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Are you wondering how you can make your fleet more efficient? Looking for ways to save time, save money, increase customer satisfaction, and make your own job much easier?
If you manage a fleet of trucks or vehicles then you need to invest in quality GPS tracking systems. These are loaded with functionality that will make it easy to keep track of your fleet, guide your drivers, and stay on top of your workday. All without constant walkie-talkie communication.
Installing tracking systems is relatively easy and painless, and you can do it yourself or hire your GPS tracking service provider to do it for you. That way, you can start tracking company vehicles right away.
Wondering how to choose the best tracking hardware and software for your fleet? Here are some things to look for before making a purchase.
1. Choose GPS Tracking Systems That Provide Real-Time Updates
If you are actively managing a fleet of vehicles on a daily basis, whether you run a trucking company, a delivery service provider, or a professional service provider such as lawn care, you want real-time updates.
Some systems only provide updates when you request the location of each vehicle. Others only update every hour or every few minutes. But for the active fleet manager looking to optimize daily schedules and routines, you need a software interface that shows the live movement of all your vehicles.
This will provide you with the most accurate picture of your team and give you the opportunity to make improvements to schedules and routes.
2. Choose a System That Sends Alerts
If a vehicle is moving when it isn’t supposed to be, that could be a sign that your vehicle was stolen, which isn’t uncommon, especially for commercial vehicles. In these instances, you want to know right away, before the vehicle gets too far.
Choose a GPS system that sends alerts to the fleet manager’s phone, so they can always stay on top of their vehicle’s location. The sooner you get an alert if a vehicle was stolen, the sooner you can alert the authorities, have the vehicle recovered, and have the criminal detained to prevent future theft.
3. Choose a System With Geofencing Capabilities
Some GPS systems have geofencing features. This means that you can create automatic alerts when a vehicle enters or exits a geographical area.
If a vehicle exits a designated geofence, that could mean a few different things. It might mean that your driver is going somewhere they shouldn’t be going, which could be wasting company time and fuel.
Or it could mean that the vehicle was stolen and is no longer on the route. Either way, you’d want to know right away so you can determine the issue and get the vehicle back on track.
If a truck enters a designated area, that means that they are likely arriving at their destination shortly. With this information, you can inform customers of upcoming deliveries, to ensure a docking bay is open to prevent delays during delivery.
4. Choose an Easy to Install System
If you don’t need as many complex fleet management features for your GPS trackers, then choose an easy-to-install option instead. More complex systems often require hardwiring the trackers into each vehicle, making them permanent, non-transferrable, and require professional installation.
Rather, if you just want peace of mind, knowing that if your vehicle was stolen, you can track its location, a simple to use, affordable, easy to install option is the way to go. If you want more details on these types of tracking systems, you can check this website for more info.
5. Choose a GPS That Tracks Vehicle Maintenance
Some GPS tracking systems can not only track the vehicle’s location, but also the vehicle’s maintenance status. With proper hardwiring into your truck’s computers, your GPS system can give you all the updates you need on the health of your truck.
It can inform you when routine maintenance is needed, and provide alerts when a problem is developing. That way, you can get the issues sorted out ahead of time, on your schedule, rather than having to deal with a breakdown once the problem becomes much bigger.
By staying on top of maintenance the easy way, you’ll have much less downtime and keep your trucks on the road longer.
6. Consider Your GPS Tracking System Budget
Before deciding on a budget, remember that a GPS system for your fleet is going to save you money. That means that you might have a bigger budget than you realize.
On top of that, GPS systems can actually help you earn more money. As your fleet becomes more efficient, your drivers can get work done faster, which might mean that you can add additional stops to their workday.
And since customer satisfaction is likely to go up, you can expect continued business with existing customers for a long time, along with the attraction of new business.
That’s why it’s important to prioritize your GPS budget. Don’t skimp on quality trying to save a buck or two. The better system that you get, the more it’s going to improve your business efficiency and improve your company’s bottom line.
7. See What Others Are Saying
Before making any type of purchase, whether for a cheap system or a specialized, expensive system, always check the reviews. You want to see what others are saying about the system, how easy it is to use, and how it helps their business run more effectively.
Try to find reviews of other fleet owners, as their opinion will be more relevant to your buying decision. And don’t just check the company’s website for reviews. Instead, check third-party review sites such as Google Reviews and the Better Business Bureau for unbiased reviews.
Lastly, if there’s an option for a free trial, or if a company has a money-back guarantee, that can help make you’re purchasing a bit easier as well.
Invest in the Right GPS System
GPS tracking systems offer tons of benefits when it comes to managing a fleet of vehicles. They go far beyond tracking vehicles to prevent theft. Rather, they can dramatically improve the performance of your team as they make deliveries and get their jobs done each day.
That’s why a GPS system should be a priority for your business. Invest in a system that has the features you need, and your bottom line will reflect it almost immediately. Looking for more information like this? Head over to our blog to find other helpful articles today.
