Nowadays, fleet management has the potential to be ramped up to unprecedented speeds and simplified, yet it can carry much more complex data and realize sophisticated tasks.
Pen-and-paper fleet management methods have become competitively disadvantaged, if not obsolete.
Innovative fleet solutions are a prerequisite for running a successful fleet — their long list of powerful features and benefits attests to this.
If you were contemplating making the jump to fleet software, let this be a solidifying, factual overview of the solution’s advantages to dispel your doubts.
What Traditional Fleet Management Can’t Do - But Fleet Software Can
1. Preventive Maintenance
Not only is an unexpected breakdown an annoying ordeal, but it’s also a costly one.
A trip to the repair shop and replacing parts already dent your budget. On top of that, your vehicle is forced to stay off the road, idling and disrupting operations. Such a scenario is enough to keep fleet managers up at night. But the good news is — it’s preventable.
With the help of fleet management software, you can catch possible breakdowns before they happen and plan preventive maintenance. Such systems allow you to develop a preventive maintenance schedule, a handy tool for minimizing downtime, avoiding breakdowns, and saving on repairs.
Uses data to catch possible breakdowns ahead of time. Schedules.
2. AI Safety Alerts
Fleet software is unraveled in terms of safety enhancement. Innovative predictive AI can detect risky driver behavior or potential collisions and signal real-time notifications.
These systems can reduce driver drowsiness (one of the leading causes of crashes), increase alertness, and allow drivers to self-correct instantly. Driver and asset safety are of top priority, and technology has the powerful potential to protect both.
Not only do these features reduce crashes and injuries, but a good track record on the road also keeps your insurance premiums at bay, resulting in an additional scope of savings.
3. Set up virtual boundaries with geofencing.
Geofencing is unique to fleet software — and you definitely wouldn’t want to miss out on its unique benefits.
Geofencing allows you to create virtual boundaries around specific areas and assign specific conditions to them. If the conditions are violated, the fleet manager will be alerted, and an automatic warning will be issued to the driver.
This technology has highly versatile use cases and applications:
Easy location monitoring and progress evaluation
Using RFID and GPS technology, geofencing eliminates the need to monitor asset location manually. You know precisely in which zone your vehicles are at any point in time, when they left the previous zone, and predict when they are expected to enter the next one — these insights work together to construct a comprehensive view of your fleet’s progress and its current stage in the delivery process.
Designate zones with set speed limits
You can set a condition for a speed limit in a specified zone, like a loading site. If the limit is exceeded, a warning will be issued. You can also limit parts of the route that may require heightened driver attention, like a downhill section.
The benefits of this advanced feature can trickle down to all aspects of your business, including ensuring driver and asset safety and improving compliance.
4. Improved Budgeting
Data is the ultimate tool when it comes to budgeting. Fleet management systems let you access much more data and extract more value from it.
Analyze vehicle metrics with the click of a button. Keep accurate historical data records, allowing you to fall back on known patterns and information. These highly effective solutions enable instant reporting without any paperwork or accounting; everything is automated and highly accurate.
Implementing such software also lets you analyze reports from previous years and quarters, enabling data-driven decisions and automated forecasting.
5. Optimal Route Planning
While some route obstructions are unavoidable, such as the odd traffic jam, an optimally planned route keeps all delays and hindrances to a minimum. Leading your asset through a risky road with black ice or burning up fuel for hours in traffic are problems of the past.
With intelligent route planning systems, fleet managers have peace of mind that:
- Fuel usage stays low
- Safety isn’t compromised on risky roads
- The vehicles aren’t subjected to harsh conditions
- Delivery times are minimized
In summary, a well-designed route presents a big win for your fleet, both financially and in terms of safety. Especially since reduced delivery times boost customer satisfaction, leading to more repeat purchases and loyal customers.
6. Reduce Idling & Ensure rational vehicle usage
When your vehicles are idling, your business is put on hold. Fleet software can ensure that your vehicles are utilized evenly and cut down on idling times.
Track idling times of individual vehicles and adjust accordingly. Employ specific vehicles for specific tasks to ensure optimal utilization and efficiency.
Conclusion
Implementing fleet management software in your business can reap many benefits, from enhanced driver and asset safety to increased profits.
Embrace the opportunity and grant your business a competitive edge by switching to fleet software. It is a worthwhile investment that will repeatedly prove its value over the long run.
