Industries That Need To Invest In Vehicle Tracking
Vehicle tracking is an incredibly useful tool that enables you to keep an eye on your fleet at any given time, allowing you to increase your employees’ productivity and cut unnecessary spending. Other benefits include improved driver safety, efficiency and theft prevention. Fleetsmart vehicle tracking provides real-time GPS updates, routing, vehicle reports and journey replay, which are valuable tools for any business but can be particularly revolutionary for those in the following industries.
1. Courier/Delivery
Vehicle tracking is very popular in the delivery industry and is used by some of the biggest companies such as Royal Mail, Hermes and UPS for a number of reasons, the first being customer service. On the list of Top 50 Things British People Complain About, waiting for a delivery that never turns up is number 5. Nowadays, customers want to know exactly what time their parcel will be delivered so they can ensure they are at home to collect it or to provide an alternative delivery option. Thankfully, with real-time GPS updates, you can let your customers track their parcel from their PC, smartphone or tablet and can estimate a more accurate delivery time based on the driver’s route, speed and stops. Whilst it isn’t necessary, vehicle tracking improves the reliability and quality of service you offer to your customers, making them more likely to use your company in the future.Not only can vehicle tracking assist your customers, but it also resolves issues with those who claim their parcel ‘never arrived’. Proof of delivery via vehicle tracking can settle these types of disputes and potentially save you thousands of pounds in refunds.Fleet tracking devices can also assist you in managing your fleet more effectively by showing you where driver behaviour isn’t optimal, including speeding, heavy braking and acceleration, idling and unnecessary stops. This information allows you to target areas that need improvement, boosting productivity, driver safety and cutting fuel costs.
2. Logistics
Businesses in the logistics industry can greatly benefit from vehicle tracking as they often have hundreds, if not thousands, of recipients to supply to every week. When stock or supply is not delivered on time, it can have a negative impact on both the recipient and the logistics company. For example, if a restaurant doesn’t receive their food stock on time, they must run on a limited menu which could cause a loss of money. Similarly, if a pharmacist doesn’t receive medication on time, then people may go without their much needed medication. By installing vehicle tracking devices, you can make sure your employees are being productive and driving efficiently to ensure your customers receive their supplies on time, in turn making your service more reliable and encouraging customers to use your service again. As mentioned previously, vehicle tracking can also help to keep business expenditure down on driver wages, fuel costs and solving any disputes that arise.
3. Construction
Since the coronavirus lockdown, there has been a 50% increase in theft of equipment, tools and vehicles on construction sites and according to Boilerguide, a van is broken into every 23 minutes in the UK. With over 50% of tradespeople having been a victim of van crime on more than one occasion, it is clear that there need to be measures put in place to prevent break-ins and tool theft.One way of tightening security measures is to implement vehicle and asset tracking. Making potential thieves aware that your vehicle has a tracking system often acts as a deterrent, but for those who are willing to take their chances, there are a number of other features in place to stop them. Set by time and location, Fleetsmart geo-fence alerts notify you any time your vehicle enters or exits an area you select. This means you will be alerted any time your vehicle leaves your warehouse after working hours. Once you have been made aware of this, you can then use the GPS tracking to locate your stolen vehicle with the police. Some of our optional features also include remote immobilisation which stops the ignition from starting when it is switched on outside of working hours, preventing a thief from getting very far with vehicles or assets full of valuable tools. For more information on our
4. Public Transport
People can often be heard complaining about public transport running late or not showing up at all, falling at number 13 on the list of Top 50 Things British People Complain About. Whilst buses and trains have strict schedules that they must stick to, they are often delayed or rescheduled due to traffic or unforeseen circumstances. Implementing vehicle tracking devices would allow public transport services to locate their drivers and make passengers aware of any delays ahead of time.Many taxi services such as Uber are using vehicle tracking as a way to let the customer see the car’s real-time location with an estimated time of arrival (ETA) to their location based on the driver’s speed and the number of stops they are having to make due to traffic. Once the passenger has entered the vehicle, the tracking continues, giving them the route path and an ETA.This feature also helps to ensure a passenger’s safety when in a vehicle. Following a number of kidnappings and murders, Uber added a feature that let users contact emergency services with their exact location. Having these features within your transport service can put your passengers at ease and make them more likely to use your service.
5. Takeaway Drivers
Takeaways are becoming increasingly popular, especially since the coronavirus lockdown when people could no longer go out to eat in restaurants and the restaurants started to offer takeaway services. Delivering customers’ orders to them quickly is an essential part of offering a high quality service, as food doesn’t stay warm forever and people tend to order when they are already hungry.Most negative reviews on takeaway company pages are about the time it took to arrive, rather than the quality of the food itself. By implementing vehicle tracking, employees can ensure their drivers are taking the shortest routes possible and can also give customers an insight into how long their food will take to arrive.There are a lot of benefits that come with the use of GPS tracking. It can improve your connections with employees and customers, as well as ensuring that you are operating safely and sustainably for the environment. At Fleetsmart, we can provide a quote based on your company’s needs. For further information, consider our news, testimonials or get in touch.
