If your business relies on a fleet of drivers, knowing where they are at any given time is an essential part of the day to day running of your organisation. By installing your fleet vehicles with Vehicle Tracking Systems, you can be certain of the exact location of any vehicle at any given time. This can improve the efficiency of your business and improve the quality of your customer service at a stroke.
A simple example would be if a customer waiting for a delivery or pick up contacts your business, vehicle tracking would allow you to quickly ascertain where the nearest driver is and direct them to the pick up, improving your company's response time. If the customer is waiting for a delivery, a simple check with the system would tell you exactly where the delivery vehicle was and how long it would be before it arrived at its destination. All of this improves your business's customer care quality and enhances your reputation as a professional organisation.
Previously the only way to get this kind of information would be to ring the driver on a mobile phone. As the use of mobile phones by drivers is both illegal and dangerous (unless they are hands-free models) and that there is no guarantee that the driver will be able to respond to a call, this was previously a hit and miss way of locating the exact position of a driver.
Some vehicle tracking systems can also provide your organisation with information about how your drivers are operating. Speeding, apart from endangering the safety of your staff and other road users (as well as being illegal) is also a huge waste of fuel. This obviously increases the costs to the business and can again damage your reputation, particularly if the company vehicles carry your insignia or livery (people do call the 'How's my driving?' numbers on the back of fleet vehicles, particularly if the vehicle is being driven badly!). Vehicle Tracking Systems designed for fleet management can give you the chance to control this waste of company money by letting you know quickly if a driver is using extra fuel by excessive speeding.
Many systems will also give you a view of a map of routes taken (commonly referred to as a 'snail trail'), letting you know if any of your drivers are making unauthorised stops or taking the 'scenic route' to clock up extra hours. It also means that if a new driver is unfamiliar with an area or route, a computerised control centre receiving this information from a vehicle tracking system can direct the driver to the most efficient route to their destination.
Vehicle tracking systems are easy to install and cost effective. They also give you the chance to monitor your drivers, eliminating many of the time wasting techniques that some drivers employ to boost their overtime hours. Monitoring takes away the opportunistic, 'out of sight, out of mind' mentality and promotes a more honest and efficient workforce. These are the kind of drivers whom do not mind being monitored, as it removes the suspicion that some drivers are not 'pulling their weight' and that all staff are being treated equally and fairly. It removes any chance of resentment within the workplace as well as making your fleet more efficient and cost effective.
About the Author:
Kent Stabler - Marketing Manager - Chameleon Direct are suppliers of gps vehicle tracking systems, gps tracking devices, hands free car kits and speed camera detector equipment. Our vehicle tracking aims at helping improve your fleet management. With over 1 Million UK customers Chameleon Direct also provide hands free installation services.