The Professional Edge: Service Van Advantages for Business Owners and Service Experts

Service vans are becoming a more integral part of many business sectors. Food truck and catering companies, bands and other performers on the road, florists, movers, tourism and recreation companies, events planners, cleaning services, mobile pet groomers, locksmiths, plumbers, electricians, landscapers, HVAC technicians and medical transporters could all benefit from having a service van.

Upfitting is the perfect way to convert a van into a tool that gives your customers a more convenient and professional service and helps you get more out of your business in terms of efficiency, professionalism and branding.

Decoding the Service Van Advantage

Service vans provide your business with many benefits, from financial perks to marketing advantages. Purchasing a service van and exploring customization and upfitting options is a fantastic way of elevating your company.

Choosing Between Vans and Trucks: A Business Perspective

Vans versus pickup trucks — both have their advantages, but the businesses they can serve generally differ considerably. Pickup trucks are excellent choices if you need outstanding towing and payload capabilities, good mileage and practicality on unpaved roads or steep inclines. But if you are running a full mobile service, a van is the way to go.

Service van offers a fully enclosed space that protects your gear from weather exposure, theft and other liabilities. Because the van is enclosed, you have a fully customizable space you can tailor to what your business and customers need. Vans help you organize your tools and layout to optimize your service for the road. Lastly, your van is the perfect canvas for advertising your services.

Operational Efficiency Unlocked With Service Vans

Offering a service on the go comes with its own unique requirements and strategies, but efficiency is always crucial to growing your business. Upfitting your van is a highly effective way of increasing efficiency in running and providing your service.

Customization at Its Finest: Upfitting Your Service Van

Upfitting your van is the ultimate way of transforming your vehicle into a customized mobile service. A van upfit means adding accessories to your vehicle to suit your business's application. These accessories help you create an optimized workspace on the go. Accessories include:

• Shelving units and storage drawers
• Liner kits for walls, ceilings and doors
• Flooring
• Access ladders
• Cargo racks
• Lighting
• Restraints and security features
• Conduit carriers
• Accessibility features
• Wi-Fi spots, Bluetooth and GPS

Investing for the Road Ahead: Service Vans' Value Over Time

Upfitting your van increases its value and the value of your services. Upfitting also provides the following benefits:

• Organization: Shelving, cabinets and other storage unit accessories keep the cargo area neat, presentable and easy to navigate.
• Ergonomics: Drivers may spend a lot of time bending, lifting and taking other forms of repeated strain if your service van isn't optimized. Upfitting to add strategically placed shelves and drawers lessens that strain.
• Productivity and efficiency: When all your work tools have their allocated space, workers spend less time searching for and accessing equipment. This saves time and sets a good precedent for all drivers to familiarize themselves with setup and inventory.
• Protection: No matter your sector, your equipment makes it possible to provide your services, and keeping it safe is a priority. Upfitting your van with shelves, holders and drawers keeps your equipment and tools secure while on the road.
• Safety: Workplace vehicle safety is of utmost importance. Upfitting is a good way of providing safety accessories like partitions that separate the cargo area from your driver, adding a layer of protection. Van flooring keeps drivers safer as the floors offer more traction and reduce the likelihood of slipping and falling.
• Professionalism: Upfitting your van reflects a high level of professionalism. It shows clients or customers that you are organized and take your service seriously, and encourages the same from your drivers.
• Return on investment: Owning an upfitted van can benefit you financially, especially in the long run. Owning a van can reduce monthly costs compared to paying for delivery services or leasing a van to run your mobile business. Upfitted vans also have a much better resale value than vans without sought-after and necessary accessories.

Amplifying Brand Presence Through Service Vans

A van upfit is advantageous on many fronts, but one of the ways it adds the most value to your company is by being an excellent marketing tool. Placing physical advertisements is a classic and effective way to promote your business. However, you can only have so many ads in so many locations because of how pricey billboards can be.

Your service van is the perfect traveling advertisement! You can wrap your van with your company logo, contact information and other branding details. You will reach scores of potential customers as your drivers travel for work, and you may even get customers who ask for your service immediately. The best part is that your upfitted van will be fully equipped to provide those services.

Exploring the Best Service Vehicle for Contractors and Service Professionals

The best vehicle for a company van depends on the service you provide and other tailored customizations you may need. In general, we would recommend the following vehicles:

• Tradespeople: Consider the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter or Ram ProMaster.
• Deliveries: The Mercedes Sprinter 170-inch wheelbase extended, the Ford Transit 148-inch wheelbase extended or the Ram ProMaster 159-inch wheelbase extended are perfect for delivery services as these models have longer wheelbases and higher roofs.
• Urban businesses: The Ford Transit, GMC Savana or Chevrolet Express, and Mercedes Metris are suitable for services offered in urban areas as these models have lower roofs for better access to parking garages and drive-thrus.

Your Upfitting Partner: Advantage Outfitters, LLC

Are you ready to elevate your business operations by transforming your vehicle into a custom workstation? At Advantage Outfitters, we offer expert upfitting products, including shelving units, partitions, liners, flooring, roof equipment and other essential accessories and upfitting solutions.

Visit one of our showrooms in New York and New Jersey, or shop our products online, which we can ship within 48 hours for your convenience. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are always ready to provide technical assistance. Contact us today to schedule a visit, get a quote or discuss any questions!