Many companies have embraced
using global positioning systems (GPS) in their trucks to
improve travel time and cut down on driver inefficiency, but
fewer have embraced the other side of GPS -- tracking.
Companies of any size can use GPS tracking, but the benefits
are especially striking for companies with a small fleet of
trucks, such as those in the HVAC and plumbing industries.
For these companies, GPS tracking offers many ways to make
your company more efficient
How It Works
GPS tracking uses GPS technology to deliver real-time
information about your trucks' whereabouts. The GPS software
helps you examine and make decisions based on all the
information coming in, including:
• Traffic conditions
• Arrival and departure times
• Routes
• The exact location of each driver
Modern tracking software is
customizable and easy to use; for example, a good software
program allows you to look at local traffic and terrain maps
to help make route decisions. Note that your tracking
software should be compatible with both desktop computers
and mobile phones, giving management the option to track
while in the office and while on the go.
Personnel
GPS tracking gives information about what each of your
employees is doing at any given time, which means that you
can use it to improve the efficiency of your employees by
reducing idle time, promoting safe driving speeds, and
confirming that employees arrive and depart as scheduled.
You can also cut down on unauthorized use of company trucks
or equipment, which is a major problem for some companies.
With GPS tracking you continue to monitor your employees'
performance even when you aren’t on site with them.
Since you are able to see your employees' locations at all
times, you can also address issues that contribute to loss
of revenue and reduced efficiency. For example, by making
your operation more efficient, you reduce the need for
employee overtime.
GPS tracking also helps companies reduce costs on the other
side of the personnel picture -- management. The
capabilities of the software reduce the amount of route
planning and personnel management required. Managers then
have more time to focus on other responsibilities, or the
company may be able to reduce management personnel, both of
which save time and money.
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Efficiency
With GPS tracking, you can streamline your company's
operations, making them more efficient overall. When you see
exactly where each employee is at all times, you can make
decisions based on that information. For example, when a
customer calls, you can see which employees are closest to
that location and send those employees to respond to the
call.
Efficiency also increases because GPS tracking gives you the
ability to make real-time decisions about routes, for
example. If a typical route has an unusual amount of
traffic, GPS tracking identifies that situation, allowing
you to recommend a different route for your driver. What’s
more, GPS also identifies new routes a part of that process.
Customer Service
One of the best ways GPS tracking changes your company is on
the customer service side of the equation. When a customer
calls, worried about the location of the service person en
route to his or her home or needs to change the appointment,
GPS tracking determines the customer's location so that you
have the information to answer the questions or make any
changes. With GPS tracking, you can also integrate
information about traffic conditions, for example, into your
time estimate.
Being able to respond to customers in this way isn't just
useful -- it's expected by customers today. Since the number
of companies using GPS tracking is growing continually,
being able to find out detailed information about arrivals
is becoming the standard in many industries.
Maintenance
Great fleet tracking software also monitors how your
vehicles perform, and compares that information to how they
performed in the past. This helps you stay on top of
maintenance, thus reducing overall costs. More efficient
maintenance is one of the biggest ways GPS tracking changes
your company for the better.
If your business uses trucks or cars for service, delivery,
or any other reason, GPS tracking can improve your company's
operations on just about every level. Streamline all of your
operations and improve customer service while saving on
maintenance and personnel costs with a state-of-the-art GPS
tracking system.
About the author:
Robert J. Hall is president of
Track Your Truck, a leading provider of GPS vehicle
tracker systems and software for small and midsized
companies.
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