At the end of 2020, the NTSB supported the use of fleet management software in their October webinar.
The leading reason was an attitude that many operators have. What is that attitude? “Crashes are part of the job” and “the cost of doing business” the NTSB said.
However, the NTSB and surely those involved in the 4,630 fatal bus and truck crashes in 2018 would disagree. How can you make safety a priority in your commercial fleet and even save money doing it? With an asset tracking and fleet management solution from a leading provider like Digital Matter, fleet managers have more options available to them than ever before in protecting employees, reducing maintenance costs, and mitigating property damage.
Keep reading to see the top five benefits of using fleet management software today.
Table of Contents
1. Increase Customer Satisfaction
No matter if you’re selling a service or delivering goods, being on time and looking good is your customer’s basic requirement. Fleet management software helps you keep your vehicles in good repair and getting to your destination at the right time.
Fleet management helps you to optimize your route, give accurate ETAs, and even reduce delivery errors.
Happier customers save you on refunds or discounts on future service, as well as contributing as a major driver of new business. In short, you want happy customers that continue to return — not a one-time invoice.
2. Big Data: The Internet of Things
Vehicles are more connected to the internet than ever before. Even if the fleet is only a few vehicles, getting data and analyzing it is an essential fleet management process. You’ll collect data on a number of points such as:
- Location
- Fuel consumption
- Vehicle maintenance and repair
- Safety incidents and driver behavior
- Communication
- Delivery times
We are in an age where sensors are not just collecting information in the car’s internal computer, but allowing that information to freely flow on your network.
Odometer readings, rest breaks, delivery times, logbooks, and more are being supplied by sensors. It also helps your maintenance crew monitor vehicles in real-time.
3. Machine Learning and Automation
All these data points churn out a lot of data to analyze. Not all of it needs to be monitored at every moment and much of it is meaningless without the context of the flow of time.
AI even helps to optimize a route to avoid or bypass deliveries that would cost time or gas sitting in peak traffic hours. In this way, your fleet will learn with every service call and every delivery.
Machine learning can help optimize routes with predictive ETAs and more. AI also helps to manage the flow of data into an easy-to-read and understand format.
4. Reduce Costs Over Time
One of the biggest reductions in cost over time that a fleet management system can provide is helping to manage fuel consumption. Have a look at what fueling management systems, along with fleet management can provide.
Why is there so much concern about fuel management in your fleet? If you’re optimizing your route and reducing driven miles, you aren’t only optimizing your time. Since 24% of your costs are going to fuel, on average, you’re also optimizing your expenditures.
5. Enhanced Driver Behavior
By reminding drivers to take scheduled breaks and drive more safely there’s less risk of safety incidents.
A happier, safer driver equals a happy customer. You can even reward good driving behavior with gamification and badges. Instead of imposing, bare, passive KPIs, drivers can interact with their performance in an encouraging and uplifting way.
It also helps drivers manage their drive times with real-time lane monitoring and route suggestions.
Five Top Benefits of Fleet Management Software
Fleet management software is not intended as a 1984, big brother monitoring system. Yes, it does record and store data on driving behavior and includes automated reporting.
However, the data isn’t to peer into our private lives, it’s to ensure we continue to have lives and live them well.
Want to learn more about road safety and what you can do as a commercial fleet to contribute? Keep browsing to find out more!