Unwatched, unmonitored vehicles could be wasting significant business resources.
However, with a smart solution in place, your vehicle fleet can become a source of business intelligence that boosts efficiencies across your entire enterprise.
That’s why more and more transport and logistics companies make clever use of vehicle ‘telematics’ systems.
Fleet telematics, in essence, is a real-time multi-vehicle tracking system. A telematics solution syncs vehicle computer systems with a centralised web-based interface to extract, store and receive high-value data about your vehicles and drivers.
Insights for all departments: What business problems can vehicle telematics solve?
For transport and supply chain companies with multiple vehicles, telematics could improve all areas of your business. But how?
In general, delivery fleet telematics systems improve business via;
- Fuel savings
- Increased productivity
- Lower wages
- Improved efficiency
- Cost-effective communications.
From retrieving fuel usage, driving time, idling time, fault diagnostics, instrument readings and mechanical data from each vehicle, to sensing harsh braking, acceleration and cornering by drivers, plus real-time GPS location and rapid accident detection – a fleet telematics solution offers must-have insights that will improve your operations, enhance output, save money and reduce pollution.
Yet, even greater results are possible when your whole team take advantage of telematics information. Each department’s inefficiencies can be scrutinised, questioned and resolved via a whole-of-business approach.
Questions your various departments may ask:
MANAGEMENT:
Managers study telematics data to better understand where business losses are occurring.
- How many accidents did we have last year and why? What preventive measures can we apply?
- What’s causing excessive fuel use? How can we reduce our fleet’s total fuel consumption?
- What returns could we expect from expanding into a new territory or introducing a new product?
- How can we better anticipate our company needs and maximise new opportunities?
Managers leverage vehicle telematics intelligence to make high-level decisions based on real facts and figures to increase productivity, reduce costs and enhance customer service.
A well-designed vehicle telematics system will inherently improve driving standards and prevent accidents, which will reduce liabilities across a whole fleet for peace of mind.
FINANCE:
Financial Directors access telematics information to gain a clear picture of an organisation’s operations, to see where both saving and making money is possible.
- What adjustments will make our fleet vehicles more efficient and reduce overtime costs?
- How can we reduce our vehicle liabilities to save on insurance premiums?
- What changes can we make to price our delivery tasks more competitively?
- How can we better manage our capital investments and vehicle assets for greater returns?
Vehicle telematics systems accurately record and accumulate information about fuel use, vehicle maintenance, fleet productivity and safety reports.
Your finance department will find new ways to reduce costs, verify expenses, improve invoicing and increase efficiencies, such as optimising fuel use, reducing delivery times and eliminating unauthorised mileage.
SALES & MARKETING:
Sales & Marketing Directors increase company sales and grow business. With telematics data, they manage sales more effectively and instigate intelligent marketing strategies.
- Which geographic territories are falling short of our sales targets, and why?
- What type of driver is delivering most efficiently and effectively? How can we replicate this?
- What can we learn from our current customers and deliveries to improve future sales results?
- Are there reoccurring sales patterns or delivery results that reveal new markets?
- Where should we put more salespeople?
With proof-of-service, business mileage and customer delivery reports, vehicle telematics helps increase sales and business growth, all while increasing customer confidence and satisfaction.
HUMAN RESOURCES:
Human Resources Managers use fleet telematics communications to enhance staff efficiencies, provide incentives for improved performance and motivate employees to work harder and smarter.
- How can we provide a safer work environment while maintaining productivity?
- What driver behaviours are impacting business operations? How can we improve our workforce?
- Are our delivery drivers and vehicles OHS and regulation compliant? If not, why not?
- What changes will enhance driver safety and vehicle efficiencies while minimising risks and saving fuel?
In-vehicle instructions, driver coaching, navigational assistance and safety awareness from the telematics device ensure new employees learn best-practice driving, while established drivers enhance their skills.
Further, telematics device systems offer accurate ‘hours of service’ tracking for payroll accounting, workplace compliance and staff management purposes. Plus, automated driver time-sheets reduce errors and save HR managers’ time.
FLEET OPERATIONS:
Fleet Managers demand comprehensive up-to-the-minute whole fleet, specific vehicle and individual driver information from fleet telematics systems.
- What new strategies can we apply that will save more fuel and reduce maintenance costs?
- How can we improve delivery response times and increase fleet utilisation?
- What routing and scheduling adjustments can we make to improve efficiencies?
- What type of driver is the safest and most productive? How can we increase this type of driver?
- What vehicle maintenance and compliance measures can we perform without impacting operations?
- How are we responding to vehicle breakdowns and security issues?
Vehicle telematics give fleet managers a wealth of accurate real-time vehicle information, such as how a vehicle is being operated, what engine care is needed, what delivery job is being executed and precisely where a vehicle is at any given moment.
Telematics unlocks extra revenue through complete fleet management control and continual optimisation of fleet operations.
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
Customer Service agents seek to provide accurate information to customers through a high level of support. Real-time vehicle telematics data, accessed via a web-based interface, clarifies customer queries relating to delivery arrival times, service schedules, demurrage events, proof of site visits, and so on.
- Where is a customer’s delivery right now? When will the delivery arrive at the customer’s address?
- Any mechanical alerts or vehicle problems responsible for a delivery delay?
- What nearby fleet vehicle can cover deliveries for a vehicle breakdown or other disruption?
- How can we improve response times and better serve our customers?
In-cabin speaker communication to drivers from customer service agents saves time, improves productivity and addresses customer queries quickly. Live vehicle tracking and customer exchange tracking provide transparency and build customer trust with your company.
By helping customers with the best, most accurate information available, excellent customer service is provided, customer satisfaction increases and your reputation is protected.
ON THE ROAD:
Delivery Drivers, Sales Personnel and Field Service agents, often in fleets of thousands, are at the coalface of vehicle telematics systems.
Their driving behaviours detected by vehicle sensors, and other pertinent engine parameters, plus route history and real-time GPS location, are continuously reported to the telematics data ‘ecosystem’. Typically, driver questions concern their day’s work;
- What’s my optimised route and delivery order for today’s tasks?
- Is this fleet vehicle compliant, serviced and safe for me to drive? Am I safe to drive it?
- What’s my next delivery location? What’s the most efficient way to get there? How long will it take?
- How can I adjust my driving to be more resourceful, save fuel and reduce vehicle wear?
- Where is my vehicle located exactly? To notify a stolen vehicle to police or receive breakdown assistance.
Tracking of drivers and vehicles verifies ‘proof of delivery or service’ at the customer’s location, manages driver fatigue and simplifies ‘chain of responsibility’ tasks which, naturally, help drivers to perform well.
Vehicle telematics support drivers to lower costs, increase competitiveness and enhance service levels.
In turn, this creates a prosperous future for everyone connected to your company including employees, suppliers and customers.
Leopard Telematics for fleets of all sizes
Leopard Telematics, powered by Geotab, is an innovative fleet management technology that communicates vehicle data, including GPS tracking, driver behaviour and engine parameters, from an in-vehicle Geotab GO device to a secure web platform called MyGeotab Dashboard.
Easy and quick to set up, the Geotab vehicle tracking device simply plugs into the engine diagnostic OBDII port of your vehicle. No special tools or fitting expertise needed. An adapter or harness is available for when there’s no OBDII port, when the OBDII port must remain free for servicing requirements, or when the Geotab device must be secured out of reach.
Next, the device serial number, company name, asset number and odometer reading are entered into the Geotab web platform to complete the installation and connect all communications. That’s it, you’re done and ready to go.
With real-time vehicle locations on the map, safer driving environments and the undeniable cost savings of improved efficiencies, Leopard’s telematics solution offers a powerful productivity-boosting return on investment.
Affordable intelligence
Compared to traditional ‘black box’ engine recording devices, the Geotab device is a fraction of the size to install. And, for such a low-cost rapid installation, the Leopard Telematics system provides comprehensive intelligence to answer the important vehicle and driver questions asked by the largest of transport companies.
Furthermore, the Geotab device and similar OBDII plug-in devices can integrate data seamlessly from many vehicle systems, such as temperature sensors, low-resolution parking cameras, load detectors and more – making it an obvious and economical choice for delivery fleets.
In short, because knowing where your vehicles are, knowing your drivers are safe and knowing your resources are used wisely is important; the value of a vehicle telematics solution cannot be underestimated.
To find out more about Leopard Telematics, download our solution datasheet for details or contact us directly with any questions you may have. We look forward to helping you use telematics to unleash productivity and efficiency for your business.
