Tag: GoFleet

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How CMMS Software Can Ensure Proper Fleet Maintenance

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How CMMS Software Can Ensure Proper Fleet Maintenance

Fleet managers often overlook maintenance procedures as well as maintenance solutions because of the challenges that come with introducing a new software solution to the fleet. Managers need to research vendors, go through sales processes, justify the cost and then train their team. What fleet managers don’t realize is the potential of Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) solutions and how they can prevent issues that would otherwise create great challenges for fleets to deal with.  

 

Mistakes That Can Be Avoided by Leveraging Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) Solutions

Automation

Remaining on top of fleet maintenance tasks is challenging, independent of the number of mobile assets. Fleet managers using outdated processes to manage vehicle maintenance spend a long amount of time manually entering data and trying to get in touch with mechanics.

Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software automates fleet maintenance tasks to maximize efficiency. Fleet managers can put together maintenance workflows to eliminate manual data entry, improve communication, reduce downtime and control expenses. 

Automating fleet maintenance saves countless hours by streamlining maintenance tasks. Whether a fleet manages their fleet maintenance in house or outsources it to a third party, CMMS allows you to automate tasks to improve fleet uptime. 

 

Expenses and Reporting

Computerized maintenance management software is most important for its ability to aggregate all fleet data and provide hard numbers for analysis and improvement. Measuring the success of your fleet maintenance program is imperative, as vehicle maintenance is the largest ongoing cost for fleets. 

This type of software provides valuable insight into the maintenance program by providing a service history from repairs completed to detailed cost reporting. Fleet managers can create and share reports regarding key data that includes: 

  • Service line items and cost summaries
  • Lifetime service costs by asset
  • Downtime Reporting
  • Scheduled vs unscheduled maintenance
  • Most common service activities across a fleet
  • Vehicle operation costs
  • Total fleet operating cost by month

Software solutions like this provides a deep look at a fleet’s performance and automatically calculate a fleet’s true total cost of ownership (TCO). By automating fleet maintenance processes, fleet managers have the time to analyze the reports and determine the best strategies to improve operations.  

 

Integrations

Fleets utilize a GPS and telematics system to track vehicle location or use fuel cards for ease of use and fuel perks. Pairing these tools with CMMS software, like ZenduMaintenance, or otherwise known as ZenduMA, can boost fleet maintenance procedures. It will allow fleets to capture all fleet data in one place and get a complete view of a fleet’s overall health. 

Using computerized maintenance management system software will allow the capturing of odometer readings, making it easier to keep up with maintenance tasks. The telematics tools being used can also send diagnostic trouble codes and engineer fault alerts to the CMMS software, so the fleet will be alerted immediately. 

 

Mobility

The problems with fleet maintenance on paper and spreadsheets is the lack of visibility and communication across a fleet. Whereas, using a mobile app will help managers track and manage their fleet independent of the location. It allows operators to conduct mobile inspections in the field to instantly notify fleet managers of any issues. Using a CMMS software with a mobile app, users can view and access real time maintenance data including:

  • Vehicle specs
  • Service and renewal reminders
  • Inspection results (DVIR)
  • Work orders
  • Service history
  • Engine fault alerts
  • Parts and inventory levels
  • Repair requests
  • Vehicle recall notices
  • Maintenance costs

 

Ease of Use

CMMS software like ZenduMA is one that is intuitive and simple to use. ZenduMaintenance uses a dashboard for users to view all fleet maintenance data at a glance, as well as easy to use features like streamline work order creation and performing vehicle inspections through clicks and swipes. 

To begin using a computerized maintenance management system, fleets should first bulk upload the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) into a VIN decoder. Almost immediately, over 90 vehicle specifications are instantly populated into CMMS for creating service schedules based on Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) recommendations. 

 

How ZenduMaintenance Is A Great CMMS Option To Be Considered

The biggest challenge with proper maintenance to take place is the extensive amount of work required by the fleets, which is why ZenduMaintenance is a great option to be considered. It provides fleets with work order management, preventive maintenance scheduling, inventory, and parts management, purchasing, custom reporting and maintenance cost accounting tools. 

ZenduMA is great when it comes to preventing downtime, faster repairs, increasing fleet visibility, and providing real time vehicle diagnostics. When discussing the diagnostics provided, it automatically captures odometer readings, engine hours, voltage, temperature, fuel consumption, power takeoff (PTO) and tire pressure, directly from the vehicle engine control unit (ECM).

It specializes in creating custom list views and reports with the advanced filtering system to improve your equipment reliability, streamline processes and reduce costs. Good maintenance means good business, and ZenduMA will ensure your fleet follows proper maintenance procedures and improve performance while saving on costs by solving problems before they worsen. 

Implementing proper maintenance procedures is hard because maintenance procedures often tend to get overlooked, but the story is different with CMMS software. Implementing a strong maintenance management program is quite the challenge – especially given how complex the logistics industry has become, but the ROI is worth it. To learn more, GoFleet is readily available to help you deal with your pain points. Contact us today.

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How CMMS Stands Up Against Old Fashion Maintenance Tracking Methods

Posted on | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment on How CMMS Stands Up Against Old Fashion Maintenance Tracking Methods

How CMMS Stands Up Against Old Fashion Maintenance Tracking Methods

Fleets are trying to gain more profits and they try to do so by all means, especially when it comes to increasing efficiency. But efficiency is also impacted by the level of proper maintenance taking place. If improper maintenance takes place, efficiency is reduced and costs increase.

Even though improper maintenance only has negative impacts, why do fleets not ensure proper maintenance takes place? It is because having a proper maintenance procedure requires a great amount of effort and with human errors happening, several mistakes occur making it impractical. 

However, with technology evolving, there are software and solutions that are able to automate this whole process, so fleets can easily keep up with the work while being assured that there are no mistakes. 


Pen and Paper vs Computer Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) – The Showdown

Proper maintenance leads to less downtime, resulting in lower costs, better labour efficiency, reduced backlog and greater asset reliability. Switching from pen and paper to maintenance software is one way to achieve these benefits. But taking a deep dive into comparing both methods will give fleets a better look at what steps they should take moving forward.

 

1. Filling Work Orders 

With pen and paper, a technician, operator or manager fills out a paperwork order form by hand, whether it’s for preventive maintenance or an unplanned breakdown. The work order is then delivered to the technician in an emergency. If a work order comes from outside the maintenance team, they use the software’s work request portal to submit a request and it then gets forwarded to the maintenance team via the CMMS. 

With a maintenance software in place, work orders for unplanned repairs are done remotely through mobile CMMS software. In cases of preventive maintenance, work orders are triggered automatically through maintenance software. Using CMMS, the time taken to create work orders and submitting them is reduced and it helps to set mandatory fields on work request forms to prevent any back and forth in clarifying the request. By reducing the process by 5-10 minutes for each work order, the fleet can gain hundreds of hours of extra production every year. 

 

2. Assigning Work Orders

With outdated tracking methods, either the technician needs to be found if the work order is an emergency or the technician regularly checks the office, sorts through work orders and figures out which ones to prioritize.

With maintenance software, technicians are assigned work orders and alerted to their duties through their mobile devices. Technicians can see which work orders are outstanding, their priority levels and their status. Clearly with a digital platform, there is less time between work orders being submitted and a technician being alerted. Being able to see the status of a work order also allows technicians to check or repair assets that are most important to production. 

 

3. Finding Data For The Work Order

With non-digital reporting, technicians make several visits to the asset, stock room, office and colleagues to assess the task, check the availability of parts, access manuals and discuss the asset’s repair history. They can then lay out a strategy for working on the asset. 

With maintenance software, the technician can review the work order, work history, root cause analysis and standard failure codes of the asset through the mobile interface. Using the available data, the technician then lays out a strategy for working on the asset. Multiple trips around the facility, missing parts and lengthy searches for information could add up to hours of extra downtime, if not days, without using maintenance software. Such a solution groups all asset information in one, remote accessible place. 

 

4. Working On The Work Order

With pen and paper, the technician troubleshoots the problem using information from manuals, standard operating procedure (SOPs), conversations with colleagues and/or memory. The technician can complete PMs from memory or from a written checklist. They then visit the office again to sign off on the work order. 

With maintenance software, the technician repairs the problem using root cause analysis, standard failure codes and/or corresponding checklists and manuals, all accessible through the digital platform. Predictive maintenance is completed using predetermined checklists. The work order is then signed and closed in the software and the users are notified. CMMS clearly wins when it comes to addressing unplanned downtime. It gives technicians a much clearer path to a solution than pen and paper troubleshooting and results in less downtime.

 

5. Work Order Aftermath

When CMMS is overlooking for maintenance tracking, predictive maintenance tasks are put into a paper calendar based on a review of SOPs, production schedules and going through past schedules and asset history to determine how often equipment should be maintained. 

With maintenance software, reports are created based on asset history and SOPs. This data is then used to determine preventive maintenance triggers, which are then added to the software’s calendar. Production schedules are also added to the calendar, and this gives maintenance software a clear advantage over pen and paper methods. 


CMMS Software – Why ZenduMaintenance Should Be Considered

With all the benefits that come with a CMMS solution, fleets who haven’t already implemented a solution to address maintenance procedures should start looking into. A CMMS solution to start looking at is ZenduMaintenance or otherwise referred to as ZenduMA. ZenduMA makes maintenance management easy and lowers repair costs. 

Using ZenduMA helps reduce equipment failure by reducing downtime and increasing equipment availability to boost production, quality, safety and cost efficiency. It also boosts productivity by managing all the workers more effectively and helps fleets in rapidly finding parts, tools and information they need to save time and get the job done right the first time. 

This CMMS solution provides technicians with detailed work instructions created from standard job lists. It manages suppliers and requests quotes quickly and easily. It also manages all the MRO inventory with the ability to quickly add missing technical data, pricing and supplier information to assets and supplies records. 

ZenduMaintenance will help fleets follow the best practices in maintenance, improve performance in organizations and save money by solving problems before they get worse. With tools to help recognize failure codes and track part and vehicle inventory, ZenduMA will streamline a fleet’s entire maintenance process. 

Pen and paper methods have become an old school method and there are several better alternatives to it that raise standards in efficiency and productivity such as CMMS software. Fleets need to start moving forward with the changes in technology as it will help them in the long run and keep them competitive. To learn more about how your fleet can start making use of ZenduMA, contact us now.

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Addressing Vehicle Lifespan: A Preventive Maintenance Guide For Fleets

Posted on | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment on Addressing Vehicle Lifespan: A Preventive Maintenance Guide For Fleets

Addressing Vehicle Lifespan – A Preventive Maintenance Guide

With rising populations, technologies and more, fleets are taking their game to the next level to meet never-ending demands. Fleets are taking this opportunity and starting to look at improving their fleet in every way that will result in short term or instant benefits. However, this rush of improving businesses makes it easy to look over the solutions and practices that help fleets in the long run, specifically preventive maintenance.

Missing out on preventive maintenance will result in major problems in the long run. All the small checks and fixes that take place in a preventive maintenance check keep the vehicle in tip top condition and actually improves the overall lifespan of the vehicle. Avoiding preventive maintenance will negatively affect the vehicle’s lifespan, and here are some of the common maintenance practices that would cause issues if neglected.

    • Neglecting Regular Cleaning

One would think that a car’s appearance does not affect its operation and life. Dirt, dust and grime can bring about wear and tear on your vehicle fast. Keeping your vehicles clean allows you to make the right assessment on the condition of your vehicle. This way, you can quickly spot damages to the interior or exterior of the vehicle and repair them promptly.

Prolonged intervals of cleaning can harden dirt and require more abrasive cleaning, which can damage the paint. In many cases, it can even cause rust formation.

    • Avoiding Inspection

Just like humans routinely visit the doctor to remain healthy, vehicles also need to be inspected regularly. At least once in 4 to 6 months, a qualified car mechanic should thoroughly inspect the vehicle. The inspection covers various aspects, including the condition of the car parts and is typically done at a service center. Furthermore, the vehicle’s oil, fluid levels and tire pressure should be personally checked by the fleet every few weeks. 

    • Ignoring Symptoms

It is not usual to hear rattles or squeaks when driving. Although they may sound like minor issues, they could also indicate something serious, and it would be best to get it checked out at an auto repair shop. The earlier a problem is detected, the easier and cheaper is its solution. Ignoring warning lights on the vehicle’s dashboard or the engine lights can prove to be lethal. Car maintenance involves many steps and light indicators will help to point problems out.  

    • Neglecting Wear And Tear

Automakers build cars to last many years. Time and normal usage, however, will take their toll on a vehicle. A worn part can affect several other components, so a fleet has to be keen on which parts need immediate attention. For instance, worn-out threads on your tires can strain the suspension system of your vehicle and other elements involved in braking. Promptly addressing this issue can prevent major problems from occurring. 

Common preventive maintenance tasks for trucks and fleets must be customized to fit the individual vehicle and its usage pattern. Preventative maintenance checklists allow fleet managers to schedule maintenance tasks in advance. Strong preventative maintenance programs ensure teams complete work orders without spending extra time, labor and money.

Preventative maintenance is essential for any fleet company to succeed. 

 

Example Story

It’s 9:45 am on Wednesday and one of the drivers calls saying his vehicle has been making a loud, squealing noise recently and now he’s on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck. He calls again 90 minutes later with news that the technician at the go-to maintenance shop is fully booked but will try to squeeze his vehicle in, but as time passes, it’s not looked at until 3 pm.

By 4 pm, the problems found include a damaged alternator because of a busted driver belt. The costs totaled $700 for the tow truck and repair, along with an entire day of deliveries postponed while the driver sat at the shop. 

In this scenario, many parts of this situation could have been avoided. To begin with, the driver could have alerted the fleet about the squealing noise. As a result, the damaged drive belt could have been fixed for $75 when the oil was changed with other scheduled preventive maintenance and the alternator would not have needed to be replaced.

 

The Average Vehicle Lifespan

Back in the day, the average age for class 4-8 vehicles was 12.5 years in 2007 and now it stands near 14.7 years. The subset of class 6 vehicles is averaging 20.9 years, which takes the highest position amongst vehicles. Whereas the average class 5 is just 11.9 years, which takes the youngest position amongst vehicles. This information is important to keep in mind for fleets who have several vehicles because they need to be ready to expect when a vehicle will break down. However, it would be much easier for a fleet to continue their operations if they have a maintenance system to rely on. 

 

ZenduMA – Keeping Preventive Maintenance In Check

Diagnostics and maintenance management has the power to make and break jobs because fleet managers are measured on their fleet’s productivity. Downtime increases business costs and if left unchecked, can cost a fleet manager their job. This is why solutions like ZenduMA can be beneficial for fleet management. It generates work orders automatically when a vehicle fault or regularly scheduled maintenance is detected. This saves money and reduces downtime. 

With day-to-day data entry to long term trend analysis, ZenduMA delivers powerful functionality without compromising on a simple UI. Companies around the globe use ZenduMA to control maintenance costs, proactively avoid vehicle breakdowns, vastly extend asset life span, increase vehicles availability and most importantly improve the safety of their fleets.

Preventive truck maintenance can be the difference between replacing a $10 part in your shop and paying hundreds more to tow a broken-down tractor to another shop to pay someone else to replace the same part. Preventive maintenance can save fleets money thanks to technology advances that let you know of potential problems before they become costly problems. Capitalizing on volumes of data, predictive maintenance algorithms keep tractors and trailers rolling smoothly between regularly scheduled shop visits and avoid pending part and system failures.

With so much on the line, it’s important for fleets to always keep preventative maintenance top of mind. Choosing to ignore the continuous upkeep of your vehicles could cost you more financially in the long run not only in terms of repairs, but productivity if breakdowns halt work. Contact our team today to learn how you can easily implement a maintenance strategy and why ZenduMaintenance can help.

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The SmartONE C: Satellite Tracking To Work Outside Cellular Coverage

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The period of implementing asset trackers has come and all fleets have started to recognize the true potential of telematics. With the aid of asset trackers fleets have seen a rise in revenue, productivity and safety, while a decrease in variable costs such as fuel, maintenance and hours of service (HOS). 

More fleets are trying to join in on the trend of implementing telematic solutions but are surprised with the plethora of resources available. This is quite overwhelming, and as a result, fleets are starting to equip their fleet with solutions without first knowing their needs. 

Every fleet has their own needs. It could be to prioritize temperature monitoring, making use of solar energy or even working outside of cellular coverage with satellite tracking. Without learning your needs, the wrong solution could get implemented which could prove to be fatal both in terms of productivity and finances. 

 

Working Outside Of Cellular Coverage With Satellite Tracking

Fleets working outside of cellular coverage must ensure they’re implementing a satellite tracking solution. Most asset trackers are designed to be operated within cellular bounds. Asset trackers are used to transmit data to the main system for the fleet to make use of and if it’s not within cellular range, it will no longer transmit data. This results in the fleet not having connection or sight over the asset. This is why fleets who are working outside of cellular coverage where batteries are difficult to maintain, must ensure they use a solution like the Global Star SmartONE C tracker.

 

The SmartONE C – Tracking Beyond Coverage

 The SmartONE C is the satellite tracking solution offered by GoFleet to track assets beyond coverage. Offering global satellite coverage, it’s a practical solution for a multitude of operations including 12 different reporting times, interval or 24 hour operation mode, alternate reporting schedule, low battery messaging, motion sensor or vibration parameter and scheduling, contact closure parameters as well as diagnostic messages. 

 

The SmartONE C – Features

The SmartONE C uses motion sensors, comparative GPS positions and custom configured sensors to gather and transmit asset status information about safety, maintenance procedures and driver analytics. Each SmartONE C is configured to track its asset’s specific needs and provide intermediate and emergency alerts by email or text. 

The SmartONE C can be line powered, and that’s when the user has maximum flexibility in messaging frequency allowing for regular monitoring of asset location. In the absence or interruption of external power, the SmartONE C can automatically switch to battery backup. The asset tracking device is powered by four “off the shell” AA 1.5V lithium batteries providing 3+ years of battery life and eliminating the need to purchase expensive proprietary batteries for replacement.  

 

A Case Study – Satellite Tracking For Winter Fleet Management

In 2019, a storm dumped nearly two feet of snow on the city and made some neighborhoods impossible to access. Streets that would normally be cleared with a standard plow vehicle were unmanageable because of the compaction and weight of the snow. There was a need for a specific kind of grader to bore through, but without proper data, there was no indication ahead of time that this special equipment was necessary. Plowing crews only found out about the conditions when the normal snowplow arrived and could not clear the street.

Every year, over 1,300 deaths and 116,800 injuries occur from vehicle crashes due to snowy conditions on roadways. Snow removal, sanding and salting roads helps these conditions, but few trucks are available to perform the work. Accurately knowing where the heaviest snow has fallen will enable dispatchers to deploy the correct equipment to clear the dangerous areas first.

The fleet needed to know the speed of snow accumulation in near real time, new snow depth by the hour as well as total depth for the day, month and season in multiple areas at once. Simply measuring the snow with a stick was not an option, as they needed to monitor several miles of land, some of it in remote areas out of cellular range. What they needed was a digital solution that was affordable, flexible, easy to install and ideally could serve other purposes after the snow was gone.

To tackle this challenge, the SmartONE C solution was implemented. As a result, all the snow data was placed into one easy-to-use web-based user interface. The SmartONE C gave managers the power to view the location, behavior and other telematics data collected by assets in their organization’s technology ecosystem. It was possible to group and sort assets, customize interfaces and user permissions and automate alerts or reports to suit the fleet’s needs.

Implementing the SmartONE C allowed the fleet to watch snow levels as they grew in multiple locations at once, allowing them to estimate the hourly accumulation to help them determine their removal plan. The fleet was also able to track the plows’ locations and behavior on the same user interface as the snow depth. In addition, they could manage the consumption of salt being used on the road and supply the drivers with valuable emergency communication capabilities out of the treacherous roads.

Satellite tracking solved the challenges that winter fleets were facing and simplified their management process. If you’re fleet works outside of cellular coverage or operate in places where the connection isn’t strong, the SmartONE C would be the best choice for your fleet. It will allow you to operate and track fleet data almost anywhere globally and help take your fleet to the next level. Contact us now for deep insight about the SmartONE C and how your fleet can implement it.

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How The Frequency Of Asset Tracking Updates Makes A Difference

Posted on | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment on How The Frequency Of Asset Tracking Updates Makes A Difference

Telematics has been the key to improving fleets over the past several years. It all began with asset trackers, a solution to track data about various aspects of a vehicle to enhance fleet processes. With developing technologies, asset trackers are improving in terms of their ping rate, the rate at which the data is updated. Increasing ping rate has led to the invention of live tracking and helped improve scenarios of theft and liability insurance.

Live Tracking – Updating Data Per Second

Setting up constant pings allows fleets to know the exact location and other variables about a vehicle every second. With live tracking, fleets have better communication with their drivers, allowing them to give better instructions allowing them to finish tasks faster. This real time tracking enables fleets to increase the amount of service calls per day by approximately 23%. Fleets are able to keep an eye on their drivers and drivers being aware about this, improve their driving habits to proper standards. 

A faster ping rate also allows for faster response rate. On average, the drivers that are monitored with a real-time tracking system arrive within the promised response time 46% more often. With better driving taking place, fleets can manage their expenses effectively by decreasing idle times, improving dispatching and routing, monitoring speed and getting an alert to stay informed of necessary vehicle maintenance.

Live tracking opens up ways for not having to rely on drivers to record all their mileage logs. This information will automatically be calculated and reported by the real time tracking system. One of our solutions the GO9, implements live tracking offering industries fastest updates along with several other features. 

What differentiates the GO9 from the rest is that the framework provided is built around new technologies and platforms and has extended capabilities related to electric vehicles and global expansion. 

Moreover, the addition of the gyroscope is what makes the difference. The gyroscope within the GO9 enriches data with additional granularity. It improves on the current X/Y/Z axis acceleration logging by providing a real time sense of the vehicle’s orientation. This results in better accuracy with tracking and analyzing vehicle movement. This is beneficial specifically on winding or bumpy roads and more importantly, for collision reconstruction where a second by second breakdown of events is required. 

 

Theft Reduction – How Fast Ping Rates Mean Fast Asset Recovery

As mentioned before, the higher the ping rate, the higher the frequency of updates and the more accurate data fleets have to work with. This is especially beneficial for scenarios where theft is being dealt with. Imagine sitting at a desk and looking over a spreadsheet of assets when suddenly, an asset worth $150,000 is unaccounted for. How will it be recovered?

Unfortunately, recovery of stolen equipment is not as common as it should be. Thieves often are able to make off with expensive equipment before getting caught. This is a result of delays in discovery and reporting of thefts, nonexistent or inaccurate records and confusing equipment identification systems. 

Asset tracking makes it simple. It allows fleets to monitor the last known location of assets, whether an asset is on or off, and if it’s idling or actively moving. Depending on the solution implemented, it can provide fleets with additional data including pressure, temperature, travel speed, acceleration and deceleration. 

Proper tracking eliminates the delay in the reporting of equipment theft and can also track the location of the stolen item. It also provides you with documented data that law enforcement can use in the event of theft. 

Another type of enforcement, geofencing, also known as a virtual boundary, can be set in place for any geographic area. If an asset were to travel outside or enters into any set geofence perimeter, alerts can be set to automatically notify fleets about the movement. This enables you to track when employees arrive at or leave a job site, receive confirmation when a shipment arrives at a delivery location and mark a specific area as a “no entry” zone for any given asset.   

 

Liability Insurance – Ensuring Costs Remain Within Budget

Fleets relying on vehicles to conduct day to day business invest a great amount in mobile assets and expect a return on investment. Along with the more expected costs of fuel and maintenance, fleets can incur significant hidden expenses and increase liability. 

All businesses with fleets shouldn’t only be concerned with their driver’s safety but also be aware of the risks related to liability exposure. To minimize risks, asset tracking solutions can be implemented to stay proactive to see potential problems and resolve them. 

Improving safety standards should be a top priority as improper safety procedures can put companies at risk and quickly increase their liability for damages incurred by anyone injured in an accident with one of its vehicles. 

Unauthorized vehicle use can open fleets to a range of liability problems. Faster ping rates can notify fleets when assets are in use outside of work hours, where they’re being taken at all times during the day and confirm use with historical route data. 

Improper maintenance of assets can lead to serious accidents. It is important for fleet managers to be proactive in vehicle upkeep to keep their employees safe and reduce the chances of malfunction on the road. Ensuring fleets stay on track of their preventive maintenance schedule is crucial with the use of alerts set by calendar day, engine on-time, or mileage. 

Introducing asset trackers that implement live tracking may seem like an added cost to the budget, but it can save fleets significant amounts in the long run. It will enforce safety procedures and maintenance schedules while better training fleet managers and tracking employees. If your business is looking for a way to reduce overall fleet costs while increasing liability protection, contact our specialists to implement the right fleet tracking software.

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Part 1: Telematics Solutions That Work For Any Vehicle Year In School Transportation

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Many fleets understand how telematics solutions can benefit fleets, but often managers may be misinformed about how the solutions can be adopted by their fleet if their vehicles vary in age. Numerous solutions can be used by school transporters regardless of the make, model or year, continue reading to learn more. 

 

Why Telematics Solutions Are Important For School Transportation Fleets

Safety is of utmost importance and depends entirely on the decisions that drivers make. However, in some industries, there is even more stress placed upon safety as it can affect the lives of others. When discussing school transportation, this is visible as the driving behaviour and vehicle upkeep can not only affect the life of the driver, but of the students boarding as well. 

 

Safety and Telematics 

When addressing fleet safety, telematics can help support drivers with feedback and coaching by implementing driver scorecards, reports and alerts to ensure they know how to make safe driving decisions.

When discussing fleet safety and maintenance management, fleets are turning to systems that monitor and alert teams when maintenance checks or repairs need to happen. This ensures that unexpected breakdowns are drastically decreased and repair turnaround times are increased.  

 

Efficiency and Telematics 

Boosting efficiency can help school districts that face tight budgets accomplish more with less. By cutting down on idling time, speeding and inefficient bus routes, more money can be saved to ensure students have adequate transportation to and from school. 

While telematics may seem important to be used in all school transportation vehicles, sometimes fleets overlook it. Even though there are varying reasons as to why this is, many are simply misinformed about whether the technological advancements can actually be adopted and implemented. 

 

Why School Transportation Fleets May Initially Overlook New Technologies 

It’s not unheard of for school transporters, or any fleet for that matter, to have fleets that include vehicle models of varying years. With tight budgets, school transportation fleets are often seen to purchase new buses to replace older models that are no longer functioning. As a result, fleets have a variety of old and new buses, which in turn seems to cause a concern about whether telematics will be of use for the entire fleet. 

This poses the need for teams like GoFleet to share knowledge and insight to all-year inclusive vehicle solutions that fleets with varying makes and models can use.

 

Finding All-Year Inclusive Vehicle Solutions: Where To Start

As there seems to be miscommunication about model years being a requirement for using telematics solutions, our team has outlined four steps to take when searching for all-year inclusive vehicle solutions: 

1. Evaluate Your Fleet Needs

Before purchasing a new system or solutions to implement, managers must evaluate the current tools they have in place, as well their goals with utilizing telematics. Whether it’s to increase safety, lower costs or boost efficiency, these must all be determined to ensure the right solutions are later implemented. 

2. Do Your Research On Solutions

With your fleets needs in mind, it’s vital to research and find the right solution amongst the countless ones available while ensuring the age of the vehicle will not affect the success of the implementation. For example, if the priority is to cut down on fuel costs, looking for a solution to reduce idling time and monitoring driver behavior is the way to go. As well, it’s important to keep in mind that there are various solutions that work hand-in-hand with each other, in addition to being all encompassing. 

3. Review The Costs Of Implementation 

Fleets need to ensure that they make use of every dollar wisely. Setting aside and organizing the budget to adopt telematics may seem difficult, but it will result in great returns on investment. 

Systematic maintenance will avoid expensive repairs and result in the buses having longer life spans. Longer vehicle life span will also result from increased safety, and the frequency of school bus accidents will in turn reduce.

Although these telematic solutions can be implemented into the fleet at an affordable rate, agencies like Sourcewell can offer competitively, solicited purchasing contracts to get you these solutions and equipment at a discounted price. 

4. Speak With An Experienced Solutions Provider

Implementing telematics into your fleet can seem daunting, but by working with an experienced solutions provider you can rest easy knowing you’re in good hands. Working with GoFleet, an industry leader in this sector, will make the process simple as our team of industry specific specialists will ensure that your fleet receives a custom solution to drive your efficiency, safety and maintenance management as well as increase your ROI. To learn more about the right telematics solution for your fleet, get in touch with our School Transportation Experts.

To read more about the specific telematic solutions that can work for fleets with varying vehicle years, read the continuation in Part Two.

GoFleet’s Yearly Review: Taking a Look at 2020 and 2021

Posted on | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment on GoFleet’s Yearly Review: Taking a Look at 2020 and 2021

This past year has been like no other. Over the course of the last 12 months our organization not only had to change the way we operate as a result of the pandemic, but we learned new ways in which we could help our customers who came to us with new and changing needs. With that being said, we believe it was critical to self-reflect on this year and share our findings with a yearly review. 

How Did GoFleet Grow as an Organization as a Result of the Pandemic? 

As an organization, we felt the impact of the pandemic as our customers and their businesses were directly affected. A positive result that arose was that we were able to connect with our customers more on a personal level to help them navigate the uncertain events that were happening. In fact, it made us appreciate the relationships that we formed with our customers and appreciate even more the work that they do on a daily basis. 

To help, we not only reflected on our business offerings and tried to help with cost-savings incentives to our customers, but we searched for more solutions that would better fit their unique needs and budgets at this time. 

As we are focused on building long-term relationships, this is something we are doing and will continue to do. 

What was GoFleet’s Goal in 2020 and what will be GoFleet’s Goal In 2021? 

At the beginning of 2020, GoFleet created a roadmap and listed various goals that we thought was important to work towards throughout the next 365 days. More specifically, we wanted to focus on sharing how Managed Services can help our customers not only improve their operations but save them time and money. In addition, we aimed to begin to network with OEM dealers while also being leaner as a company. With the course of the events that took place in 2020, it only encouraged us even more to reach those goals and remain successful. 

In 2021, we are excited to continue to grow our OEM Sales Program and our connections as we see this to be a valuable position not only for our company, but our customers as well. With such a program available, we can better help more fleets at the beginning of their journeys. In addition, we are looking to continue to further the expansion of Managed Services to non-traditional telematics services and data consulting as we are seeing positive possibilities from being Zenduit-powered.  

What Trends do you see Coming for Fleets in 2021? 

This year we believe that there are various trends that fleets must prepare for to remain successful. Below we list the trends and/or focuses that we anticipate: 

∙ More Electric Vehicle (EV) oriented insights and analysis as EV technology is advancing and zero emission regulations are discussed and put into place.

∙ OEM data integrations growing in popularity in comparison to aftermarket hardware integrations. 

∙ More car sharing and fleet pooling which leverage iox-keyless and sharing strategies to reduce the number of vehicles that a fleet has by using mobility apps to order and manage on demand.

 

A Quick Review: What did GoFleet do in 2020? 

A lot happened in 2020, keep reading to learn more about what happened! 

 

How Our Organization Changed: 

∙ We started working remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure staff safety.

∙ We continued to work and adjust our approach to customer success.

 

How Our Offerings Changed:

∙ We partnered with Samsara to better help fleets.

∙ We leveraged Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to improve safety in all fleets.

∙ We focused on promoting responder-to-vehicle (R2V) communication to improve public and first responder safety 

∙ We added a new support add-in on MyGeotab.

∙ We partnered with Drivewyze to help fleets improve efficiency.

∙ We launched GoFleet Health Check to help fleets digitally monitor the health status and potential symptoms of drivers.

 

A Few Customers We Helped: 

∙ We helped CR&R Environmental Services improve training and driver behaviour with the installation of ZenduCAM devices. 

∙ We helped DeCarolis Truck Leasing and Rental improve visibility, reporting, data collection, maintenance scheduling and more with Geotabs and Flex trackers.

∙ We helped Speedy Transport Group Inc lower unnecessary fuel consumption and increase overall productivity with the Geotab Drive app.

∙ We helped Forest Trotter with trailer made solutions to improve data collection and visibility. 

∙ We helped Rogue Transportation Inc avoid strains on work processes by leveraging new integrations. 

A lot happened in 2020 making it a year like no other. While our team was able to accomplish a lot, we want to take a moment to thank all of our customers and supporters. 

We are looking forward to what 2021 has to offer and how we can continue to not only help fleets in various industries improve their operations and save costs, but how we can drive change in the sector! 

power take-off, gofleet, tax, return, refund, iox aux, fleet

All You Need to Know About Power Take-Off and Tax Refunds

Posted on | by Alan | Leave a Comment on All You Need to Know About Power Take-Off and Tax Refunds

Power take-off (PTO) is a crucial device used to transfer mechanical power from vehicle engines to other pieces of equipment. It is adopted in a wide range of industries and sectors, such as forestry, energy, winter operations, waste management and many more. It allows the vehicle’s add-on equipment to extract and receive power from the vehicle’s host energy sources without installing an external energy source. 

Many fleet managers and asset operators favour PTO as an efficient and reliable way of attaching additional equipment and machinery to the vehicle, which helps them complete demanding tasks and dramatically expand vehicle utility. As a telematics company, we pride ourselves on using an innovative approach to derive changes and outcomes and we decided to give PTO a magical refresh and update. Our approach focuses on helping you extract the most information from PTO systems, which empower your operation to unmatched efficiency and drives down costs. 

 

The GoFleet Way of Mastering the Power Take-Off (PTO) System

Our IOX-AUX Harness links auxiliary sensors to our industry-leading fleet tracking systems, which enable operators and fleet managers to access information that they previously could not see. The IOX-AUX facilitates advanced sensor monitoring, enabling fleet managers and operators to view the real-time status and activities of the PTO. Fleet managers are also able to set up exception rules in the system to restrict and monitor operators’ behaviours, and any violation will trigger alerts, which immediately notify fleet managers to take appropriate actions. One of the most useful capabilities of PTO integration is that the system can organize PTO sensor data and formulate detailed reports at the end of the operations, which inform fleet managers about any event or violation that took place during the operation. These reports are also extremely valuable and helpful to fleet managers when preparing and submitting fleet management reports to the corporation’s executive team. Being able to extract more data and insights from the PTO system simply gives businesses a leading-edge over its competitors as these pieces of information can help fleet managers and executive teams better optimize the operation through a data-driven approach.  

Talking about system expandability, we want to offer you the most choices out of competitors. That’s why our IOX-AUX harness supports up to 4 digital inputs each. With two IOX-AUX, you can monitor up to 8 inputs at any time. If you have multiple sensors or inputs needed to track on a vehicle, you now have the complete freedom and control to do so. For example, fire truck operators or fleet managers may want to monitor sirens, fire pumps and aerial ladder activities simultaneously. It is vital for them to have access to all parts’ status and real-time information at one intuitive software interface, especially during an emergency operation. This poses stringent standards for the telematics solution as fleet managers and operators demand a high level of connectivity and integration, which allows them to monitor every component and part of the fire truck. Our solution, which supports up to 8 inputs, can handle these kinds of tasks with ease. No matter which part you want to track and monitor, you can link them with the vehicle onboard GPS tracking system through IOX-AUX to experience a streamlined workflow. 

When you are ready to go, we also want to make sure the installation process of IOX-AUX is simple, easy and problem-free. Our plug-and-play installation process guarantees that your entire system will be up and running in under a few hours. The USB connector of the IOX-AUX connector plugs right into the GPS tracking device, and you just need to connect the desired auxiliaries to the IOX-AUX wire as needed. There is no complex configuration or additional hardware required, and the installation process is easy enough where you can self-install and set them up by following our step-by-step instructions. 

 

Economic Returns of Using Power Take-Off Device

Did you know that you may be qualified for a refund if you paid tax on fuel used in Ontario to operate power take-off equipment? If your fleet qualified for the requirements listed below, you could apply for a power take-off tax refund:

  • The vehicle is licensed to operate under the Highway Traffic Act
  • The use of the auxiliary equipment occurs in Ontario
  • The motor vehicle is not used to transport passengers
  • The auxiliary equipment is powered using the same power source that is used to power the vehicle
  • No use of the power from the auxiliary equipment to drive the vehicle
  • No use of the auxiliary equipment for personal use, pleasure or recreation
  • Have paid fuel tax to Ontario 

A refund request must be filed and received by the Ministry of Finance within four years of paying the fuel tax. Remember that your fleet needs to meet all the above conditions to get a power take-off tax refund, and the exact amount of refund will be determined and calculated based on the vehicles’ total distance travelled in Ontario. 

DISCLAIMER: Before placing the information contained within this article in your fleet strategy, it is always recommended that you perform your own research and speak to the appropriate individuals to ensure it is right for you.

 

Q&A of Tax Refund for A Power Take-Off

 

Question: How is the refund being calculated?

Answer:

Calculating A Refund – PTO Activity Before July 1, 2017

There are two ways to measure the fuel used during the PTO operations; you may use either one of the below:

  • Readings from meters or electronic control modules that measure the fuel supplied to the auxiliary equipment
  • Set allowances approved by the ministry for different kinds of PTO operations, based on information from equipment manufacturers

You may need to contact the ministry to confirm if there is an approved allowance for your equipment. 

 

Calculating A Refund – PTO Activity After July 1, 2017

Starting from July 1, 2017, the PTO refund is calculated by applying a pre-determined percentage allowance against the total fuel disbursed to the licensed vehicle containing the qualifying auxiliary equipment.

You can find the PTO allowance chart on the Ontario Ministry of Finance website, which outlines in detail what the allowance is for different PTO activity types. 

 

For Inter-jurisdictional Carriers

For inter-jurisdictional carriers, the refund is calculated based on the vehicle’s total distance travelled in Ontario during the claim period. The following example will help you better understand how the refund portion is calculated. 

An IFTA licensed carrier (carrier licensed under the International Fuel Tax Agreement) reports a total distance of 10,000 km in all jurisdictions, of which 2,000 km represents the distance travelled in Ontario. While in Ontario, the carrier uses fuel to operate PTO equipment. The tax rate on the fuel used is 14.3 cents per litre. Based on the ministry approved allowance, it was determined that PTO activity accounts for 1,000 litres of fuel. 

The carrier calculates the Ontario PTO tax refund as follows:

  • Calculate the percentage of Ontario travel out of the total travelled distance

2,000 km ÷ 10,000km = 20%

  • Use the PTO litres to multiply the proportion of distance travelled in Ontario 

1,000 litres x 20% = 200 litres

  • Then, multiply the result above by the tax rate to arrive at the refund portion

200 litres x $0.143 = $28.60

 

Question: How and where can I apply for the refund?

Answer:

  1. You need to download and complete the application form online, which can be found on the Ontario Ministry of Finance website
  2. Read the accompanying guides, which help you navigate through the application
  3. Mail the completed application and all supporting documents to the Ministry. Make sure to keep one copy for your records. You can find the mailing address on the Ontario Ministry of Finance website

 

Question: What kinds of supporting documents do I need to provide?

Answer: 

For Refunds Under $500

You do not need to send in supporting documents with your application if the total of all refunds for a calendar year does not exceed $500. However, you will still need to keep your records for seven years in case the Ministry audits you.

For Refunds Over $500

You need to submit accurate and verifiable records of your fuel purchases along with your application to support a PTO refund claim. The invoice must show the following information:

  • The name and address of the seller
  • The selling price per litre
  • The amount of tax charged
  • The quantity of product purchased
  • The date of the sale

You also need to submit copies of proof of payment such as the account statement and cancelled cheque along with the receipted invoice. 

 

For PTO Claims on or After July 1, 2017

For PTO claims on or after July 1, 2017, additional documents are required:

  • A monthly summary of all fuel issues covering the entire claim period
  • Entries broken down by each licensed vehicle included in the claim
  • Based on verifiable information that may include inventory reconciliation reports from bulk storage facilities, daily disbursement logs, receipts from retail fuel outlets and issue tickets from card lock systems

Similarly, you are responsible for keeping all the records for seven years after you apply. If the Ministry selects you for an audit, you are required to present all the relevant records. 

 

Question: How to claim the refund?

Answer:

The fastest way for you to receive your tax refund is by signing up for direct deposit. It’s an easy and secure way to receive refunds or rebate. You can fill out the direct deposit authorization form on the Ontario Ministry of Finance website and include it in the submission package. 

All the information presented here is for informational purposes. At this moment, GoFleet cannot advise you on finance-related questions nor responsible for any issue related to the topic. We encourage your business to consult with a professional financial consultant to determine eligibility for the PTO tax refunds and discuss in detail how to apply. For more information, we recommend visiting the Ontario Ministry of Finance website to discover the more information on this topic. To learn more about the IOX-AUX harness and supporting accessories connecting to the PTO system, contact us today as our industry-specific experts at GoFleet will be happy to discuss with you in further detail. 

gofleet, customer success, telematics, fleet

GoFleet’s Approach To Customer Success

Posted on | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment on GoFleet’s Approach To Customer Success

Over the last 10 years, our three offices in Canada, the United States and the United Arab Emirates have been dedicated to helping hundreds of customers and businesses worldwide to step up their games in the fleet management sector and transform their fleet into a productivity machine. Now it’s time to have you on board with us on this exciting journey and experience the GoFleet difference. 

 

Who Is GoFleet? 

We are in the business of connection and digitalization, offering fleets of any size a tailored solution that helps them grow and succeed, all powered by telematics. At GoFleet, our vision is to bring the most powerful hardware, simple but useful software, and exceptional services together to delight every customer. Collaborating with industry-leading partners and blending in our own unique solutions, advantages and expertise, we believe we can provide you with the right answer for any challenge and pain point you encounter. 

 

What Does GoFleet Do?

GoFleet provides pioneering end-to-end fleet management hardware and software solutions covering every link of fleet operation, from asset tracking, vehicle health monitoring, dispatching, routing to safety management, vehicle maintenance and data storage. Our wide range of products can address customer’s pain points and challenges in every single fleet management aspect, including fuel management, asset tracking, maintenance diagnostics, drivers’ behaviours monitoring and training, routing and dispatching, electronic logging devices and many more. All our products are built and designed upon the foundation of our commitment to improving your fleet management experience in five core objectives: productivity, safety, optimization, compliance and expandability. 

We have previously worked with countless customers from a diverse range of industries to show them how we keep our commitment and transform their workflows from the bottom up. Boston Pizza, one of Canada’s largest and leading casual dining chains, put our telematics tracker into real-world testing and installed it on every delivery vehicle. Since day one, the franchise owner immediately noticed an improvement in delivery efficiency and customer satisfaction across the board. Our tracking solution helps to streamline deliveries and significantly reduce wait times for both delivery drivers and customers. With access to delivery vehicle real-time locations and status, the kitchen chef can now make sure the order is prepared and fresh out of the oven right when the next delivery vehicle is back at the restaurant to pick it up. This ensures that food is not sitting around waiting to be picked up, and customers can receive the freshest and warmest food as fast as possible. 

Our partnership with CR&R Environmental Services further showcases our determination to help businesses in improving fleet safety performance. CR&R Environmental Services is an innovative waste and recycling collection company serving more than 3 million people in numerous countries. Prior to contacting us, CR&R Environmental Services experienced multiple instances where vehicle cameras were not recording or functioning. The camera is an essential piece of equipment used to record video footage of the operations, and an unreliable camera system is simply unacceptable. Loss of footages may put businesses in a disadvantageous position if liability disputes arise when one of the company’s vehicles gets involved in a collision or accident. CR&R Environmental Services reached out to us to see if we can offer an innovative safety solution to replace their current one. Our team worked hard and delivered on promises by leveraging telematics’ power and brought on a highly reliable and capable 360-degree camera system alongside an intuitive software platform. After the implementation, the CR&R Environmental Services noticed an increased level of visibility, reliability and productivity compared to their old system. They feel more confident in their ability to review driving footage in case of an accident and use these videos to train drivers and improve drivers’ skills. 

System integration and optimization are at the core of every product we create. Every piece of equipment, hardware and software we designed works seamlessly together. We deeply understand many customers are frustrated by the incompatibility between different systems and platforms, and it’s our job to bring them all together into one unified fleet management platform that enables you to do everything anywhere. All you have to do is focus on what matters and leave the rest of the hassles to us. 

 

Why Does GoFleet Care?

We take great pride in our products and in building relationships with our customers. We put people, product quality, innovation, environment, the end results, and your feedback at the forefront of everything we do at GoFleet. We deeply care about each of these aspects, and that’s why we adopt cutting-edge technologies to enrich each of them. 

 

People

Everyone’s safety is our top priority. We introduced a range of safety products all aimed at protecting your fleets drivers’ safety. From the driver distraction camera to the collision avoidance system, they are life-saving tools that can make a big difference at the most critical moment. They also give fleet managers and drivers extra peace of mind and an extra layer of protection during everyday operations. 

Our industry-leading customer service team is at your service no matter what problem you encounter in using our products. We provide easy and hassle-free device installation and training guidance so that you can implement our products across the entire fleet in just a matter of time. We offer remote diagnostics support to quickly assess and resolve your issues without the need for you to wait for a technician to come and help. The 24/7 support directly from product manufacturers is included with our ProPlus subscription, and if necessary, we will send in technicians to your sites to help you fix the issues and get your vehicle back on the road as fast as possible. 

 

Quality

We know that you have high expectations for product quality and want a product that works as promised and marketed. That’s why we conduct rigorous testing to ensure each one of the products we ship meets or exceeds our stringent quality standards. Additionally, we know that you want a device that doesn’t compromise and works in any weather conditions and environments. Most of the hardware products we sell are waterproof, shockproof and highly durable, giving you the freedom to use them in any environment. 

 

Innovation

Innovation is in our DNA. We strive to bring you the best and latest technology and incorporate them into our products. We want you to fully experience and utilize our products for a long-lasting period. That’s why we keep adding new features and fix any bugs by frequently pushing new software updates to your device and system. We are committed to bringing in the best available technology such as artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to make your products even smarter throughout time, so when you own our products, you not only gain the right tools to tackle any current challenges but also fully prepare yourselves for the future. 

 

Planet

We care about our environment deeply. The first step we are undertaking is helping businesses and fleets to convert their entire workflow to a paperless model. With all the fleet data stored over the cloud database, we can truly digitalize how information is being used, analyzed and shared within the corporation. We are also incorporating environmental metrics and benchmarks into our vehicle tracking dashboard to allow fleet managers and drivers to access the vehicle emissions and fuel economy information throughout their operation. 

Another initiative that we are taking to safeguard the quality of our living environment is providing the right tool to help businesses’ existing fleet transition into a fully electric vehicle fleet. Working directly with electric vehicle manufacturers, we have developed unique capabilities to access electric vehicles’ data and ensure your electric vehicle has strong data support. We are also working around the clock to expand our support to new models over time. We understand the migration to an electric vehicle fleet is not an easy task; it’s a process, and it takes time. But rest assured, when you are ready to make the move, we have already set the foundation and have the right tools ready for you. 

 

Feedback

The process is important, but for any business, we know that you also value the results. You want to see the improvement in numbers yourself. We have created a comprehensive fleet dashboard showcasing data on fleet performance and efficiency, allowing you to track improvement percentage and return on investment. Based on this data, you could gain a sense of how much improvement our products provide to your fleet operations.   

We are always happy to discuss and hear what you think about our products and services. Our customer support team makes follow-up calls and consultations after your purchase and implementation to ensure the solutions work well for you. And of course, if you encounter any issues with our products, our technical support team is always here to help. 

 

Where Is GoFleet Heading?

We pride ourselves on being an innovation-driven organization, and we will keep innovating to integrate the best and latest technologies to the existing systems and platforms. Utilizing the power of artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data analytics and 5G wireless communication technology, we can truly take the whole fleet management platform to new heights. 

We are also fully prepared for the massive transition from gasoline and diesel fleet models to the electric vehicle fleet model. All of our products have been optimized for either fleet structure, and we are working hard to add support for new electric vehicle models every month. But we want to look even further ahead into the future of commercial fleets. Many of the foundational works have already been undertaken to prepare for the development and transition to autonomous vehicles. We always want to stay ahead of the competition and have the products ready for you, so you can have unlimited choices of how you want to expand your fleet. 

At GoFleet, we keep adapting to constant changes. The pandemic has drastically changed the operational model of many businesses. We are here to make sure our products fit our customers’ changing needs and standards. There is a growing demand for remote fleet management, so we bring the best software to your mobile device, giving you easy access to all the fleet statuses and information on the go. There is a rising trend of high precision and specialized transportation activities, so we offer advanced temperature and humidity monitoring sensors to help your business conquer challenging tasks. As the world is becoming more connected and globalized, we also focus on providing more localized optimization for your fleet. This includes providing convenient software features such as the weigh station bypass service to help your fleet better navigate through your local community. During the current turbulent period, we recognized that we have an even greater responsibility to respond and cope with the unpredicted changes and market trends to create tailored products that meet your businesses’ core needs, but it also gives us valuable opportunities to show you what our products can do for your business.

At GoFleet, our approach of doing everything with passion and professionalism has driven us to success to date, and our commitment to our customers is what motivates us to reach new heights. 

Contact us today to speak with one of our many industry or solutions specialists to assist in nearly anything fleet related! 

Telematics Is The Key To Successfully Set Up For Home Deliveries

Posted on | by Anna | Leave a Comment on Telematics Is The Key To Successfully Set Up For Home Deliveries

Times are changing, and many businesses are learning that they have to adapt in order to stay profitable. With social distancing and business closure regulations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning to lift slightly for some sectors, many business owners are finding that they need to remain creative to begin operations again. With the need to limit physical interaction still required, many businesses are turning to telematics to set up for home deliveries. 

 

Why The Spotlight Is On Home Deliveries 

 

As previously mentioned, many businesses are turning to incorporate home deliveries into their operations. This is largely due to the inability to operate as usual because the coronavirus pandemic has required the public to partake in social distancing to reduce the spread. As a result, businesses were provided two options. Either they could momentarily close their doors until the government feels as though it’s safe for them to operate as usual, or they could implement new home delivery and/or curbside pickup options to remain profitable. With the pandemic continuing, many are finding that keeping their doors shut is not an option so they must adjust their operations – specifically to offer home deliveries.

 

Below we discuss not only the tools that can allow businesses to succeed while implementing home deliveries, but the ways that businesses are getting creative with this. 

 

Home Deliveries – Who Can Do It? 

 

Home delivery services may seem daunting to those who are not used to offering it, but it should not be feared. Currently, there are numerous businesses who are embracing home deliveries and are finding new ways to cater to their customers who are choosing to stay home and keep outings limited.

 

Brick And Mortar Or Specialty Stores

 

Depending on how the business was run previous to COVID-19, many brick and mortar businesses may already offer some form of delivery. However, those who did not have this offering before are quickly learning that incorporating an inventory and e-commerce platform is essential to continuing operations when consumers are choosing to stay home or limit shopping outings. By remotely working with tech-businesses to adjust websites, product images and inventory, brick and mortar as well as specialty store owners are finding that home delivery is possible once they find a reliable way to transport products. 

 

Food And Beverage Businesses

 

As one may assume, the food and beverage industry has been struggling to find their way after restaurants and cafes were ordered to close. However, with applications like UberEats, many restaurant owners are still able to provide food and drinks (even alcoholic beverages) to the public! In fact, this need for delivery has even inspired restaurants that can’t afford the fees of food delivery apps to employ delivery personnel to deliver orders that are taken over the phone or online. 

 

Consignment Stores 

 

Consignment stores are also finding new ways to run their businesses during this time. Specifically, by creating websites and incorporating e-commerce platforms to allow for owners to upload images of consignment clothing to allow customers to not only purchase online, but have it delivered to their home without contact. This idea being similar to many big-name clothing stores who have offered online shopping and home delivery for years. 

 

How To Use Telematics To Set Up For Home Deliveries 

 

There are many good ideas listed above in how unique businesses are finding ways to cope with running a contactless business during the COVID-19 pandemic. But apart from implementing e-commerce platforms, how can delivery services be run and properly managed? The answer is this: telematics solutions. Below we discuss how business owners can successfully use telematics to set up for home deliveries.

 

Completing Deliveries With Dispatching Solutions 

 

When it comes to using telematics to set up for home deliveries, if businesses are unable to use a mailing service, they will need to dispatch drivers to make deliveries. In cases that require an overwhelming number of orders or orders that span across a large geographical area, it’s critical that businesses use a dispatching solution. Using a dispatching solution can help business owners better manage their team in terms of who is completing which deliveries and what their routes will be so operations are optimized. 

 

Dispatching solutions like ZenduWork are great for businesses who are required to have more than one driver delivering orders as it organizes exactly where the driver is going, where they are in real-time, as well as order updates. Meaning, you’ll always know how your deliveries are going so you can even notify your customers about their order. 

 

Mapping Tools And GPS Tracking Solutions For Deliveries 

 

Another solution that is useful when businesses are using telematics to set up for home deliveries, is the use of mapping tools, specifically gps tracking. These types of solutions allow for business owners to stay up to date with what stage a delivery is at, allowing for up to date information about expected arrival times to be relayed to customers – boosting customer satisfaction. For businesses who offer same day delivery or focus on immediate delivery, this is critical as you are able to share this information with customers.

NEW Tracking GIF

 

Live Map Views For Customers 

 

Another solution that is extremely useful, especially for businesses who offer immediate delivery, is the use of mapping solutions like Public Map Share. This solution focuses on providing customers with the option to view in real-time where their order is. This is possible by using GPS tracking assets on vehicles conducting the delivery and relaying that information visually on a map that is updated every few seconds. Showing the delivery moving along its route. In turn, the customer can be provided with their own link for this map so they can view in real-time where their delivery is and whether it’s time to retrieve it from their doorstep. 

 

As business owners can see, implementing delivery offerings into operations may not be as daunting as it once seemed. For many, it just took a little creative thinking in addition to the right telematics solutions to properly and accurately conduct the deliveries. If your business is looking to improve their delivery offerings, or would like to better understand how using telematics to set up for home deliveries can help you begin delivery services, contact GoFleet today. We’re confident that we have a solution that can fit your unique needs during this uncertain time.