What things should you consider when purchasing fleet management software?
Owning and managing a fleet can be a difficult task. It doesn’t matter if you have five fleet vehicles or 500; keeping track of everything you need to can be a nightmare if you don’t have the right software to keep everything straight. Maybe you have been thinking about investing in fleet management software for your vehicles. I bet you were unsure if it was a good idea, but we are here to fill you in on a bit of an industry secret. Many fleet managers already use them.
10 Things to Consider Before Purchasing Fleet Management Software
We want to bring ten things to your attention to help you decide if a fleet management software solution is right for you. Before you can begin looking at companies, you need to determine if you are a large fleet or a small fleet. Knowing your fleet size and type will help you vet the companies you think will offer you the best types of software.
#1. Ease of Use
The software you look into should be easy to use. You don’t want to invest in software that you can’t navigate or use the features that drew you to it in the first place. The idea is to increase the efficiency of your fleet, not hinder it. In addition to being easy to use, there should be a skilled support staff to handle your questions – day or night.
#2. Simple Implementation
In addition to being easy to use, you want fleet management software that is easy to implement. In many circumstances, you can “plug and play” your software. Newer devices are made to be compatible with the OBD II port in your fleet vehicles. All that is required is the device, an app, and a smartphone or tablet. The information will either upload via WiFi or is sent over a wireless network.
#3. Real-Time Mobility
Since your fleet is always on the go, so should your management software. You need to be able to see your fleet in real-time, tracking the whereabouts of each vehicle and seeing exactly how they are being driven. Not only does this keep your fleet more efficient, but it keeps it safer as well.
#4. Large and Small Scalability
The best fleet management software will be scalable to your fleet. Large or small, it should be able to handle it. The benefits for a fleet of ten vehicles should be the same as the benefits for a fleet of 100. There should be very little difference in the integrity of the product from one fleet to the next.
#5. Capability to Integrate
Even if your fleet isn’t using management software, it is likely using some form of technology within the ranks. The fleet management software you choose should integrate seamlessly with any technological solutions you currently use, whether it be telematics devices or fuel cards.
#6. Ability to Produce Reports
Part of being a successful fleet manager is seeing what your fleet needs to work on to be efficient. Fleet management software should provide you with the reports necessary to make your fleet more efficient and be easy to read so that anyone who is given the information can interpret it. Stakeholders are often very interested in data such as this.
#7. Managing Expenses/Total Cost of Ownership
It is a time-consuming process to try and crunch all the numbers to find out just how much your fleet’s total cost of ownership is. The chances are high that any investors or potential investors want to see these numbers regularly. Do you have the time to sit and do all of these calculations and trend analyses? The right fleet management software helps you crunch these numbers and present them in an easy-to-read format.
#8. Performance
Seeing the historical data of your fleet can help you predict future outcomes. Fleet management software can store and interpret this data for you. It provides forecasts for all of the performance metrics, including but not limited to utilization, maintenance history, and trend in fuel economy.
#9. Automation Options
Fleet management systems make it possible for managers to automate some processes and data recovery. By entering them in their rightful place and analyzing it for efficiency and other key indicators, managers are awarded extra time to do the other things on their “to-do” lists. We know that as a fleet manager, your job isn’t just about crunching the numbers. Fleet management software takes care of that in most circumstances.
#10. ROI (Return on Investment)
It may not make sense – you have to spend money to make money. We have all seen it at work, though. This philosophy is no different when it comes to fleet management software. By increasing efficiency in numerous areas, most fleet management software (when used correctly) will have a more significant ROI for the fleet as a whole.
Why You Need To Consider The Investment
Fleet management software is a game-changer for many fleet managers. If you haven’t looked into one before now, take these considerations and run with them. Nowadays, fleets need to be as efficient and economical as possible, saving money every chance they get. Fleet management software is how that is accomplished.
There are many different kinds of fleet management software solutions out there for you to try. Some require a subscription, and others are a month-to-month solution. Some names you may have heard or may consider are Fleetio, Samsara, Ituran, Fleetroot, and Fleetr. These are only a sampling of the solutions out there for efficient fleet management.
Now that you know what you should consider when looking into your fleet management options, what are you waiting for? Start being more efficient as a fleet manager and have a more productive fleet when choose to implement a leading fleet management software solution.
