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Before We Plan for 2027
An end-of-year perspective from the COO's seat
An end-of-year perspective from the COO's seat
As we approach the end of 2026, many leadership teams are doing what they do every year: reviewing results, closing out budgets, evaluating performance, and finalizing plans for the year ahead.
As a COO, this is one of the most important times of the year. It's an opportunity to step back from the day-to-day demands of running a business and look honestly at how we operate.
What worked? What didn't? Where did we spend time and money without getting the return we expected? And perhaps most importantly, what are we going to do differently in 2027?
It's tempting to approach a new year by building on the plan we already have. We adjust the numbers, add a few initiatives, invest in new tools, and set expectations for improved performance.
But sometimes the best plan begins by challenging the way we've always done things.
Doing more with less is not a strategy unless we also change how we operate.
For operational leaders, that means looking beyond obvious expense reductions and examining the systems, processes, and everyday decisions that influence performance. Are our tools helping our people work more effectively? Are we using data to make better decisions? Are there manual processes that should have been automated years ago? Are we measuring the right things, or simply the things that are easiest to measure?
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The City of Laredo, Texas Saves Thousands of Dollars a Month with DieselMaxx Fuel Saver
These questions matter because small inefficiencies, repeated across an entire operation, can become significant costs. And once a process becomes routine, it's surprisingly easy to stop questioning whether there's a better way.
Fuel is one example.
Fuel is one example.
For businesses operating commercial fleets, fuel consumption is an ongoing operational expense that directly affects margins. Yet reducing that expense doesn't always have to mean running fewer miles or asking drivers to do more with less. Technology and operational improvements can create opportunities to use less fuel while also reducing emissions. An improvement that delivers both economic and environmental value deserves a closer look.
The same thinking applies across the business. Whether we're evaluating software, rethinking workflows, improving equipment performance, or reconsidering long-standing operating assumptions, the goal should be to find improvements that deliver measurable results—not simply introduce something new.
Of course, not every new tool or proposed efficiency will deliver the promised return. That's why disciplined evaluation matters. We need to understand the investment, establish a baseline, measure the results, and be willing to acknowledge when something isn't working. Innovation without accountability is just another expense.
Prove It with Your Data
Prove It with Your Data
The most effective way to evaluate our Fuel Savers is through a pilot:
Establish baseline fuel usage
Compare similar vehicles/routes pre- and post-install
Track MPG, fuel spend, and maintenance indicators
Measure ROI with real operational data
We support structured pilots so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
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As we finalize our 2027 plans, I believe operational leaders should be asking three fundamental questions:
As we finalize our 2027 plans, I believe operational leaders should be asking three fundamental questions:
What should we stop doing? Some of our most valuable improvements may come from eliminating unnecessary complexity, outdated processes, and expenses that no longer serve the business.
Where can we create measurable improvements? Look for opportunities to improve productivity, reduce operating costs, protect margins, and make better use of existing resources.
What are we accepting today that we should be challenging? The fact that we've always done something a certain way doesn't mean it's the best way to do it tomorrow.
The strongest operating plans aren't necessarily the ones with the most initiatives or the biggest technology budgets. They're the ones that connect business priorities to practical changes, clear accountability, and measurable outcomes.
Year-end planning is about more than looking backward and forecasting forward. It's about being honest enough to learn from the past and curious enough to question what comes next.
As we look toward 2027, perhaps the most valuable question we can ask isn't simply, How do we improve our results next year?
It's this: What are we willing to rethink to achieve them?
“We find the GasMaxx and DieselMaxx product to be well worth the investment having a simple very short payback as well as positive impact on emissions tests and vehicle performance."
“We find the GasMaxx and DieselMaxx product to be well worth the investment having a simple very short payback as well as positive impact on emissions tests and vehicle performance."
-Ken Legault
The Canteen Corporation
Find out how much efficiency your fleet is missing.
Find out how much efficiency your fleet is missing.
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