21 January 2025

Q&A with AutoGuru’s CEO, Eden Shirley

Last year, Custom Fleet became the first major fleet management and mobility company to implement AutoGuru’s FleetGuru SaaS platform for customers across Australia and New Zealand.

This partnership accelerated the extension of the FleetGuru platform to support heavy vehicles and equipment. As a result, we’ve digitised maintenance approvals and payments, streamlining service requests for both our fleet customers and repair suppliers.

This development has been a significant step forward for Custom Fleet, so we sat down with Eden Shirley for an insightful Q&A to discuss all things AutoGuru.

What inspired FleetGuru’s creation?

Our mission is to make auto care easy.

The FleetGuru platform was developed to help fleet management companies and service providers improve transparency, consistency, and efficiency in maintenance approvals and supplier payments.

It was designed to simplify and digitise the processes to quote, scrutinise, approve and invoice maintenance services.

Our team recognised that the fleet industry has relied heavily on phone calls and manual approvals to manage work orders from thousands of service providers. This approach is inefficient and frustrating for everyone in the supply chain.

By developing a single portal where service providers can submit quotes and get approvals from multiple fleet companies, AutoGuru modernises maintenance approval processes and bridges the gap between fleet management companies, repairers, and drivers.

What key insights have you discovered about fleet customers, and how have they shaped your offerings?

Fleet customers value efficiency, transparency, and proactive solutions. They want less downtime, seamless communication between stakeholders, and data-driven insights to optimise their fleet operations.

We’ve noticed a growing demand for digital tools that integrate with existing systems and enhance decision-making. These insights guide the development of FleetGuru, a platform designed to streamline maintenance approvals, improve cost control, and, ultimately, we hope more predictive maintenance.

By addressing these core needs, we want to help fleet managers focus on strategy rather than operational hassles.

How has partnering with Custom Fleet influenced AutoGuru's platform and value proposition?

It’s accelerated the refinement and scaling our platform, particularly regarding high-utilisation vehicles used in ‘last-mile delivery’ and heavier vehicles.

Custom Fleet’s requirements helped us prioritise features that deliver the most value to fleet customers, such as enhanced reporting tools, seamless integrations, and sustainability-focused solutions.

By working together, we’ve created a more robust and versatile offering that meets the evolving needs of modern fleets while ensuring a user-friendly experience for all customers.

What role does AutoGuru play in helping customers transition to EVs, and how does this align with Custom Fleet's sustainability focus?

AutoGuru supports the EV transition by providing a platform that simplifies the complexities of maintenance no matter what type of vehicle a fleet customer requires in their fleet.

Our system was built to handle the unique servicing requirements of electric vehicles and commercial vehicles of all types.

By partnering with Custom Fleet, we ensure our solutions align with sustainability goals, making it easier for fleets to adopt EVs confidently.

Together, we are enabling a greener future by ensuring the transition to EVs is achievable, efficient, and cost-effective.

What have you learned about fleet customers that’s driven innovation at AutoGuru?

There’s a massive opportunity for automation of maintenance and repair approvals.

Custom Fleet is a significant fleet provider in the ANZ market with advanced systems and data behind the scenes. When combined with dynamic maintenance data, we can quickly identify trends and repetitive tasks that can be automated. The impact of this is faster approvals and lower costs for everyone.

  Custom Fleet also manages some of the largest last mile delivery companies and has opened our minds to how fleet companies work with and support their customers and how we can bring these parties together online.   

Portfolio oversight, downtime management, maintenance scheduling and supplier availability are all critical and time-consuming responsibilities, and when you are running big fleets that need to be on the road constantly, technology can provide real-time visibility and streamline decision-making.

This gap highlights the need for platforms like FleetGuru, which don’t just digitise processes but also bring clarity and control to every stage of maintenance management.

This has inspired us to focus on intuitive design and integration, ensuring our platform adds value without adding complexity. This dedication to user-centric innovation keeps us at the forefront of fleet technology.

For more information

• Visit AutoGuru’s website to learn about their FleetGuru platform
• Read the Fleet Auto News article: AutoGuru and Custom Fleet Transform Maintenance Authorisation with Digital Innovation