October 7, 2021
If you manage a transportation company or a fleet of vehicles, you know how hard it can be to track and manage your fleet. Fortunately, GPS vehicle tracking devices exist to make the job easier.
GPS, or Global Positioning System, is a navigation system utilizing a number of satellites that track the location of assets from anywhere in the world. This technology was once reserved exclusively by the US Department of Defense but has now been made available to the world.
Using hardware placed on each vehicle, business owners can easily know the location of their assets, as well as a broad range of real-time information directly sent to a GPS tracking software.
To have a clearer picture of how GPS technology can dramatically improve your business, here are:
6 major business benefits of GPS vehicle tracking devices
1. Improved Customer Service
Business owners have one thing on their mind when they launch their business, and that’s customer service. The happier your customers are, the more profit you have. The more profit you have the more successful your business is.
GPS tracking devices improve your customer service by the great amount of data you will have. For example, your delivery truck is delayed or behind schedule. Your customer is calling because her package hasn’t arrived yet. With GPS trackers, you are able to give your customer accurate answers because you can immediately see where your vehicle is.
You can say, “I’m sorry for the delay, but our delivery truck is about 12 kilometers away and will be there in 10 minutes.”
When you are able to provide your customers with accurate, real-time information, you are able to make customers happier.
With accurate information and happier customers, your business, in general, will improve.
2. Improved Productivity
Let’s say you have 10 delivery trucks. You are a fleet manager and you need to have real-time information regarding where they are. If you didn’t have GPS tracking systems, you’d be calling your drivers frequently, asking them where they are, why they haven’t delivered the parcels yet, or why they’re not answering your calls.
Your drivers will also be distracted, wasting their time answering your calls, rather than making sure they get to their destination on time.
With GPS systems, however, there is no longer any need to call your driver to ask their location or the status of their deliveries.
With GPS data, fleet managers will receive real-time reports regarding a number of information such as location, delivery status, as well as fuel usage, traffic reports, and other useful information.
With the elimination of calls to drivers and drivers no longer wasting their time answering your calls, your fleet of vehicles will gain improved productivity.
3. Fewer Risks for Theft
Trucks and vehicles are a major asset and they’re vulnerable to theft and threats. GPS trackers allow you to recover your vehicle fast in cases of theft since you are able to track where it is. It can also help to prevent vandalism and damage since you, or the police can get to your asset quickly before any major damage is done.
GPS technology allows for instant alerts and notifications in case your vehicle deviates from a normal route or is taken out of the yard or depot without permission. Once this happens, you can immediately call your driver, your security, or the police, helping to prevent the likelihood of theft or provide fast vehicle recovery.
4. Reduced Insurance Costs
And speaking of theft, when insurance companies know your business uses GPS technology on your assets, it can dramatically lower your insurance premium from 10% to 30%. Insurance companies will have the confidence that you can easily recover your assets in instances of theft.
GPS can also improve driver behavior, reducing the risk for careless driving behavior since they know their every move is being watched. This also helps to reduce accidents on the road, as well as other unsightly behavior from your field staff.
5. Reduced Paperwork
One of the most tasking jobs of fleet managers, drivers, and dispatchers are the heavy documentation of information from hours of travel, log in and log out times, delivery records, fuel usage, vehicle maintenance, engine troubles, and all the other information needed for the job. Writing down on logbooks takes time and making reports is one of the most time-consuming parts of a fleet manager’s job.
Luckily, GPS comes with fleet management software that eliminates logbooks and paperwork. Data acquired from GPS systems are directly sent to the software, where reports are made automatically, and can easily be accessed and sent to emails in a scheduled manner.
Reduced paperwork makes everyone’s job easier, leading to improved productivity, and lets everyone focus on the more important aspects of their jobs.
6. Fleet Optimization
And lastly, one of the benefits of GPS tracking systems is fleet optimization. When the fleet manager has all the relevant data in a simple software, the possibilities for improvements and corrections are endless.
Data such as fuel usage, engine status, driver behavior, efficient routes, engine idling, and other information equip managers with the capacity to manage their fleet better and in a more organized, urgent, and effective manner.
With complete and accurate information, business owners can then maximize revenue for their business, increasing profits and making a success out of their fleet company.
GPS technology is no longer a luxury in the transportation industry, but it has become a necessity. If you own a fleet of vehicles, it is a must that you take advantage of this technology to improve customer service, improve fleet and driver management, and optimize your assets.
With most of the world’s fleet companies using GPS tracking systems on their vehicles, it is wise that you make the decision to maximize your fleet capacity, so you can remain competitive in the industry.