Do you own and operate a fleet of vehicles for your business? Perhaps you run a taxi company, a plumbing service, a ride sharing service, or you offer mobile services like car repair, dog grooming, or firewood delivery. Whatever services you provide, if you’re operating a fleet of vehicles, you need fleet management software.
When you have multiple company vehicles, there are too many details to keep track of manually. Forgetting some of those details can cause a minor inconvenience, but some oversights can cost you money.
Using the software is the ideal solution, so if you’re still using manual methods, here’s why you should make the switch.
1. You’ll save money on parts and repairs
At some point, your vehicles will need repairs and maintenance, but that doesn’t mean you have to pay for all of those repairs. If your vehicles are under warranty, you’ll save money by submitting claims.
There’s no reason for you to pay for parts and repairs that are covered by a warranty. However, it’s hard to keep track of what’s under warranty for one vehicle, let alone multiple vehicles. Cetaris explains that fleet management software will help you track your warranties for your entire fleet.
In addition to saving money on repairs, by using software, you’ll be able to manage your parts inventory so your capital isn’t tied up in unused parts. With software, you’ll identify your warrantable opportunities, reduce unnecessary inventory, and the system will even help you maintain the right amount of parts on hand. All of this will contribute to major cost savings for your business.
2. You’ll improve productivity among all teams
How efficient are your teams? Do they meet productivity goals easily? If your teams struggle to meet goals, lack direction and motivation, or don’t have a well-defined workflow, that lack of productivity is costing you money. This applies to your repair technicians and your boots on the ground.
Running fleet management software will improve team productivity all around. Your technicians will have an organized workflow and you can create standardization for your repair process that includes checking for warranties. The other big benefit is that the system can assign tasks to your techs based on skillset, and ensure there is no unnecessary downtime.
3. Fleet management software provides deep insight
You can only gain so much insight using manual methods. When you use fleet management software, you’ll gain deep insight into what’s going on with your business.
For example, when you track your gas consumption, you’ll get insight into how often your workers are fueling up, which will help you identify potential fuel misuse. The system will also tell you what your MPG is, which will tell you if any of your vehicles might have an issue causing it to consume too much fuel.
Another detail you’ll gain insight into is how your tires are performing. Tires play a critical role in your cost-per-mile, and it’s worth buying high-quality tires. However, if you don’t know which tires are the best, you’ll find out when you track your tire repair, rotation, and replacement with fleet management software. Once you know which tires perform better, you’ll know which tires are ideal.
4. Track your vehicle locations
One of the most convenient features of fleet management software is the ability to track your vehicles with GPS. You may not need to know exactly where your vehicles are at all times, but it will come in handy at some point. For instance, you might need to send a tow truck out and give them an exact location on a long stretch of highway with no landscape markers.
You also might want to implement a customer tracking system on your website so people can track their deliveries or see when they can expect your driver to arrive. This type of service has become more common and has been implemented by several major delivery services in the United States.
5. Ensure driver safety
When software is connected to your vehicle fleet, you can analyze your drivers’ behavior to ensure they’re driving safely. Sensors can be fitted onto the vehicle in various locations to register how your drivers are applying the brakes, how fast they’re driving, and more.
Fleet management software will help your ROI
The bottom line is that using fleet management software supports your ROI in many ways. On one hand, this software will keep your drivers safe and your technicians busy. On the other hand, this software will keep your business more profitable, and all of these benefits contribute to a stronger ROI.
