A Q&A with Santa, and Fleet Manager Mrs Claus, of North Pole Inc
The following list includes some of the most common mistakes companies make that keep from delivering on the full potential of their fleet tracking system.
Failing to validate a system's capabilities – Everyone promises; not everyone delivers. To be sure that a particular solution does what it says it can do, pilot it for a few months. Ideally, do a trial with more than one supplier. Then you can compare performance and know exactly what you're getting into.
Failing to get training – Once you have chosen a solution, be sure that you know how to use it to its fullest advantage. In this case, the 80/20 rule is not enough; if you're only using 20% of the functionality, you're going to miss out on a lot of savings and fleet optimization opportunities. Training is critical to a successful implementation. Make sure the provider has first-rate training resources. Some providers offer online training in various aspects of their solutions, so you can do a module or two at a time and return to the lesson at your convenience.
Failing to assign a 'champion' – Many companies buy a system and don't really use it. You can avoid this by designating one individual to be responsible for learning the tool and then sharing that knowledge with others. Any number of authorized personnel may be able to access the data – for example, the equipment maintenance manager can use the maintenance status report to schedule work – but having one expert/advocate helps you get the most out of the technology.
Failing to take action on the data – Change is hard. Managers frequently don't want to offend drivers or make waves. But reports aren't worth the virtual paper they're written on if the information they contain isn't used. If the system indicates that drivers are speeding, idling too much or driving your service vans or pickup trucks off-hours, take corrective action immediately. You can point to the data as proof that a problem exists, and drivers will know that you can see what they're doing. Sometimes that's enough of a deterrent to spark a change in behavior.