Logistics businesses can be quite tricky for owners. When you have trucks that travel long distances, you need to be able to monitor them to see if they deliver and for driver safety. Luckily for truck owners, there are fleet management companies you can leverage for your trucking business.
Fleet management is the process fleet managers use to monitor fleet activities to keep the fleets running on time and within the allocated budget.
For trucking businesses or other transport businesses, fleet management is highly important. It helps to reduce risks and ensures that profit is maximised.
In this article, we take you through the benefits of fleet management and which companies can offer these services.
Benefits of Fleet Management
There are many benefits to having fleet management for your trucks. Especially during busy times of the year such as the festive season, there are many trucking businesses that can benefit from it.
Some of the benefits of fleet management are:
Real-time Visibility
Using this type of software can provide you with real-time visibility into operations. Using historical data and real-time data, fleet managers can make data-driven decisions on how to improve safety, reduce costs and maximise efficiency.
Reduces Costs
Fleet management can reduce the amount of fuel your trucks use. The managers or management system can optimise routes with access to maps so you can send the truck closest to the destination via the most direct route. This reduces the amount of fuel used as well as improves customer service by providing an efficient and quick delivery.
Increases Productivity
A good management system can increase your trucking business productivity significantly. The software can analyse vehicle and driver data to check how long each delivery is and if the best route possible has been taken.
Improved Customer Satisfaction
A good fleet management system can help quicken deliveries which will improve customer satisfaction. Your system should get drivers on time and provide customers with accurate estimated times of arrival (ETA). This will increase your customer satisfaction rating and increase trust between you and your customers.
How Does Fleet Management Work?
Fleet management consists of various features to create one unified system. This system is used to organise groups of cars, vans, trucks etc to transport goods. For the system to work properly, you will need the following core components:
- Management software for a more centralised place of managing fleet operations.
- GPS or cellular to work with a tracking device for transmission of important fleet data.
- Tracking device to provide real-time fleet data.
- Vehicle(s).
- Operators to oversee the fleet management system.
These components are the basics of what makes up a fleet management system.
Software Companies for Your Business
Now that you have a better understanding of fleet management and what it does, you can start looking for companies that provide the service. Some of the best companies in South Africa are:
Cartrack
Cartrack has a fleet management solution for businesses. The system offers users the following:
- Scheduling of maintenance.
- Monitoring of fuel use.
- Monitoring of the temperature of the vehicle.
- Vehicle protection during transit.
- Planning of routes for efficient delivery.
- Access to real-time insights.
- Recover stolen vehicles.
If you sign up today, you can get a free quote and demo of the Cartrack system.
Michelin
Michelin has a fleet management solution for transport and logistics businesses. The company’s system offers the following:
- Reduce costs of fleet running such as fuel.
- Improve fleet productivity with job planning.
- Insights and analysis on fleet performance.
- Provides vehicle and driver safety solutions.
To find out more about Michelin’s management system, fill in the online form and a consultant will get back to you.
Shell
Shell has a offering designed for businesses of all sizes. The offering comes with the following:
- Easy-to-navigate dashboard for fleet management.
- Reports on fleet activity and savings gaps.
- Monitoring of fleet spending.
- Security solutions for vehicles and drivers.
For the Shell system, you need to get a fleet manager who will then use the system.
MiX Telematics by Powerfleet
Mix provides fleet management services to businesses all over South Africa. Some of the benefits of using Mix include:
- Real-time tracking.
- Increased driver and vehicle safety solutions.
- Management of fuel and fleet maintenance costs.
- Reporting and data analytics.
- Customer retention rate.
- Ensure driver compliance.
To find out more information, fill in the form and a consultant will get back to you with more information.
With a busy festive season upon us, do not take any risks with your fleet. Get a good fleet management company that will ensure that your trucks are secured and optimised for deliveries.
To speak to an expert about managing your business, visit SME Advice to book an appointment.
