Hugo Aguilar, Shell Mexico: Gearing up for fleet solutions
In today’s world of mobility, creating an integrated fleet management solution by using technology to better manage fuel consumption and other TCO impacting factors is becoming more of a focus for many companies, and Latin America is certainly not an exception.
By next year, Royal Dutch Shell intends to launch its Shell Fleet Solution business in Mexico, according to Hugo Aguilar who is in charge of the launch. The business involves providing fuel management solutions for B2B clients who what to cut down on costs and make their fleet operations more efficient.
Global Fleet: Could you tell me a little about your new tasks at Shell?
Aguilar: I am preparing to launch the Shell Fleet Solution business for the Mexican Market which, depending on the client, could entail a B2B payment system with fuel delivery or a home base system with a home delivery.
Global Fleet: How is doing business in Mexico different than some other regions of the world?
Aguilar: There are a few aspects that are important to keep in mind when it comes to knowing local culture and being properly prepared, and among them is being aware that fraud and money laundering controls are necessary in your operations.
Furthermore, the Mexican fleet market has been growing quite dramatically lately with sophisticated customers seeking high tech fleet control solutions. One way to resolve this is by using telematics that work hand in hand with fuel suppliers.
Global Fleet: What are the main goals of Shell Mexico?
Aguilar: Like I said, our goal is to provide a holistic solution for B2B clients by monitoring their fuel consumption in their fleet businesses. We aim to achieve this by offering state of the art fleet control technology and with a fiscal deductibility plan.
The latter enables our clients to acquire gasoline or diesel through our expansive network of petrol stations, of which work hand in hand with our fleet cards and our vehicle identification or tag systems.
Our aim is to achieve an integrated business with a sizable footprint in the world of retail fleet solutions. Shell Fleet Solutions should be launched within a year and we expect have a significant position in the market within three years.
Global Fleet: Considering the changes in vehicle powertrains in the coming years, what are the challenges Shell sees from this?
Aguilar: Our goal is to provide integrated mobility solutions, and this includes supporting new technologies in car connectivity as well as alternative energy such as electric vehicles (EV).
We aim to support both fuel and power system management through telematics which monitor and control energy consumption as well as driver behavior. This will not only help cut costs but provide a safer driver environment.
Global Fleet: What are the main technological trends in fleet management you see in the near future?
Aguilar: We see a world where a growing number of fleet managers will be more connected to their vehicles by the use of payment systems and other cooperative programs aimed at optimizing vehicle use.
We also see fleets working hand in hand with alternative transport modes such as ride-hailing companies like Uber. Finally, we see the autonomous vehicles definitely impacting the market as well as human capital in the coming years.
