Making data-driven decisions may sound like a cliché to many new entrepreneurs. But in fleet management, every decision should proceed from accurate, verifiable, and up-to-date information.
Read below as we unpack the various ways data guides fleet management decisions.
1. Data Is Essential to Route Mapping
Route mapping is one of the biggest nightmares that fleet managers often grapple with. It’s also one of the problems you can address effectively using insightful data.
Suggesting appropriate routes can provide multiple benefits to both drivers and the fleet company at large.
By investing in a fleet monitoring system like RAM tracking, you’ll be able to determine and recommend the shortest routes to your drivers. This can help to lower fuel consumption, consequently boosting revenue generation.
Mapping your routes ahead of time may also help to beat traffic snarl-up and avoid blocked sections of the road. Not only does this ensure timely customer service, it also minimizes damage that could result from driving along bumpy and potholed roads.
2. Data Improves Fuel Efficiency
We’ve just highlighted the role of route mapping in reducing fuel consumption. However, there are several other ways to improve fuel economy. Notable ones include checking tire pressure, driving at lower speeds, paying attention to aerodynamics, reducing idle time, and leveraging vehicular cruise control systems.
Most of these tips rely heavily on accurate data. Through telematics systems, fleet managers can immediately tell when a driver exceeds their speed limit or when they’re excessively idling about.
Managers can then initiate instant communication with the truck drivers to have them act appropriately.
It makes more economic sense to call a driver and politely ask them to slow down rather than wait to reprimand them at a later date, by which time the vehicle would have already consumed a lot of unnecessary fuel.
3. Data Helps with Predictive Maintenance
Drivers have a lot to worry about. They must drive responsibly to avoid causing accidents and defensively to avoid becoming a victim of other reckless motorists. They are loading and unloading tools and equipment, and often keeping in touch with clients and the home office.
With so much going on in their minds, drivers may not keep up with vehicle maintenance appointments. This might result in unexpected breakdowns, causing undue delays.
Investing in data helps fleet managers with predictive maintenance. Managers can deploy artificial intelligence (AI) systems to track critical maintenance information, including how frequently a vehicle needs repairs and the commonly problematic issues.
Acting swiftly on such information can help reduce downtimes caused by vehicular breakdowns.
4. Data Enhances Driver Safety
Data can improve driver safety in various ways.
Fleet managers can access real-time data on a vehicle’s current location and movement through telematics systems. The transmitted information could help identify accident-prone road stretches and prompt drivers to avoid such routes.
Fleet management companies can also rely on data to identify risky driver behavior and take proactive measures to avert possible accidents. Examples of such habits include speeding, hard breaking and hard turning.
The fact that data may help with predictive maintenance further makes it effective at minimizing accidents caused by vehicular malfunctions. Fewer accidents directly improve your workflows and revenue generation by reducing the cost associated with treating the victims and the resultant downtimes.
5. Data Fosters Integrity
When you own a fleet management company, expect it to attract different clients. You’ll occasionally render your services to drivers of sketchy morals.
Cases abound where people went on to commit felonies while driving company vehicles. Without a proper mechanism for data collection and management, you may bear the full liability when such incidents befall your company.
Data lets you track the whereabouts of your fleet in real-time. You can quickly know if a vehicle has deviated from the scheduled routes or if it has been lying idle for suspiciously long. Moreover, we now have smartphone applications that can track driver’s alcoholic behavior remotely. Simply integrate these software into your telematics and you’ll instantly know if a driver might be driving under the influence.
Research has proved that people tend to be in their best behaviors when they know they’re being tracked. Staying away from dangerous habits may ultimately foster self-discipline and integrity among drivers.
6. Data Boosts Customer Service
The data collected by fleet managers isn’t only useful in enhancing, it can also help to boost customer service.
Fleet management companies can leverage active data to pinpoint a vehicle’s location in real time. Based on other useful information gathered by the installed telematics systems fleet managers can accurately predict the time left before customers receive service.
It doesn’t matter whether you envisage delays or not. Simply keeping your customers updated on the location of their service technician helps to endear them to your brand.
Multiple findings have shown that maintaining responsive support can encourage customer loyalty. As you constantly update your clients on the location of their service tech, you may also leverage the opportunity to address some of their pressing needs, further improving your brand appeal.
Wrap Up
Fleet management relies heavily on data collection and analysis. Accurate information is needed to track fuel economy, predict vehicular maintenance, and enhance driver safety, among other benefits.
No matter what level your business may be at, if you are managing more than 4-5 vehicles, investing in robust telematics can improve your company’s efficiency and revenue.
Rebecca Smith freelance blogger with a passion for writing and a love for words. With several years of experience in creating content for various industries, she has developed a strong skill set in research, writing, and editing. Smith is comfortable writing on a broad range of topics, from technology and lifestyle to health and wellness.