In almost every type of business, the customer is truly number one. Losing customers equals losing money, so it is imperative to provide not only the best products or services, but to attract new customers, keep existing ones happy, and encourage them all to keep coming back for more.
Superior customer service is a competitive advantage
In a fairly famous survey conducted by American Express, 69% of 1,000 people stated they would spend more money with companies that offer excellent customer service. And when asked, “What drives a great interaction with a professional?”, the top answers were quick (42%), knowledgeable (62%), and pleasant (68%).
So even though living in the Information Age has sped communications up—and raised expectations—the core reasons customers remain loyal are still basically the same. Treat them well and they’ll stick around.
Using GPS monitoring to better serve your customers
For companies that have an added component to their business, such as managing a few or a fleet of vehicles, the need to retain and satisfy customers can be extra tricky. This added layer involves more moving parts (literally) and requires staying in touch with drivers and customers alike, in real time. This instant communication can equal instant customer service, and it can now be achieved via GPS.
Devices enabled with GPS can help drivers navigate from one location to the next and business owners to track where each driver is, when they reach their destination, and if any vehicles have strayed outside their designated boundaries or need assistance. Further, GPS devices combined with fleet management software, like those provided by Satrack, can help strengthen relationships with customers by providing:
- Access to immediate information regarding all logistical processes, such as routes, times, and locations
- Real-time updates on deliveries or services, including accurate estimated time of arrival
- The ability to dispatch vehicles faster (to respond to a customer emergency or a stranded vehicle) using the “find the closest vehicle” feature
- Faster response to any issues, such as a late delivery or billing concern.
Using Satrack tools to better your business
Satrack takes customer satisfaction seriously—not only yours, as our potential customer, but for your customers as well. To us, our success is your success, and on down the line. Ultimately, Satrack’s technology tools allow you to run your business more easily, efficiently, and cost-effectively, helping you to save time and money while increasing your competitive edge. Specifically, with the right fleet management solution, you can:
- Better manage day-to-day operations, by automating administrative tasks and identifying and correcting trends that derail productivity.
- Track vehicles at any given moment, such as when they enter or exit specific locations and the time spent in each zone.
- Monitor speed and driver behavior, which can also impact customer service or your company’s reputation.
- Access valuable data on the number of vehicle stops, idling and fuel usage, and number of miles driven.
- Monitor vehicle health and needed maintenance.
- Ensure faster recovery of stolen vehicles.
- Make informed business decisions using real-time data.
Next-level customer care
Many people have experienced it: extreme frustration with a product or service and no real support to help solve the issue. Add to this the inability to speak to a live person and customer satisfaction drops dramatically. In the American Express survey mentioned earlier, the more complex a service issue is, the more the customer wants to speak to someone, not an automated recording. Further, 74% of those surveyed want a knowledgeable professional.
Satrack understands this need, and it’s why we choose to provide the highest level of personal, hands-on service that customers crave. Whether you operate a floral business with one vehicle or a plumbing business with a small fleet of vehicles, you receive the same level of attention and expertise. Our experienced staff can walk you through every step of installing your devices and offer support as challenges come up. We can also help you configure the platform with alerts and reports in a way that best fits your unique requirements, allowing you to optimize operations, boost productivity, and grow your business.
With Satrack, you gain:
- Access to hundreds of professionals ready to take your call
- Extensive experience built on 27 years in the industry and serving 40,000 customers
- A service provider with an international presence in the United States, Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama
- The tools and information you need to save money, make better, more informed decisions, and ultimately streamline your transportation operations.
Contact Satrack today to get a free demo.
For any small-business owner, every dollar—and every moment—counts.
This is especially true for those who have a transportation component (vehicles or fleets) to their business. There is always so much to do: products to deliver, vehicles to service and maintain, and driver calls to respond to. Just keeping the daily flow of operations running on track and on time can feel like an overwhelming task.
The great news is that there are tools available that can help. Yes, they are based on technology, but they are simple to implement and use—and they are available today. In fact, these tools even helped keep transportation companies afloat and thriving during the recent pandemic.
In addition, these technology tools can make a huge difference in boosting a company’s competitive edge as well as helping make the shift from being in a reactionary role, with little control, to a more proactive one. In this blog, we highlight some key components to embracing these new technologies, and how they can benefit your business.
The device: GPS tracker
One little tool has revolutionized how people navigate from point A to point B: GPS device tracking. It is easily accessible everywhere, and it is transforming how transportation companies manage their vehicles. With a GPS tracking device, a driver can find a location, and the business owner can track where that driver is at any given moment. That means greater insight into the status of when products or services are delivered, or how vehicles are performing on the road. Real-time alerts can also be set up to help drivers or business owners respond to situations as they arise. This tracking ability provides crucial information and greater visibility to ensure all operations—on the road and off—are running smoothly, cost-effectively, and on time.
The software: greater access to information
More than ever, information is everywhere. The problem is that not all of it is equal. There is just too much of it, and it takes too long to sift through it to figure out what is usable.
This information overload is a challenge for any company, especially one that is actively transporting goods and services. So being able to seamlessly collect and use specific information generated from your daily operations can help you not only better manage your business but make better decisions, and faster.
With the right transport vehicle management software, you can access valuable information on:
- Number of vehicle stops (e.g., multiple or unauthorized) including if products or services are arriving on time
- Time spent at each customer’s location, providing insight into driver efficiency
- Idling and fuel usage, delivering real numbers on dollars spent on fuel as well as where to possibly cut costs
- Number of miles driven in each state or total number of miles driven per year, helping streamline routes and thus fuel efficiency
- Driver miles or hours, making the payroll process faster and easier.
The heart: a heightened focus on safety
Your products or services, as well as every one of your drivers and vehicles, matter. As a result, ensuring their safety is key.
According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Association, “22.2% of the crash report was brought down when AI was implemented on route planning, which can detect roadblocks, heavy traffic, intersections, and roundabouts.” This statistic alone highlights the added benefit of using technology to improve safety. Specifically, it is essential to have the ability to:
- Monitor speed and driver behavior, ensuring adherence to company standards and limiting the number of accidents
- Better monitor vehicle health, such as knowing exactly when to schedule maintenance, making vehicles more reliable and safer to drive
- Respond quicker to breakdowns, ensuring drivers are not waiting long for help
- Trigger an alert in the case of a stolen vehicle, enabling faster recovery.
Technology as an effective tool for your business
Embracing transportation technology tools can feel intimidating, but they can actually help evolve your business by:
- Delivering better insight into driver behavior, time of arrival of products or services, and vehicle location
- Providing the information you need at any given moment, allowing you to pivot to address any issues and make informed decisions using real-time data
Ensuring your vehicles’ operations are running smoothly, efficiently, and safely—at all times.
Satrack: Industry Experts Who Can Help
Satrack knows technology—but we also know how to integrate that technology easily and effectively into your business. Our staff of industry experts can help you every step of the way, from the initial device installation to maximizing how the device can best work for your business. Satrack’s experience and international presence are the perfect combo for companies needing greater visibility and support to successfully manage their vehicles and positively impact their bottom line.
By choosing Satrack, you gain:
- Excellent customer service built on serving 40,000 customers over 27 years
- Actual hands-on support from industry experts when you need it
- Access to the tools and information you need to save money, make better, more informed decisions, and ultimately streamline your transportation operations.
Contact Satrack today to get a free demo.
Learn more about how Satrack can help smaller field service fleets optimize operations, improve driver behaviors and lower risk, deliver services on time, and reduce operating costs. Click here to schedule a call!
Business owners with small fleets using staff drivers wear many hats and face unique challenges. Adding a fleet management platform frees busy business owners to focus on daily operations while improving fleet efficiency.
Operating a small business that performs services at a home or jobsite comes with challenges. Company owners and operators have a business to run, customers to service, employees to supervise, and a fleet of vehicles to manage.
They juggle countless tasks and manage many moving parts, including monitoring and scheduling vehicle maintenance, improving driving behaviors and safety, and keeping accurate records.
Whether you operate a landscaping operation with one truck or an HVAC company with 20 service vans, your fleet can benefit from fleet management tools. The right platform helps businesses leverage their data to make informed decisions about drivers and vehicles that directly affect their success and bottom lines
What is Fleet Management?
Before adding a fleet management platform to your operation, it’s important to define fleet management.
Fleet management refers to actions that help a fleet operate efficiently, on time, and within budget. These actions can include tracking fleet activities, driver dispatch and routing, route management, vehicle record keeping, monitoring driver behaviors, and service and repairs. The actions converge to help companies ensure compliance, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
Benefits of Fleet Management for Small Service Fleets
Even fleets driving passengers to the airport, operating food trucks selling food downtown, or dispatching technicians to repair household plumbing can benefit from fleet management tools. There are numerous advantages to improving fleet management through improved data management and GPS tracking.
There’s a misconception, though, that fleet management platforms only work for large fleets. While many companies design tools for maximum-sized fleets, platforms, such as Satrack’s fleet management platform, pair well with field service fleets too. These tools deliver a host of benefits for service fleets of one or more vehicles. The advantages include:
Access to Real-Time Information:
Fleet management keeps you informed. Without a platform to manage your fleet, you may not know where drivers are or how they are doing unless you contact them directly.
Fleet management platforms let you see driver and vehicle location in real time. They also provide data on speed, routes, time spent at each location, and fuel usage. These tools pinpoint driver locations when service requests come in so you can dispatch the closest driver to the customer’s location. The success of your business is tied to on-time arrivals and exemplary service. You can’t have one without the other. Fleet management software lets small businesses track on-time arrivals along scheduled routes or stops. Business managers know when vehicles arrive late, linger too long, or show up at unapproved locations.
Improved Safety:
Fleet management also improves safety, a top concern when employees, rather than professional drivers, use company cars to drive to customers’ homes or job
sites. When you monitor driver behavior, you can use data on excessive speeds or hard braking to correct and improve employee actions on the road. Improving safety can reduce accidents and save lives. U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS’) data cites motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of work-related deaths in the United States. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers incurred 1,005 fatal occupational injuries in 2019, the highest since BLS began tracking these stats in 2003. And work-related crashes represent 18.8% of work-related deaths.
Now consider that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 94-96% of all motor vehicle crashes involve human error. And, that as early as 2015, research revealed when fleets combine data on how drivers behave on the road with training designed to correct unsafe behaviors, they can reduce accidents by up to 50%.
Benefits of Fleet Management for Small Service Fleets
Financial Protection:
Improving driver behavior also protects the bottom line. Crashes cost employers millions a year. The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety finds on-the-job highway crashes cost employers:
- $26,081 per crash (includes property damage only,
injury, and fatal crashes); - $66,119 per million vehicle-miles of travel
(M VMT); and, - $78,418 per injury.
Operational Insight:
Fleet management gives insight into operations and activities. You can see how your fleet performs and identify possible improvements, then incorporate these recommendations into your operations.
Fleet management platforms can monitor vehicle speed, idle times, and routes to see where drivers waste fuel. Fuel use represents 60% of a fleet’s total operating costs, thus fuel waste puts a huge dent in fleet budgets. When companies combine knowledge of where they waste fuel with a driver training program
and policies designed to reduce fuel waste, they can slash fuel costs.
Argonne National Laboratory research finds a compact sedan uses 0.16 gallons of non-diesel fuel per hour of idling with no load. AAA now puts the average fuel price at $3.19 per gallon. If a five-vehicle fleet idles five hours a day every day of the year, that adds up to $1,164 at today’s fuel costs. Now imagine if you have 20, 50 or even 100 vehicles. The cost of idling packs a hefty price tag when drivers spend a lot of time behind the wheel.
Better Maintenance:
Fleet management improves fleet maintenance. Vehicle maintenance is a significant factor in total cost of ownership (TCO). While you may not be able to
control maintenance costs, you can regulate maintenance quality and consistency.
A fleet management platform can ensure fleet vehicles receive regular and effective maintenance. Knowing what maintenance vehicles need and being able to predict when they need it, lets you schedule maintenance around business operations. It also keeps every vehicle in your fleet in peak condition to reduce unplanned downtime. Further, data collected on vehicle maintenance trends casts a spotlight on premature wear and tear and helps plan your next vehicle purchase.
Enhanced Record Keeping:
Managing a fleet demands detailed record keeping. When fleet management is not your sole job, these records can fall through the cracks. Using a fleet management platform keeps all records in one place and issues reminders as updates are needed. A fleet management platform provides a central location to house copies of driver’s licenses and vehicle registration information. Organizing records systematically helps operations comply with state and federal laws.
The Satrack Advantage
Satrack Fleet Management Tracking Technology simplifies organizing and optimizing fleet operations. Our tools help business fleets view and control many
moving pieces. Fleet managers can access the location of company vehicles and drivers, know who is driving, see how the vehicle is being driven, and receive vehicle diagnostic data in real time.
Optimizing fleet operations involves making sense of your data. Satrack partners with service fleets to optimize operations. The company develops day-to-day reporting structures and custom features to provide tools that smaller service fleets will use. For instance, if you pay drivers by miles or by hours of operation, the system will track this data to aid payroll services.
Managers can access over 50 reports already in the system or develop customized reports about fleet operations. Business owners can view reports in a web portal or download them as a PDF or Excel document. They also can use the system’s scheduling tool to send reports automatically to their inbox on a desired frequency.
They also can set the Satrack system to trigger alerts when data meets specific parameters. For instance, they might receive an alert when a delivery takes too long, or a vehicle idles longer than it should. All alerts go to the system’s main screen. There’s no scrolling through screen after screen to locate the information you need. Satrack tools allow managers to track and identify driving habits among employees operating company vehicles. Managers can observe when drivers are (or are not) working and view unauthorized stops or route changes. They can identify trends in driving habits such as speeding, harsh accelerations, or lengthy idle times to reduce fuel use, boost performance, and improve safety.
Satrack’s driver ID solution allows you to monitor the driver’s journey data when they switch between various vehicles. It encourages drivers to be more responsible and accountable for their driving behavior, resulting in safer and more cost-effective driving. Further, Satrack provides vehicle diagnostic data in real time to help fleet managers get a handle on vehicle health and proactively schedule service. Whether your business installs Internet services, repairs household appliances, or landscapes around new buildings, you can benefit from fleet management tracking and technology. This technology can optimize fleet operations to meet customer needs, keep employees safe, protect company assets from damage, and save money.
Learn more about how Satrack can help smaller field service fleets optimize operations, improve driver behaviors and lower risk, deliver services on time, and reduce operating costs. Click here to schedule a call!
Tracking technology is all about optimizing the efficiency of your business. There are many benefits to equipping your vehicles with GPS tracking devices, but by far one of the most interesting is the savings you can make with regard to fuel consumption. Fuel accounts for around 30% of your total operating costs when you manage a business dependent of vehicles, so it is only natural that managers are looking to save in this area of their business’ expenses.
Many companies across the country are turning to GPS tracking software to save money on fuel in their business. The return on investment (ROI) with a GPS tracking system makes the investment well worth it. GPS tracking uses a fuel sensor to monitor the usage of fuel in real time, allowing you to make adjustments where necessary and reduce your overall fuel consumption over time.
Decreased Fuel Consumption
For any business that uses vehicles on its operation, fuel consumption is one of the biggest expenses after payroll. Therefore, it is understandable that companies want to monitor their fuel usage and see where they can reduce it. Vehicle management systems allow us to do just this, potentially saving us thousands of dollars every year.
The use of GPS tracking devices is not just for larger businesses. Even companies with one or two vehicles can reap the benefits of vehicle tracking systems. Here are some of the ways GPS tracking systems can help you reduce your company’s’ fuel consumption, saving you money at the same time as saving the planet:
Reports
One of the highlights of installing a GPS tracking system is that these can generate a series of reports. Within these, you can find information about driver operations, inefficiencies, and driver safety concerns. Not only this, but you can print or download them as PDFs or spreadsheets, providing you with tangible material to make changes that can save your business a lot of time.
Customize a geofence and receive alerts when a vehicle enters or exits your digitally prescribed boundary, so you know where your vehicles are and when. These systems also help you to discover unauthorized vehicle use, so you can cut out any undesired behaviors and analyze where your vehicles are doing right, to further incentivize your drivers.
Turn Off the Engine
Another way that GPS tracking technology helps you to economize on fuel is by alerting the driver and the system when the vehicle is idling, allowing us to bring this bad habit to light and work to break it. Idling uses up to half a gallon of fuel per hour.
While most drivers will turn off the engine when still for longer periods of time, GPS technology can flag when drivers are idling for minutes, prompting them to switch off the engine even for short intervals – over the course of time, this fuel-conscious habit can help increase savings, reduce outgoings on maintenance and is a sure win for the sustainability movement.
GPS tracking software can highlight how often drivers idle their vehicles so you can see where the numbers are adding up. The software collects and provides data which you can use to train your drivers in conscientious habits, such as turning off the engine when idle for any length of time. It is a myth that turning off and restarting the engine uses more fuel – just thirty seconds of idling uses more fuel than stopping and restarting.
Put The Brakes on Hard Braking
Gas mileage can be improved by as much as 10% when hard braking is avoided. Aggressive driving habits lead to more fuel consumption and cost small businesses money. The way GPS tracking software counteracts this is by registering the behaviors of your drivers, pinging the system when drivers accelerate quickly or brake abruptly.
It can’t always be avoided, of course. But when the system flags harsh braking as a regular occurrence rather than a necessity, it is an opportunity for small businesses to take the data accrued by their GPS tracking system and turn it into a learning point for their team. Not only can you save your company money on fuel consumption, but you also reduce the risk of rear-end collisions, so often caused by sudden braking.
Take it Slow
The nature of GPS tracking software is more than keeping tags on drivers, it is a way to essentially be in the vehicle with them and monitor safe and efficient driving behaviors. With regard to speed, fuel efficiency doesn’t really even begin until you reach speeds of around 60 mph, at which point you are already driving at the optimal speed for fuel economy.
How smoothly you drive affects fuel consumption much more than speed itself – constant acceleration and deceleration is a lot more draining on your fuel consumption than driving consistently at 70mph. GPS tracking devices allow you to oversee the speeds at which your team drives, and intervene if necessary.
With tracking technology, the speed at which your drivers work is recorded on the customized reports, so you can see over time how this is affecting your overall fuel economy.
Save Fuel, Save Dollars
GPS tracking software grants small business owners the possibility to monitor the driving habits of their teams, however small. By planning routes more efficiently and registering the driving behaviors of your team, you can save thousands of dollars per year – much more than the initial investment required to equip your fleet with the technology.
Aside from GPS tracking, remember to carry out regular maintenance on your vehicles to ensure they are in optimum conditions for fuel economization – badly-inflated tires and suboptimal air-conditioning units are regular culprits for unnecessary loss of fuel.
Additionally, using the wrong engine oil, and poor fuel quality can also have an impact on fuel consumption, so it is wise to be aware of your purchasing choices in this regard. As GPS tracking technology advances, more and more alerts are becoming available to ensure we use our vehicles correctly and economize on fuel, helping us, as small businesses, reduce one of our biggest overheads – fuel consumption.
Learn more about how Satrack can help smaller field service fleets optimize operations, improve driver behaviors and lower risk, deliver services on time, and reduce operating costs. Click here to schedule a call!
Sources:
https://www.fleetowner.com/technology/article/21684303/fleets-online-effective-routing
https://blog.bigroad.com/blog/3-operating-costs-to-track-while-maintaining-your-fleet#:~:text=Fuel%20takes%20up%2030%25%20of%20your%20total%20fleet%20operating%20costs.&text=This%20is%20a%20major%20outgoing,keep%20an%20eye%20on%20it.
https://scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/Library/CR-010109.pdf
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/6-myths-about-gas-mileage/
https://vocal.media/journal/top-9-industries-that-use-gps-tracking
https://www.tyrepower.com.au/news/how-does-tyre-pressure-influence-your-fuel-economy#:~:text=Under%20inflated%20tyres%20increase%20your%20vehicle’s%20drag%2C%20which%20increases%20fuel%20consumption.&text=With%20tyre%20pressure%20at%2040
There are currently 1,305,155 delivery drivers in the USA, serving our communities daily. Logistics companies, trucking and transportation companies and delivery companies including landscaping businesses, flower shops, bakeries, plumbing firms, all depend on an effective fleet of vehicles in order to keep business running as usual. With such a demand for delivery drivers across many sectors, there is an important demographic whose health and safety cannot and should not be ignored.
Road Safety
With over a million delivery drivers hitting the streets daily, and more so since the onset of the pandemic, heavy traffic has become inevitable. Motorists must take precautions to ensure they are keeping not only themselves safe on the road, but also other road-users, including pedestrians.
GPS tracking technology can encourage drivers and employers to abide by restrictions that are put in place to protect road-users. Fatigued driving is a main cause of traffic accidents. In fact, one startling statistic claims that 6,400 people died annually in crashes where drowsy driving was the cause, according to the National Sleep Foundation. GPS tracking can ensure drivers take breaks to rest when necessary, impacting the health of drivers positively.
Those restrictions are as follows: The FMCSA states that drivers must take a 30-minute break by law when they have been driving for eight consecutive hours. Without such a break, as a bare minimum, drivers are prone to cognitive impairment which can affect their health, and that of other road-users.
Cognitive impairment is a combination of reduced coordination, judgment, and reaction times, and is a principal cause of fatalities on US roads. But how can we help reduce these figures? The answer is, of course, technology. GPS tracking software has become more than a means of keeping tags on drivers – it is now a necessity that ensures the safety of all road-users, especially our drivers.
How GPS Tracking Works
The GPS tracking device sends real-time information through the cellular network which can then be analyzed by servers, so you can see the location, driving habits, and speed at which a driver is traveling at any given time. Some of these devices are professionally installed in the vehicle, some are plug and play, and others can be set up via a mobile app.
By tracking driving habits, incentives can be offered to more responsible drivers thus motivating them. Additionally, companies can use the information obtained through the GPS tracking software to develop education and training programs, to further incentivize their drivers to act diligently on the roads.
How GPS Fleet Tracking Benefits the Health of Drivers
A common misconception about GPS tracking software is that companies use it to keep tabs on their drivers and to catch them out. Companies based on trust and those who look after their teams, find this belief outdated, and instead use GPS tracking in a way that positively affects drivers’ health and wellbeing.
- GPS tracking allows us to know the whereabouts of our drivers. If they get lost, the tracker can inform us of their location and assist them more effectively. In the worst-case scenario, if there is an accident, the software indicates the exact location of our drivers in order to provide emergency care in the shortest time possible. GPS tracking has the potential to be life-saving.
- GPS tracking also ensures drivers take the breaks they need to drive in optimal conditions and avoid cognitive impairment – one of the leading causes of traffic accidents in the US.
- GPS software helps alleviate some of the stress that drivers feel, whether it’s through pressure to find and arrive at a certain location at a predetermined time, or avoiding traffic jams. This technology enables drivers to plan their route more conveniently and reduces the levels of stress that come hand-in-hand with driving jobs.
Stress, and more importantly, repeated stress episodes, are known to contribute to more serious and adverse health problems if left ignored – it can cause and worsen cancer, heart diseases, hypertension, aging, depression, fatigue and rage.
Based on the assumption that drivers are where they are supposed to be, when they are supposed to be, GPS software gives them an additional tool to reduce stress – it proves that they are where they say they are, minimizing the occurrence of disputes between drivers and customers.
Why GPS Fleet Tracking Benefits All Road-Users
GPS Fleet Tracking not only positively impacts the health and wellbeing of our drivers – optimal working conditions can greatly alleviate symptoms of stress – but also fleet management software can reduce the overall risk of traffic-related accidents.
As it stands, you are three times more likely to be involved in a traffic accident when you are fatigued. This alarming statistic brings to light the importance of diligent driving, because of the effects not only on the driver but on other road-users. GPS fleet tracking software can assist in lowering this figure, as drivers are obliged to take necessary breaks and stick within the rules for the number of hours they can drive.
How Your Small Business Can Benefit From GPS Fleet Tracking
By providing your fleet with software that improves the mental and physical health of drivers, you can ensure a better service from well-rested, well-cared for employees. In turn, a more effective service means happier customers, which is good for business.
The added benefits of improved communication can save your business valuable time and money – you know at the click of a button where your drivers are. Add to that the ease of route planning, which means your driver gets to their destination faster, all the while with less stress on the driver themselves.
GPS Technology – A Step Forward For The Health of Drivers
The clear advantage to bestowing your fleet with GPS tracking software lies in the health and safety of road-users. Our drivers are the pillar of our companies, without them, there is nobody to supply our customers, so it is paramount we have their best interest at heart.
GPS software is often leveraged for route planning and orienteering, but the health and wellbeing of our employees are also enhanced, as the data collected from GPS tracking technology ensures we comply with government specifications for road safety. This is why GPS fleet tracking is raising the bar in the delivery world.
Learn more about how Satrack can help smaller field service fleets optimize operations, improve driver behaviors and lower risk, deliver services on time, and reduce operating costs. Click here to schedule a call!
Sources:
- https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations#:~:text=Drivers%20must%20take%20a%2030,combination%20of%20these%20taken%20consecutively).
- https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/fatigued-driving#:~:text=The%20National%20Highway%20Traffic%20Safety,fatalities%20and%20about%2050%2C000%20injuries.&text=The%20researchers%20suggest%20the%20prevalence,than%20350%25%20greater%20than%20reported.
- https://www.zippia.com/delivery-driver-jobs/demographics/
- https://www.acorninsure.co.uk/health-and-safety-for-delivery-drivers/
For transport and / or logistics companies, in addition to human resources, the fleet of vehicles is one of the most important assets and managing it appropriately allows greater agility for those who are responsible for it, as well as greater customer satisfaction and, therefore, more business profitability. These 5 keys to optimizing your fleet contribute to the care and management of the vehicles:
- Review the positioning data of the vehicles: know where, when, how long and how often the vehicles are used, helps to have control of the distances traveled, duration of trips, routes, points visited, etc.
- Control and reduce vehicle downtime: keep track of maintenance schedule needed for vehicles, reduce the cost of repairs and prevent them from being out of service. Likewise, having the a of preventive maintenance can increase the useful life of the vehicle.
- Pay attention to the programming of routes: have on the radar the different routes that can lead to the same destination, as well as the conditions of the same and if they adapt to different types of vehicles, this will help facilitate and streamline the collection processes and deliveries.
- Manage driving habits: drivers are the fundamental basis of the transport process, so knowing their behavior behind the wheel through monitoring systems and working in an almost personalized way with them from, will almost guarantee the saftey not only of the vehicle but also of the drivers.
- Review reports and make decisions from the data: systems such as tracking, generate reports from the vehicle monitoring, downloading this information and reviewing it frewquently provides the bases you need to make decisions about how to administrate the fleet.
Learn more about how to optimize your fleet performance with Satrack services!
A general contractor can help you to do everything from build a fence to renovate your home. Regardless of whether you need a contractor for help with a larger or smaller home repair or improvement project, you may be looking for a professional who will do quality work for a great price. If you are looking for a general contractor to work with, you can narrow down your options by focusing on a few key points.
License and Insurance
In most areas, general contractors are required to be licensed, and they may display their license number on their website. You can check with your state licensing board to ensure that they are in good standing. In addition, inquire about the liability insurance that they carry, and ensure that the policy is active. This will minimize the likelihood that you have to contend with shoddy work or that you may face a liability issue yourself if a worker is injured on your property.
Great Reviews
There are numerous online review website that you can use to research contractors. In addition to looking at how many stars or points they have, read the individual reviews. If you notice a trend in the reviews, such as several reviews that attest to slow or sloppy work, you may assume that this may be the same experience you would have as well. However, avoid making a decision based on just one or two negative reviews.
Good Customer Service
You should also pay attention to how the company treats you as a customer. When you are setting up your appointment for a consultation and waiting to receive a written estimate from them, do they return your calls promptly? Are they courteous and honest? If you do not receive good service up-front, you may expect the same low level of service to continue on throughout the renovation or improvement process.
There may be dozens of contractors in your area vying for your business, but you understandably want to work with a top professional who charges a great rate. By interviewing the contractors and doing your own research, you can make a more informed decision about which contractor to choose.
If you worry about where your employees are traveling in company vehicles, or simply want to track where your vehicles are, now may be the time to install a global positioning system (GPS) on those vehicles. With a GPS vehicle tracker, you can accurately track company cars or trucks. State-of-the art GPS services allow you to log in and view current location from any web-enabled computer or cell phone. Some systems also allow the setting of online geographic boundaries. Vehicles that cross a boundary trigger an instant violation alert.
The chief advantage of a GPS vehicle tracker is the ability to allow management to track the location of company cars and the employees driving them at all times. When a customer calls about a scheduled delivery, you can easily advise the customer of the estimated arrival time—without having to call the employee en route. Inappropriate use of company vehicles (e.g. for personal reasons) can also be easily discovered through GPS.
GPS vehicle trackers also encourage more efficient use of company cars. When employees know that their mileage and even driving habits is being monitored, they tend to be more careful in company vehicle use. Employees who understand that the GPS will result in improved efficiency, profitability, and on-the-job safety are much more likely to view the new company vehicle policy as a good thing.
The end result is bottom line savings, which can easily offset the investment made in GPS equipment and installation.
GPS systems are also extremely helpful when drivers become hurt, stranded, or lost. In addition, companies can guide the employee quickly and directly to hard-to-find locations, saving time and fuel and if the fleet management is significant in your business, the savings and efficiency achieved are likely to be well worth the investment.
Fleet tracking software is widely used in big and small businesses. This is because it has a multitude of benefits for all sorts of businesses. Installing fleet tracking can reduce fuel costs, increase safety and allow businesses to offer better customer service. While it may seem like a high upfront cost, fleet tracking software is an investment for the future of your business.
By using a fleet tracking software, you can reduce the fuel costs to your business. Reducing these costs comes in a number of ways. Fleet tracking allows for less idling and less speeding, both of which can add up in terms of fuel costs.
Safety in businesses with fleets can be difficult. However, using fleet tracking software can help. This software can give you the means to supervise your trucks and your drivers. Inventory management and unauthorized truck usage are easier to manage with the installation of tracking software. Employee accountability becomes a bigger part of your business.
Every business should be looking for a better way to offer improved customer service. Business is won and lost on this basis, something that fleet tracking software can help you with. You can increase the number of service calls, or deliveries, with better route guidance, more employee accountability and reduced fuel costs. This software also provides you with a wealth of information which allows you to keep customers, and drivers, better informed to provide a higher caliber of service.
Installing fleet tracking software can improve a business’s productivity while decreasing costs. The benefits to such software includes more, detailed information which will allow you to make better decisions for your business. Lowered fuel costs and higher employee accountability can pay for the installation of fleet tracking software quickly enough to make it a sound business strategy. And what you’ll save over time will make you want to install it sooner rather than later.
If you run a grocery store you know how difficult the industry can be. Margins are low, food products have a limited shelf life and the cost of getting produce from the farm to the shelves is high.
GPS fleet tracking software can address all of those issues, lowering your costs, making your operation more efficient and potentially boosting your profit margin. Here are a few of the many benefits GPS fleet tracking software can bring to your grocery store operation.
- Increased freshness of produce – Fresh produce is a major selling point for grocery stores, but it is one of the hardest product lines to manage. Fleet tracking software helps company managers track the time from field to store – bringing customers fresher and more delicious produce every day.
- Better labor utilization – Driving a truck is a valuable skill, and an expensive one. GPS fleet tracking software makes it easier for managers to track their drivers and optimize the time they spend on the road.
- Ease of use – Some fleet tracking systems proved too difficult and cumbersome to use, but GPS fleet tracking software is intuitive and easy to use.
- Simple location of assets – Installing GPS fleet management software on company vehicles makes them easier to locate if they are lost or stolen.
- Increased safety – Grocery trucks and delivery vans often operate in congested urban areas. GPS fleet tracking software allows managers to develop better routes and improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and vehicles.
- Lower costs – Grocery stores operate on notoriously thin margins, so every penny saved makes a huge difference. GPS fleet tracking software lowers costs in a myriad of different ways, from better labor cost management and lower fuel costs to smarter trip routing and lower insurance premiums.
Nothing can make running a grocery store chain simple, but having the right technology in place can make it easier. If you have never considered a GPS fleet tracking software solution for your company, now might be the time.
