Fleet profile
Fleet profile: Emma Turness, Group Fleet Manager, Connells Group
Rachel Boagey sits down with Emma Turness, uncovering her unwavering passion for fleet management and her bold vision for transforming Connells Group’s estate agency fleet into a beacon of sustainability.
A
fter returning from her travels abroad, Emma Turness found herself working at a Hertz rental branch. However, it wasn’t long before she transitioned into the fleet admin department of a fleet management company – a move that sparked her enduring enthusiasm for the fleet industry.
Turness’s career trajectory took a significant leap when she joined Countrywide nearly two decades ago as an assistant fleet manager. Her dedication and skill led to her promotion to fleet manager a decade later. The acquisition of Countrywide by Connells Group in March 2021 further expanded her role, culminating in her current position as group fleet manager. “Once you’re in the fleet industry, you’re hooked,” Turness shares. “It’s still largely a male-dominated field, but I’m thrilled to see more women entering the industry – and I can see why. I love it.”
Initially, Turness’s role was centred around operational tasks. However, her recent promotion to group fleet manager has broadened her responsibilities, now encompassing both strategic and operational oversight of the fleet, including procurement, maintenance, compliance, and resource optimisation, all while maintaining a keen focus on cost efficiency.
Streamlining operations
Upon stepping into her new role in 2023 at the Milton Keynes branch, Turness was immediately tasked with a pivotal challenge: implementing a comprehensive new fleet strategy. Central to this strategy was the overhaul of the vehicle policy, which aimed to align the fleet more closely with the company’s long-term goals.
The Connells Group fleet, comprising approximately 2,400 cars and eight vans, serves a dual purpose. It includes vehicles dedicated to business functions – such as those assigned to branch staff including negotiators, managers, and surveyors – as well as perk vehicles provided to managers with specific mobility needs. A significant aspect of Turness’s policy review involved streamlining the selection of vehicle manufacturers. Whereas the previous policy offered a broad range of brands for perk drivers, the revised strategy narrowed the focus to four or five key partners. “This decision was driven by the need to align with the right partners based on current and future product offerings, and to secure enhanced commercial terms by concentrating our requirements,” Turness explains. As a result, the group’s primary automotive partners now include BMW, Audi, VW, Mercedes, and Stellantis. At the London branch of John D. Wood, letting and estate agent staff have access to more premium
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The standard lease profile for Connells Group’s fleet vehicles is 48 months and 48,000 miles. However, Turness emphasises that this is not a rigid framework. “We sometimes deviate from this standard for shorter-term, flexible vehicles to meet specific business needs.”
For owned vehicles, the group typically extends their use if the mileage remains low and maintenance costs are minimal. “Additionally, we carefully consider the performance of the second- hand market to ensure we maximise the asset’s return upon disposal,” Turness says.
A phased transition
While some divisions within the Connells Group have already completed their transition to EVs and established a robust charging infrastructure, the broader fleet is currently in the midst of a phased transition. The first to embrace this shift were the London and perk fleets, both of which have begun integrating electric vehicles. The remainder of the fleet is gradually moving towards a combination of plug-in hybrids and EVs.
vehicles, reflecting the competitive nature of the estate agency market. “When they’re selling million-pound homes, it’s important they arrive in a car that conveys the right level of prestige,” explains Turness.
The fleet’s structure is diverse, incorporating various funding options and lease types, ranging from monthly flexible rentals to four-year contract hire agreements or even owned assets. “This structure provides the flexibility to adjust the fleet size as needed,” Turness notes.
“Many of our
locations are on high streets, making office charging impractical in most cases, so the transition to EVs has been gradual.”
Given that the company is owned by Skipton, one of the largest building societies in the country, Turness says they meticulously evaluate the best funding method before each order, which results in a blended approach. “Additionally, we sometimes opt for a capitalised lease instead of the traditional one-plus model, as it often proves to be the most financially viable leasing option,” she adds.
The initial focus of the newly implemented policy was on ensuring that all vehicles in the fleet met the ULEZ standards. This marked a significant pivot towards sustainability, particularly for non-essential fleet users, who are now exclusively offered ULEVs.
“That’s what I’ve eaten, lived, and breathed,” Turness reflects, underscoring her commitment to revitalising the fleet policy. “It hasn’t been an easy task, but I’m now nearing the finish line.” In 2023, the London-based arm of Connells, John D Wood & Co., made a bold move by converting their entire fleet of more than 50 vehicles to electric. This initiative significantly increased the number of vehicles emitting less than 30 grams of CO2 per mile, rising from 3% in 2022 to 14% by 2024.
Currently, 7% of Connells Group’s entire fleet consists of electric vehicles, with an additional 16% being plug-in hybrids. Turness anticipates these numbers will rise once the existing order backlog is cleared this month.
The transition to a fully electric fleet elsewhere in the country, including Milton Keynes, will have to be more gradual, given the challenges of operating. “In regions like Wales, the infrastructure for EVs is still lacking, making it impractical to switch entirely to electric vehicles right now,” Turness explains.
Understanding and accommodating staff needs is also crucial, especially for younger negotiators who might live in flats without convenient access to charging facilities. “The plan is to maintain a mix of hybrids and EVs, ensuring that each vehicle grade includes an electric option,” notes
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