5 Ways in Which Your Fleet Management Software is Harming Business Profits

With a CAGR of about 18.3%, demand for fleet management software is on the rise. Manual fleet management has now gone out of the window and smart managers recognize the role automation plays in sustaining their businesses in the long run.

However, do you realise that you might be incurring losses by misusing fleet management systems? 

Sounds scary, right? The tool designed to increase your profits might actually be harming them? But, do not worry! Read this blog to learn how you could be going wrong with your vehicle tracking software and how you can avoid doing so.

Mistakes to Avoid With Fleet Management Systems

Software aid can do wonders when used correctly. However, unfortunately, when most organizations get the software, managers aren’t aware of half of its functions.

“We are looking at a society increasingly dependent on machines, yet decreasingly capable of making or even using them effectively.” ― Douglas Rushkoff

The best fleet management software company can offer you ways to reduce operational costs. However, the offering is all the software can do. Whether or not the driving force of optimization in a fleet, i.e. the fleet management software is used wholly is up to the managers.

When you’re paying for a bundle of functions but end up using only the most basic one, you are sending your investment to waste and hence, causing losses instead of profits within the firm. 

So, let us see some common mistakes that happen in the fleet management industry.

1. Unorganized Data

If an organization has hundreds of vehicles, obviously, organizing information manually is impossible. However, fleet managers who do not use their vehicle tracking software to maintain the vehicle, trip, and driver logs miss out on a lot.

Not maintaining driver and vehicle profiles is essentially naively trusting strangers with valuable assets. 

Fleet management software such as TrackoBit comes with the smallest of detail entry options. From vehicle number, IMEI code and SIM number to client name, assigned drivers’ name, transporter, and company’s name, you have almost everything to enter. With these neat categories, searching for particular vehicles, drivers, and transporters becomes easy.

While this might not seem like a big deal, when software can solve the disorganization due to manual fleet management, why not avail the option? It hardly takes any time anyway.

Complete data organization facilitates safer, easier, and quicker operations. Moreover, organized data also allows for a better understanding of each driver, transporter, company, and vehicle’s performance on a granular level.

2. Reading Innacurate Static ETAs

Sure, GPS tracking software was initially all about merely tracking vehicles in near real-time from start to endpoint. However, with advancing technology, the purposes of fleet management software have boomed. But several fleet managers even now use their fleet management systems for the same purpose with higher locational accuracy.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” ​–​ Henry Ford

Traditional fleet management systems would check the distance between the start and end points and display the ETA accordingly. However, with higher network connectivity and smarter fleet management systems managers can instead get real-time ETAs.

Real-time ETAs are obviously more accurate since instead of offering an ideal time, they show practical and accurate times. Therefore, if the driver needs a break or there’s unexpected traffic on the way, the receiver would know that consignment is going to get delayed and by how much!

3. Not Customizing Settings

No software is a one-size-fits-all tool. After all, every business has unique requirements and every manager has their own way of working.

The whole point of searching for white label fleet management software is that organisations get the functions they need for their fleet and the rest of the noise can be ignored. In some cases, such customization might even be available at lower costs depending on the required features.

Customizing settings such as alerts and notifications along with report displays is important. This way, managers can save time, energy, and effort spent on probing through features they don’t even use. Through customization, literally, everything can be right in front of their eyes.

4. Ignoring Reports and Optimization

One of the most important yet overlooked features of a fleet management software system is overlooking data-based and insightful reports.

Managers not paying heed to insightful reports are equivalent to deers running on a highway. They know where they are, but they do not know what they’re doing and where to go next. 

Data-based reports are extremely rich in content and statistics that can help managers skyrocket their profits. Through the reports offered by fleet management software systems, managers can optimize:

• Their drivers
• Vehicle health
• Fuel consumption
• Routes followed
• Operational costs
• Vehicle health and security

By not paying heed to reports and optimizing operational costs, there will hardly be any cost-cutting from using a fleet management software system.

For fuel costs, managers can also use a fuel cost calculator to estimate how much a trip is likely to cost. They can then use fleet reports to see how the actual fuel cost compares and investigate any major difference.

Therefore, it is much better to invest in live tracking software instead of full-blown and expensive fleet management software. However, in the world of cutting-edge competition, is there a point to only knowing where your vehicles are? You should necessarily be able to do something about it!

5. Random Driver Training Agendas

Drivers are quite literally the asset that makes all your business operations possible. They are responsible for maintaining consignment and vehicle health and safety. Therefore, it is crucial to make sure that they are well-trained and aware of the requirements in the fleet.

Several managers make the mistake of training their drivers while not consulting reports from the fleet management software. These reports when paired with video telematics can give them a clear view of what each driver is like. Instead, they conduct general training sessions, regardless of whether or not drivers need it or not.

This untargeted training not only makes them miss the opportunity of actually getting some meaningful results from their management system but also can be a monetary or time wastage.

Instead, by just spending a couple of hours on the software, managers can evaluate driver performance and hence, give them personalized feedback or appropriate training.

Maximize Software-aided Fleet Management ROI With TrackoBit!

Unless you use the tools you have to their full capability, they might just have a negative impact on your business. However, now that you know the mistakes you need to avoid while you have a fleet management software system. Therefore, you can now make better fleet management decisions really boost your profits.

So, are you looking to maximise your business efficiency with the right GPS tracking system? You should try TrackoBit and see the positive results for yourself!

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the common mistakes to avoid when using fleet management software?

  Common mistakes include not updating fleet data and ignoring software alerts. Managers may also use outdated settings or fail to review fleet reports. They should avoid relying only on manual tracking when using fleet management software.

• Why is organized data important in fleet management?

  Organized data helps managers find vehicle, driver, and trip details quickly. TrackoBit brings all this data together on a centralized dashboard. It helps fleet managers track fleet performance and make informed decisions.

• Why should fleet managers use real-time ETAs?

  Real-time ETAs show more accurate arrival times based on current vehicle movement. They consider real-time data such as traffic, breaks, and delays. This helps managers plan better and keep customers updated.

• How do fleet management reports help reduce operational costs?

  Fleet reports show data on drivers, vehicles, fuel, routes, and costs. Managers can use these reports to find areas that need improvement. This can help reduce waste and control fleet costs.

• Why should driver training be based on fleet management reports?

  Fleet reports show each driver’s performance and driving patterns. TrackoBit’s BRAG reports use color-coded performance data to help managers. This report quickly identifies drivers who need attention or training. Managers can use these insights to give targeted feedback and improve driver safety.