The verdict in three sentences
A lessor managing 1,800 long-term lease vehicles for 300 companies with three separate tools (contracts, workshops, claims) re-enters the same data three times and underbills excess mileage. Market licences cost 4 to 8 EUR per vehicle per month, so 86,000 to 173,000 EUR a year for this fleet, without ever fitting the firm's own rules. A bespoke platform of 100,000 to 180,000 EUR, delivered in 7 months, unifies the vehicle lifecycle and gives clients a portal that cuts inbound calls.
The hidden cost of three systems
The pattern is common in the Amsterdam region, where corporate fleets are shifting fast to electric vehicles under the Dutch bijtelling rules and zero-emission zones for vans. The lessor runs a legacy contract system, a workshop tool to schedule servicing with partner garages, and a spreadsheet for claims and excesses.
Every mileage update, return and claim crosses all three tools by hand. Errors surface at contract end, when excess kilometres and reconditioning charges are billed.
| Item | Current set-up | Unified platform |
|---|---|---|
| Annual licences (1,800 vehicles) | 86,000 to 173,000 EUR | 0, hosting and maintenance only |
| Re-keying per week | 25 to 35 h | under 5 h |
| Unbilled excess kilometres | 6 to 9% of contract ends | under 1% |
| Average claim closure time | 45 days | 25 days |
| Overdue servicing | 10 to 14% | under 3% |
| Client status calls | 60 to 90 per day | 20 to 30 |
These are 2026 ballpark figures for an independent lessor of this size. Dutch labour costs and EV charging data integration push the bespoke range above what a comparable French project would cost.
What the platform must cover
- Contracts: term, contracted mileage, rental, included services, amendments, mileage readings from telematics or driver input, projected excess during the contract.
- Maintenance: service plans by model, automatic reminders, bookings with partner garages, approval of workshop quotes, tyre tracking, EV battery health data.
- Claims and excesses: driver declaration online with photos, European accident report, assessor and insurer follow-up, rebilling of the excess under each contract.
- Returns: inspection on tablet, reconditioning charges from a damage grid, end-of-contract invoice.
- Client portal: the client's fleet manager sees vehicles, invoices, claims, charging costs and renewal dates.
Market licence or bespoke build
| Criterion | Market licence | Bespoke platform |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 20,000 to 50,000 EUR configuration | 100,000 to 180,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | 4 to 8 EUR per vehicle per month | hosting and maintenance |
| Excess mileage and claim rules | standard | per contract |
| Client portal | often a paid option | in scope |
| Telematics and charging data | limited connectors | chosen provider's API |
| Lead time | 3 to 5 months | 7 months |
| Code ownership | vendor | lessor |
Above 1,000 vehicles, licence savings alone often fund the build in under two and a half years. Final scope and price, including integrations and migration volume, are set in the quote.
How the delivery is phased
Delivery works best in four lots. Lot one, in months 1 to 3, covers contracts, mileage and migration, because billing depends on it. Lot two adds maintenance planning and the garage area in months 4 and 5. Lot three brings claims, excesses and returns in month 6. The client portal goes live in month 7, once the data behind it is reliable. Each lot ends with 2 weeks of parallel running and a sign-off by the operations and finance teams. This sequence lets the lessor cancel the most expensive licence first and start saving before the full platform is finished, which eases cash flow during the project.
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Sanne, managing director of a long-term lessor in Amsterdam, runs 1,800 vehicles and pays 6 EUR per vehicle per month in licences, so 129,600 EUR a year. Of 600 annual contract ends, 7% of excess mileage goes unbilled, with an average shortfall of 1,000 EUR: 42,000 EUR lost each year.
With a 150,000 EUR platform, 8,000 EUR of hosting and 18,000 EUR of maintenance a year, the first year costs 176,000 EUR. Savings reach 171,600 EUR a year from licences and recovered mileage. Payback lands at around 12 months, before counting the 25 weekly hours of re-keying removed.
FAQ
Can live contracts migrate without disruption?
Yes, migrating 1,800 contracts takes 3 to 4 weeks with cross-checks on rentals and mileage. Old tools stay read-only for 3 months.
Does the platform connect to telematics and charging cards?
It integrates with the APIs of major telematics and charge card providers for mileage, alerts and charging costs. Allow 2 to 3 weeks per provider.
How are claim excesses handled?
Each contract carries its excess, for example 500 or 1,000 EUR, and its rebilling rule. The invoice goes out automatically when the claim closes.
Do partner garages get access?
A workshop area lets them upload quotes and invoices. Approval happens online, within 24 h in a targeted 90% of cases.
Who maintains the platform afterwards?
A maintenance contract covers fixes, updates and monitoring, with response times set in the quote. Integrations are scoped and priced separately.
Let's scope your project. We scope contracts, maintenance, claims and the client portal, then plan phased delivery over about 7 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
