help. By leaning on Mike Albert as a partner, Fix-It Group has expanded its fleet exponentially, going from 84 to 310 vehicles—even in the midst of a volatile industry. The company can now access OEM discounts and allocation pieces from factory orders. With Mike Albert handling everything, it’s easy for Donaldson or one of his fleet managers to request a vehicle at any of their five locations.

Mike Albert coordinates with specific local dealerships and OEMs to purchase vehicles. Next, they organize the necessary upfitting and wrap application and secure the proper registration and tags. Once a vehicle is in use, Donaldson, his team, and Mike Albert monitor the vehicle’s health and make decisions based on the collected and analyzed data.

Fleet management made easy.

Fleet managers have a lot to juggle when it comes to keeping their vehicles on the road, from maintenance and fuel management to driver safety and risk management; with so many items on the to-do list, it’s easy for something to be inadvertently overlooked. Mike Albert’s Overdrive™ app keeps Donaldson and his team in –the know with data and reporting.

“It’s easy for our technicians to use their fleet app—they can go on, find a vendor, and get any maintenance scheduled and done,” says Donaldson. “We effectively manage driving habits, maintenance, and even fuel management through the in-app reporting.”

Data monitoring also helps Fix-It Group and Mike Albert work together to identify and dispose of vehicles that no longer serve the business. With Mike Albert’s guidance, Fix It has been able to maximize the value of their old vehicles when selling them off. Vehicle registration can also be a massive hassle for busy managers—no one wants to wait hours at the DMV to register multiple vehicles and ensure tags are up to date. Mike Albert fully manages registration for Fix-It Group, ensuring vehicles are compliant. Although different states and cities have various requirements for fleet vehicles, moving a vehicle from one market to another has become virtually seamless, thanks to Mike Albert. With more time to manage what’s essential, Fix-It Group has reduced fleet costs, increased driver productivity,and improved safety.

Noteworthy Wins

Fix-It added 237 vehicles in 2023 and saved over $550k in maintenance expenses.

Evolving alongside growing clients.

For Donaldson, Mike Albert’s commitment to being a valued partner, not just another vendor, stood out. “Mike Albert has stayed with us every step of the way through our rapid growth. They’ve worked tirelessly with us and acted as true partners,” he says. “They do things for us that other FMCs won’t. For example, we had plans to buy vehicles, but we first needed to hire people to drive them. Mike Albert didn’t charge us until somebody was in the truck.”

When the two began working together, Fix-It’s fleet was relatively small, meaning specific programs and services that Mike Albert offers weren’t deemed critical. But as Fix-It Group continued to expand, so did its need for additional services. For example, Mike Albert deemed it appropriate to assign the account to a team member in Colorado, which is how National Client Partnership Manager, Christina Hartzler, began working with Fix-It Group.

Another important part of any good partnership is service, which Johnson and his team deliver daily.“I never think of myself as a salesperson; I think of myself as being more of a partner to whoever has entrusted me with their business,” says Johnson. “I’ve worked in the service industry long enough to understand the sense of urgency in client requests. They’re used to the ‘response now’ business, so we try to deliver on that. I also pride myself on always being available, and I really try to make sure to find the right person to answer Fix-It’s requests if I don’t know the answer.”

Moving Forward

With Mike Albert’s help, Fix-It Group is poised for continued success, saving time, money, and headaches. This allows them to focus on pursuing their impressive billion dollar goal, which the company’s record so far suggests they’ll reach. “Mike Albert has been a great partner,” says Donaldson. “Their fleet management program is simple and effective, and they help with everything, from registration to maintenance to getting us trucks whenever and wherever we need them. It’s been a good partnership for the past 7 years, and that’s why we happily continue working with them.”