The fleet manager signs off on the service arrangement on Tuesday. The first call comes in at 9 p.m. on Friday, when the manager is off duty and the driver does not know the account number. A good account setup keeps that after-hours call from turning into a search for someone who can approve it.
This guide is for towing companies and commercial fleet coordinators setting up a working relationship. It turns the agreed terms into a dispatch and billing record. It is not a contract template or guidance for police rotations, impounds, or non-consensual towing. Those jobs have separate authorities and procedures.
Define the work the account actually covers.
List the locations served, the vehicle types the provider has agreed to handle, and the service windows. Make clear where the agreement stops: overnight calls, trailers, unusual access conditions, or jobs outside the normal service area may have a separate approval route. Never promise coverage that depends on a vehicle or qualified operator you cannot reliably provide.
For the fleet buyer, share a usable vehicle profile instead of a vague description like “a few trucks.” Give dispatch the identifiers needed to distinguish a company van from a box truck or a unit pulling a trailer. Confirm which details are necessary, where the records will be kept, and how the customer will update the provider when units are added or sold.
Give dispatch one primary and one backup approval route.
Separate the person allowed to request a tow from the person authorized to approve a destination change or additional work. Make the after-hours path explicit. If the approved contact cannot be reached, identify who can decide whether the job should wait, go to a designated location, or follow another agreed procedure.
Use role-based contact information when practical so a change in personnel does not break the whole system. Keep the approved number or channel in a controlled record. If a caller provides a new payment or approval instruction that conflicts with that record, verify it with the existing account contact before relying on it.
Set the destination and handoff rules.
Record the preferred shop or yard, receiving hours, and any agreed after-hours alternative. Check the location and receiving process independently before the first call. A destination entered in an account profile may not be able to take every unit or accept keys at night.
Clarify who notifies the receiving location and who documents delivery. Keep customer details and job records in approved systems rather than personal message threads. Collect only what the work and billing require, and restrict access to staff who need it.
Agree on an invoice that can be reconciled.
Ask the fleet customer which fields its accounts payable team needs. Typical items to discuss include the fleet unit number, work order or purchase order, service date, pickup and delivery locations, line items, and required proof of completion. Decide how corrections will be handled. An invoice can be accurate in total and still sit unpaid because the customer cannot match it to a unit or work order.
Before go-live, walk through a sample invoice with fictional data. Ask the fleet coordinator and billing contact to find the same job in the dispatch record and in the sample bill. Resolve differences before the first live invoice. Use the agreed rates and approvals; do not turn the sample invoice into new pricing terms.
Fleet account setup card
| Item | Set before launch | Confirm with |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Vehicle types, service area, hours and exclusions | Fleet manager and towing operations lead |
| Authority | Requesters, approvers, after-hours fallback | Account owner and dispatch lead |
| Destination | Receiving locations, hours and alternate procedure | Receiving shop or yard |
| Job record | Unit ID, work order and required delivery record | Dispatch and fleet coordinator |
| Billing | Invoice format, delivery channel and correction contact | Accounts payable and billing lead |
Run an after-hours rehearsal.
Use a fictional van with an unfamiliar driver, a closed repair shop and an absent primary approver. Have dispatch identify the approved backup contact, confirm the vehicle ID and record the destination decision. Ask the next shift to read the record and describe who approved the change. A rehearsal that works only when the owner is present has not proved that the account setup works.
Document the result in a short handoff card: who to call, what to record, and where to send the invoice. Place the card where the people who need it can find it. Protect private contact and account information.
Review the first three jobs together.
After the first few calls, ask where someone had to guess or send a second email. Was the service scope unclear, was a required reference missing, or did the receiving location have a different process? Update one shared record and tell both dispatch and billing about the correction. Set a review date for contact changes and vehicle list updates.
Pair this account card with the dispatch intake checklist. The card holds standing instructions; the call sheet records what happened on that specific job.
Common questions
Does the driver have to be the person who authorizes the tow?
Not necessarily. Record who may request service and who may authorize it under that account’s rules. The driver and approver may be different people.
What is the most useful field for billing?
A shared job or work-order reference that connects dispatch, delivery and invoice records. Confirm the customer’s actual requirements before the first call.
How often should account contacts be reviewed?
Review them when staff or coverage changes, after the first few jobs, and at a regular interval the account team agrees to.