How Real Time Visibility Can Improve Your Business Operations

Posted by Mayika Fleet Management on March 16th, 2021

Fleet management software is a computer program which enables individuals to perform a complex series of tasks in relation to the management of a fleet of commercial vehicles operated by a private company, state, or other organization. The activities include scheduling and assignment of shifts, control of fuel expenditure, monitoring of driver's logs and mileage, and maintenance of fleet vehicles. The software also allows for the scheduling of services such as vehicle servicing, driver's training, and preventive maintenance. Some fleet management applications have the ability to perform functions such as real-time vehicle tracking and mapping.

One of the main purposes of fleet management software is to allow employers to streamline their operations, allowing workers to more efficiently perform their jobs. One of the most common uses is to allow an employer to manage all of their vehicles, including private and public transportation links. This reduces the amount of time spent driving between locations, while simultaneously reducing the costs associated with fuel. Streamlining the operations also allows an employer to make better use of their assets. For example, by using real-time asset tracking, the employer can determine exactly where each employee is within the operating costs of the business, which allow them to effectively reduce the number of employees they hire, as well as the number of commercial transportation links that they provide to provide employees with transportation between various locations.

Another use of fleet management software is to improve efficiency by reducing the number of times that drivers need to rest. A common time wasted activity is for drivers to take a break and rest after a long day of driving. The software can reduce the number of hours that drivers spend inactive, which can lead to improved driver and passenger safety. Not only can the program allow for more efficient hours of work, but it can also help cut down on costs associated with sick days and absenteeism. In addition, the software can help to reduce the number of accidents which occur during days when drivers are at their most inefficient.

With the introduction of government provided fleets, fleet management software can now be used to streamline these services. Government fleets tend to have many more vehicles than private vehicles, and this requires an automated fleet management solution in order to ensure that each vehicle is being tracked correctly. By combining the right fleet management solutions with their unique requirements, private businesses can eliminate the manual processes associated with managing their fleets. Also, if a business wishes to contract out their fleet management systems, it is still possible to use the software in order to make sure that each vehicle is being monitored in a consistent manner. This ensures that the vehicles are being operated safely, and that their maintenance records are accurate.

Some fleet managers may have concerns about privacy issues surrounding dash cam footage. Using dash cam footage for surveillance has become much more prevalent in recent years, and some fleet managers may believe that this invasion of privacy infringes on their First Amendment rights. However, having the appropriate fleet management software will allow fleet managers to view all dash cam footage without prior permission, or knowledge of the user. Using this software will also allow fleet managers to view live video feed from anywhere, which may be extremely important information if an accident occurs.

From an expense management standpoint, some fleet management software solutions do not include any form of rider pricing structure. This pricing structure allows for the flexibility of adjusting costs in order to minimize costs. Many companies may wish to charge higher fees for their premium services such as driver discovery and driver safety training. These services typically increase a fleet manager's expenses, but if they are not included in a fixed pricing structure, they may have to resort to increasing their costs without any rhyme nor reason. However, a good software system will include all of these services within its price, so that those wishing to add any of these services will have to factor that into the overall cost of using the software.

Some fleet managers need the ability to easily control and monitor the functions of the fleet management software. This is especially true of those who need to check on driver schedules and update fuel estimates at any time. Certain services, such as monitoring driver hours, can also be extremely useful in alerting fleet managers to irregularities in schedules. Other aspects of monitoring performance should also be available through any quality commercial vehicles management solution. Such services could include GPS vehicle tracking, or even real-time mapping of routes for optimal transportation strategies.

A well established fleet management software program will provide fleet managers with access to real-time visibility of all company vehicles. Real-time visibility will give fleet managers immediate access to critical information, such as vehicle location, maintenance history, fuel consumption status and speed, among other important operational details. By providing fleet managers with the ability to view detailed reports in just a few minutes, these programs can provide a crucial competitive advantage over other businesses that may lack current real-time visibility of their fleet vehicles. This type of insight into a business's operations has an enormous impact on its bottom line, which makes it essential that companies capitalize on this information by utilizing it to improve their fleet management practices.