Antonio Pinto, Ariza Mexico: “standardization and professionalization” a must
Ariza, the Mexican unit of international fleet management company ARI, is aimed at providing comprehensive, flexible, and reliable solutions that optimize total operating cost in vehicle fleets throughout the country.
And one of the fleet management needs in Mexico, according to Fleet LatAm’s latest interview with general manager Antonio Pinto, is improvements in standardization and professionalization.
Could you tell me a little about yourself, your experience and your job at Ariza?
Pinto: Since 1998, I have worked as a director in three different companies, being in various areas. Besides Regional Director, I have worked with General Management, Operations, Sales, and Human Resources.
As for Ariza, I have been working with the Mexico unit for almost two exciting years now, and I can tell you that this is the most complex and detailed oriented job I have ever had.
How does fleet management in Mexico differ from fleet management in the United States or Europe?
Pinto: Mexico is more similar to the United States than Europe. In fact, I’d say more like Canada than the United States. However, one thing we need to do in Mexico is to continuously work on the standardization and professionalization of services.
As for differences, we mostly work with distributors and shops here in Mexico and not with automobile manufacturers like in Europe or the United States. Moreover, clients in Mexico and Latin America as a whole focus more on cost savings and not the services being offered.
ARI headquarters in Mount Laurel (NJ) USA (source: ARI)
Fleet managers occasionally face idle time in their fleet when waiting for new cars, repairing a car after an accident, or when renewing their fleet. What solutions are available to deal with this downtime?
Pinto: In all 32 states, to alleviate downtime during idle periods, we offer car rentals to our clients. Today, we are working hand-in-hand with more than 10 car rental companies, and to offer them the best service at the best price, we are continuously evaluating their service levels.
How do you see the vehicle leasing and fleet management market in South America?
Pinto: Today, companies in South America are only aware of the full-service leasing model. However, I do think that our unbundled model could work well in the region. Although it poses challenges, there is opportunity. It just depends on the size of the market and the competition.
2020 is around the corner. What is the main goal for Ariza next year and how do you expect to achive it?
Pinto: Although we already have a strong global client base, one of our main goals next year is to increase our market and this will be supported by the opening of our new office in Guadalajara.
