When you think about how much you pay for your fleet of vehicles and how crucial they are for your business, you can appreciate the importance of keeping them in good running order. That’s where a fleet management platform can come in useful: it can protect your investment in your machinery.
Do you understand the specific advantages of investing in fleet management software – and whether the cost is seriously worth it? Continue reading to see six reasons why you shouldn’t go without it.
1. Manage Vehicles Remotely
You’ll be able to manage the cars, trucks, vans, and other items in your fleet from wherever you are. In other words, you won’t have to be in a specific office or workplace to do this.
As long as you have a computer, internet access, and the right vehicle management software, you’ll be able to keep tabs on your vehicle fleet no matter where you are. You’ll have real-time visibility.
2. Improve Dispatch Times
You can improve dispatch times when you know where all your vehicles are at any given moment. Whenever you receive a new customer order, you’ll be able to decide immediately which driver to give dispatch instructions to. That might be the driver closest to the customer or the one whose route during the rest of the workday would be the best fit to make the delivery.
3. Boost Customer Satisfaction
You’ll raise customer satisfaction levels when you’re able to give them accurate arrival time estimates. People don’t want to wait all day for deliveries. They have things to do and people to see.
When customers are told that deliveries will be made on a particular date and nothing more specific, they might have to wait around all day. That’s especially the case if they have to sign their name to collect their delivery. When you have real-time visibility, you can give customers a fairly accurate estimate for the time of arrival.
A fleet management system will also empower you to provide customers with timely updates. For instance, a delivery driver might unexpectedly get held up in traffic and fall behind. You can give customers revised arrival times to keep them informed.
4. Boost Fleet Lifespan
To get as much life out of your vehicles as possible, you’ll have to focus on ongoing preventive maintenance. That should cut down on the incidence of costly repairs.
Regular maintenance will identify any issues that ought to be taken care of sooner rather than later. Doing the repair now might well spare you from a more expensive fix down the road.
It can be hard to keep track of minor care items like tire changes, oil changes, and brake service, especially if you have multiple vehicles. A fleet management solution will help you keep track so service doesn’t get overlooked.
5. Slash Costs
Yet another reason to get a fleet management application is that you can cut down on costs in other ways. For instance, you can reduce fuel expenses by keeping your vehicles in good shape.
You can lower costs by optimizing route management. You could use the platform to dispatch drivers more strategically and ensure they operate the vehicles only for work purposes.
6. Increase Safety
When you have a fleet management platform, you can monitor driver behavior. It is useful to know whether you have drivers who often exceed the speed limit, brake too aggressively, idle for long periods, or make other choices that might increase risks to themselves and others.
You can use the information from fleet management software to advise drivers of your expectation for them to perform better. A fleet management application will also promote safety by ensuring your vehicles are in good shape. Accidents and breakdowns are less likely to happen if the trucks and cars are well taken care of.
These are some of the most important reasons it makes sense to invest in a fleet management solution for your firm. It’s the kind of tool that will pay for itself. Before you invest in one, though, do some research and try a demo to ensure you identify the right solution for your business.
