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How SMS Energy saves £19K annually with real-time insights

As SMS Energy’s fleet expanded, the team recognised the need for a more digital and integrated approach to fleet oversight. Traditional paper-based processes had supported the business for years, but they no longer provided the efficiency or real time insight required for a nationwide fleet of more than 560 vehicles. By adopting FleetCheck over a decade ago, SMS Energy strengthened its audit trail, improved operational visibility, increased driver engagement and introduced new controls that now save the business around £19,000 each year through clearer management of hire vehicle damage. Today the fleet team also maintains a 79% First Notice of Loss (FNOL) rate, described by their motor insurer as “best in class”, and manages almost £180,000 of annual PCN activity with improved accuracy and confidence.

About SMS Energy

Industry – Energy infrastructure
Fleet size – 561
Fleet mix – Cars and Vans
Location – Operating nationwide across the UK
Tags – Cost Control, Licence-checking, Audit Readiness
Products – FleetCheck Professional & LicenceAssured

I don't think any fleet can afford to be without FleetCheck if they want to remain fully compliant. It's affordable, easy to use, and does what it says on the tin.

Yvonne Cannon | Fleet Manager | SMS Energy

I do not think any fleet can afford to be without FleetCheck if they want to remain fully compliant. It is affordable, easy to use, and does what it says on the tin. It gives reassurance to the business that it’s being managed correctly.

Yvonne Cannon | Fleet Manager | SMS Energy

SMS Energy provides energy infrastructure services throughout the UK. Fleet Manager, Yvonne Cannon, supported by an eight-person team, oversees the day-to-day management and compliance of the organisation’s mixed vehicle fleet while meeting Van Excellence requirements and the expectations of major contractor audits.

Why FleetCheck?

As the business grew, so did the volume of vehicle checks, incident reports and compliance documentation. While manual processes had supported SMS Energy effectively for many years, the team wanted to future proof their operations with a centralised digital system that could evolve with the fleet.

FleetCheck was selected for its reliability, simplicity and ability to integrate all aspects of fleet administration into a single platform.

We have gone through a lot of changes over the years, but the one constant has been FleetCheck. It’s grown with me and I’ve grown with FleetCheck. I would not be without it.

Operational areas they wanted to improve


Increasing administrative pressure as the fleet scaled

Paper-based checks and manually uploaded photos had been standard industry practice, but as the fleet grew these processes became increasingly time-consuming.

Enhancing visibility of vehicle condition

Real-time photographic evidence at the point of hire or return would help protect the business, enabling the team to validate any third-party damage claims with confidence.


Strengthening driver engagement and consistency

To support a nationwide workforce, the team aimed to make compliance tasks easier and more accessible, ensuring reliable checks and prompt incident reporting.

With the FleetCheck Driver App, many of the inconsistencies we previously had to manage disappeared. Checks uploaded automatically now, and we have a clear record of vehicle condition at every stage.

Managing our vehicles, drivers, and assets was very labour intensive and admin heavy. Before FleetCheck we had 25,000 different spreadsheets for everything, forms all over the place, and check sheets on 25 different platforms. It was too much.

How FleetCheck supports SMS Energy today

FleetCheck has enabled SMS Energy to bring together vehicle checks, maintenance records, accident reporting, fuel data, PCNs, grey fleet documentation and more, giving the team complete visibility in one place. Automated uploads, time-stamped photos, and integrated reporting have reduced manual work and allowed for faster access to information across departments including HR and compliance.

We regularly use the full vehicle reports to check driver assignments, identify standing vehicles, track what is off the road and review any due for off hire. We manage our grey fleet, fuel, and PCNs through it as well. We use it for everything really – more than I can probably think of.

The Impact

£19K in validated annual savings

Our drivers use the Driver App when collecting hires to record any existing vehicle damage. That alone has saved us about £19,000 this year already. The data is real-time and time-stamped, so we can immediately challenge any incorrect claims.

Best-in-class FNOL performance

We’re maintaining a strong FNOL rate of around 79%, helped by drivers being able to report incidents directly through the app. Our motor insurers consider us best in class.

Improved oversight in PCNs

We do nearly £180,000 worth of fines a year, and it's all managed through FleetCheck. The system flags duplicate PCN numbers and consolidates activity in one place, reducing administration and preventing unnecessary costs.

Always audit-ready

With FleetCheck LicenceAssured we get direct DVLA access, meaning the team can validate licences instantly and demonstrate compliance during Van Excellence reviews and contractor audits. It gives contractors confidence that we’re managing our risk effectively. It makes a big difference.

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