How To Get Even More From Your GPS Fleet Management System

A telematics system, also known as a GPS fleet management system or GPS vehicle tracking system, is a rapidly growing technology that has evolved significantly in the past decade. Evidence of companies reducing costs, eliminating inefficiencies and locating lost equipment are making telematics an attractive investment for business owners.

Years ago, telematics gave fleet managers the ability to locate a vehicle. Today, fleet managers expect much more from the technology. To this end, the solutions now come equipped with a multitude of capabilities, such as remote vehicle tracking, routing/driver productivity tools, fuel usage, tools to monitor driver behaviour etcetera.

Australian businesses are increasingly looking to telematics to reduce their overheads and enhance their operations via GPS that sends comprehensive datasets over wireless networks. While the load of information businesses receive from their GPS fleet management systemis invaluable, many don't know how to get the most out of their telematics investment in order to improve efficiency in their fleet operations. Having access to more data is great, but if you don't have a plan to leverage it, the information is just noise.

Sources of telematics data

There are two basic methods for reviewing telematics data: alerts and reports. Alerts notify the fleet manager when an incident occurs or a threshold has been exceeded. Reports on the other hand, usually contain more detailed information. Depending on your needs, one of these may be more useful than the other, but it is likely that you will want a combination of both.

Many businesses like the alerts features with their GPS fleet management system because once you've set them, you don't need to worry about them anymore. It will push notifications to alert you of the incidents in real time. For example, a telematics system may send you an email to alert you of unauthorised use of vehicles outside of normal working hours or when a company vehicle is being driven at an excessive speed. Alerts can also be set up in your business software systems to flag when maintenance schedules are due.

While alerts come in handy, the real value of a good telematics system lies in the reports the system is able to generate. Telematics reporting is useful to leverage trends or eliminate bottlenecks to efficiency and productivity. The ideal fleet management system should give you standard reports but also allow you the flexibility to customise reports based on your business needs. Fleet managers use telematics reporting to review historical trends and analyse data so they can make the necessary changes in their operations.

Of course all this can generate a lot of data. Making sense of all that information is also where telematics providers play a role.

Making the most of the investment

You can use your telematics system to improve customer service and operational efficiency. For example, the technology allows you to look at customer-specific data and shipment information so you can anticipate the pickup and delivery costs at each stop.? A telematics system makes such information available and in real-time. It's all about integration - making the data accessible to all the systems that touch fleet management: the payroll, the routing, the dispatching as well as the maintenance. Businesses are after a telematics solution where everything is integrated in a way that makes it all smarter and easier to use. That integration and making sure you're using the generated data is the key to getting the most out of your investment.

Telematics companies like Navman Wireless extend this functionality further still. The ultimate goal is to provide you complete visibility into your fleet operations and to make that information readily available to you in real-time, when you want it, wherever you are.

Should you invest in telematics?

If your organisation has clearly defined goals, can make the investment and has resources to review data flows and manage exceptions, the return on investment can be significant. However, before you invest in GPS navigation or GPS tracking systems, you should first consider the requirements of your company to reduce costs and the fleet operating budget and to manage overtime.

Business today is extremely competitive. Profitability requires a keen eye on costs and efficient use of all assets. Telematics offerings will help you bolster fuel economy, improve driver performance, manage maintenance schedules and dispatch vehicles effectively. Those results will lead to reduced cost and better asset utilisation, but you need a plan to leverage this as a point of difference if you really want to shift gears.

ROI of telematics

Businesses today can choose from a wide range of telematics technologies that deliver invaluable benefits. To ensure the best return on investment, you should work with a provider that understands your business requirements and delivers actionable intelligence. Partner with a provider that delivers insight, rather than just data, one that can further the speed at which your business implements operational changes to improve productivity, compliance, safety and customer and driver satisfaction.

To maximise the value of your telematics system, take time to plan your alerts and reports. Identify two or three problem areas that you feel telematics can help you solve. Then consider the staff that will be using the system and what level of analysis or alerting they will need. Once you plan for these factors, you will have a strong foundation for selecting an effective telematics reporting system that can impact your operations.