Historically, fleet operators had to rely on manual processes to manage mobile operations. Schedules written on whiteboards and lengthy phone conversations with lost drivers were once common-place, usually time-consuming and often prone to inaccuracies that would spark arguments with staff and suppliers alike.
Today, organisations can use vehicle tracking to produce telematics data that negates the majority of these issues. In addition to improved accuracy and automation of manual tasks such as driver timesheets, vehicle tracking also enables organisations to:
- Reduce operational costs
- Improve driver behaviour
- Increase customer satisfaction
- Lower CO2 emissions
- Optimise business efficiency
All of these benefits are fantastic for fleet managers, however, without proof of its ROI, it can be difficult to convince those in finance to approve its installation. To demonstrate the true impact of vehicle tracking, Masternaut conducted a survey on 10,000 customer vehicles. Amid marked reductions in CO2 emissions, the results also displayed that vehicles fitted with their tracking devices helped customers save, on average, £660 per vehicle, per year.
Here are three more ways that organisations use vehicle tracking to improve operations.
1. Improve fuel efficiency
Many organisations use vehicle tracking to reduce fuel costs. Monitoring accurate fuel consumption and wasteful activity on the road such as speeding and idling enables fleet operators to identify opportunities for saving fuel. When combined with data analysis about the types of vehicles being used and for which purposes, data about fuel consumption can also help drive recommendations about improving fleet efficiency, whether by changing vehicles or setting benchmarks against company objectives.
2. Limit vehicle downtime
Unexpected vehicle downtime is always costly to any fleet-led organisation. However, with telematics in place, it is possible to monitor maintenance data remotely. From engine faults to service warning lights, fleet managers can be notified about any issues as they occur, enabling them to take action before it leads to time spent off the road. By keeping up with regular servicing and vehicle faults, businesses can limit any disruption to daily operations.
3. Improve road safety
Professional drivers have a 30-40% higher incident rate than private drivers. Though the majority of drivers would swear that they drive safely, the truth is that people are prone to speeding, sharp cornering and harsh acceleration—all of which can lead to accidents on the road. Thankfully, tools such as Masternaut’s in-cab coach can help retrain bad practice behind the wheel by providing instant auditory and visual feedback every time a harsh event or maneuver occurs. The in-cab feedback technology has been proven to reduce speeding by over 50% in a study of 9,000 vehicles.
With telematics solutions becoming commonplace, it is easy for other business users—like finance and HR—to utilise the data generated to improve processes and keep employees safe.
