Offset rising fuel prices with telematics
Mark Forrest, General Manager of Trimble Field Service Management explains how fleet management and telematics technology can help businesses and directly impact profit margins in the face of a tough economic climate and ever- increasing fuel prices.
When first introduced, the benefits of in-vehicle technology came from simply knowing where vehicles were, thereby enabling businesses to get a more accurate reflection of how effectively their fleets were being deployed. Using even the earliest solutions meant that businesses could rely on more accurate timesheets, eliminate unnecessary journeys, and enable drivers to use the most effective routes.
As the technology has matured, however, businesses are now beginning to realise the full potential of using the data gathered by telematics and fleet management solutions and using it to much greater effect. No longer are these solutions simply about gathering location-based information, they now incorporate cost and mileage as well as factors such as driver behaviour and safety, vehicle condition and even analysis of CO2 emissions.
Counteracting increasing fuel costs
The recent hike in the price of fuel has once again highlighted the ongoing struggle faced by businesses that rely on transport as part of their core business operations. As an essential commodity, such businesses cannot avoid the sting of fuel costs, but thousands of UK businesses could be operating more efficiently and therefore significantly reducing fuel consumption.
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Using fleet management solutions, companies can optimise schedules and route planning in order to reduce unnecessary mileage and improve fuel efficiency by as much as 30 per cent. Monitoring fuel consumption and CO2 outputs can also improve a company’s carbon footprint. With further fuel price increases predicted within the next six months, its vital UK businesses ensure they are running at optimum efficiency to counteract the impact on profit margins.
There are ways though to cushion the blow of costs and begin to get to grips with avoidable expenditure. Pinpointing where fuel is being lost or unnecessarily wasted is crucial. The latest telematics technology, for example, offers insight that can help to identify unnecessary journeys and improve fuel efficiency.
Delivering to customers’ expectations
With the dynamic shifts in service and delivery expectations, businesses are hungry for technology that will manage unexpected events as they occur, allowing jobs to be reprioritised and reallocated as the day unfolds.
A recent survey of 2,000 consumers commissioned by Trimble demonstrated that service quality and timeliness is still the key to customer satisfaction, with 73 per cent saying they would be put off from using firms that
offer timeslots.
With effective automated scheduling and real time alerting, businesses can effectively assess and manage their daily workload to react to the day’s events, getting the right driver to the
imprecise appointment
right location on time, boosting service productivity and business profits.
Keeping drivers safe and performing well
A key factor in controlling fuel costs lies with the employee behind the wheel. In-vehicle technology can be beneficial to show how economical a driver or vehicle is, helping companies optimise their fuel usage. The new wave of telematics technology now provides analysis of an employee’s
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