Installing trackers to a fleet and managing them through the use of software can help businesses in a number of ways that will ultimately reduce their costs, improve customer satisfaction and driver safety as well as helping to save time, freeing up Managers to carry out other business critical tasks.
Cost savings
A properly implemented Fleet management tool can help reduce a business’ costs in several ways. The main items that will see cost savings are in fuel and maintenance. Knowing that a vehicle is being tracked combined with regular reviews with the driver will help to positively influence the driver’s driving style. Savings of up to 15% on fuel can be gained from the use of systems like Revista Telematics which means that if one vehicle in the fleet uses £100 of fuel a week, that could represent a saving of £15 a week or £780 a year.
Factual data such as how harsh the driver brakes and accelerates can also provide useful talking points between a Manager and a Drive. With the presence of facts and figures any feelings of being targeted or victimised through what could be perceived as baseless accusations are removed. Through the gradual modification of positive driving behaviour, wear and tear on a vehicle’s components will also be greatly reduced, lowering the cost of repairs and minimising the time these assets are off the road.
Systems that allow for the creation of geofences will also help to reduce costs further. If a business is operating in an area where there are tolls, congestion charge or ultra-low emission zones, alerts will be sent to notify when a vehicle enters and exits these areas. Fleet Managers will then be reminded to ensure that any charges are paid, reducing the risk of further fines and penalties in the future.
Although not guaranteed, the presence of a tracker in a vehicle can greatly improve the chances of recovery should they be stolen. Not only can valuable tools and stock be recovered, insurance excess payments can be saved and premiums could be protected from increasing due to previous claims.
Improving driver safety
Erratic driving behaviour cannot usually be monitored unless a Manager uses their valuable time to follow a driver all day out on the roads. With a fleet management system, every vehicle can be monitored from one single user interface on a computer or mobile device. Decisions can be made instantly whether to contact a driver immediately regarding a dangerous incident that has been flagged or wait until they are back on the premises for a face to face review. Either way, the data gathered is a powerful tool that can be used by Management to implement safety policies based on real world driving.
Improvements in customer satisfaction
Most Fleet Telematics solutions gives Managers the ability to track all their vehicles on a live map. This enables enquiries on approximate arrival time to be answered with much more accurate data, improving the customer experience. Some systems, like the one from Revista Telematics also gives the additional feature of allowing personalised links to be sent to a customer that allows them to see where the vehicle is on a live map, giving them more confidence that they are dealing with a professional company.
Clyde is a highly creative and dedicated person with an entrepreneurial spirit. He is always looking for ways to help people, whether it be contributing to their success or just making them laugh. His commitment is demonstrated through the dedication he has put into all of his work so far, which includes writing business blogs for various companies as well as running his own blog on Medium. He loves reading books about how other people became successful entrepreneurs like himself; he finds inspiration from these stories and hopes to make a positive impact on others’ lives too!
