Productivity
In the previously mentioned Bobit survey , 59 per cent of fleets said productivity was a major benefit of implementing telematics — just ahead of decreased fuel consumption . Overall , 92 per cent of respondents said telematics had a positive impact on their fleet .
So how can telematics help improve your fleet ’ s productivity ? Well for a start proper data analysis can help streamline your vehicle maintenance program , automatically keep track of your fuel and vehicle spends and provide real-time data to know where your vehicles are at all times .
The trick is making sure you are finding and using the right information – so customise your reports to prioritise things that are under performing . It ’ s less important to look at things that are already going well within your operations , so focus your efforts on areas that are not quite up to par .
What about smaller fleets ?
For fleets on the smaller side ( fleets with 5-50 vehicles ), making a targeted effort to get the most telematics feature that you can afford can still result in large gains .
In very small organisations the role of fleet manager will likely not be a fulltime position but rather a part-time responsibility for someone within the accounting or operations departments . In instances like this there will be a tension of wanting to introduce telematics to drive improvements in the fleet but likely having a very small budget to work with .
Tips for organisations on the small side would be looking for telematics solutions that let you build your own package to only include the critical features you need , as well as certain flexibility to change your services as your business needs change . The bottom line though is ROI – if you do your research and find that telematics will save you money in the long term , then it ’ s time to take the plunge .
The final word
There is no point installing any form of telematics without having access to important data of what is happening inside your vehicles . When selecting a provider make sure to choose one that provides you with access to the right tools and information that you require .
Consider your own unique needs and shop around to find the solution that works not only for now but for the future . Ideally you want a solution that also has the capability to grow or downsize in line with your future business goals and objectives .
The information that follows provides you with 7 key tips to successfully implement a new telematics solution into your fleet operations .
6 ISSUE 30 AUGUST 2021 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU