What is vehicle tracking and how can it help my business? This is probably the question in the minds of many business owners or managers that have heard something about vehicle tracking. The implication of vehicle tracking in businesses today is really impressive. Vehicle tracking allows you to see where your vehicles are at all times. It also allows you to know the routes taken by the drivers. An employee using a business vehicle that has a GPS tracking device can never lie to you about his location or the route he has taken at any given time since you can see everything on a map. Show
What is vehicle tracking and how does it work?Vehicle tracking involves placing a GPS device in a vehicle. This device gathers information about the location of a vehicle and sends it to a central location. A person at the center location can monitor the information to know the exact location of a vehicle at a given time. The route followed by the vehicle can also be known. GPS tracking is utilized today not only in business but in many other applications. Here are some reasons why vehicle tracking is good for your business; 1. Helps you to keep an eye on all your vehicles and employeesWhen you have all your vehicles tracked, you will have their location and that of employees using them on a map at all times. In addition, you can also know how long a vehicle stays in a given location. Therefore, when an employee takes a vehicle to a location that it is not supposed to be or stays in one location for longer than expected, you will know right away. Also, if a driver follows another route other than the one he should, you will know. This prevents any driver from engaging in personal errands that waste your business’ resources. This also helps to significantly increase productivity by reducing idle time. 2. Helps you to find stolen vehicleLosing a vehicle to thieves is very expensive to your business. This is because when you lose a vehicle, you also lose the inventory it was transporting. You can also lose the trust of your customers when the goods that were being transported to them get lost on the way. However, if the vehicle can be tracked, you can act quickly and communicate with the relevant authorities to recover the stolen vehicle. 3. Helps you to know your inventory’s exact locationAn efficient business should track inventory from one location to another. This can help you tell the customers waiting for given products exactly when they should expect their arrival. Knowing the location of the goods can also help you to communicate with the receiving or shipping crew, or the receiving customer more effectively. 4. You will pay less insurance premiumsInsurance is a big cost for any business that owns vehicles (especially if it is a large fleet). Many insurers provide discount to vehicle owners who install vehicle tracking systems. The discount on premiums may actually pay for the cost you incurred when installing the GPS vehicle tracking system. Hence, if you want to reduce the cost of running your business, start by installing a GPS vehicle tracking system to all your vehicles. 5. Helps to improve employee safetyIf you are running a responsible business, you have to value the safety of your employees. Through tracking, you significantly improve the safety of your employees. This is because a tracking system allows you to locate them in the field when you lose communication. In case of an emergency, your employees will be able to get the help they need in good time. 6. Helps to reduce fuel consumptionIf the vehicles used in your business consume a lot of fuel on a daily basis, then it is very wise to have a vehicle tracking system installed. It will significantly help to reduce the amount of fuel consumed by each vehicle. This is because a tracking system will force the driver to operate the vehicles more responsibly. They will not go to places they should not go and will drive the vehicle at reasonable speeds. Some tracking systems send an email or text message notification to you every time a driver breaks the rules and regulations of the business. 7. Allows you to monitor the speed of your vehiclesSome driver can really misbehave on the road when they are not being monitored. They can drive recklessly and cause accident that hurt them or hurt other road users. The inventory being transported can also be lost or damaged when a vehicle is involved in an accident. A vehicle tracking system will help you ensure that all vehicles are driven within the recommended speed limits. 8. Vehicle tracking will help you compete more effectivelyYou customers will view you as a reliable business if you can tell them the exact time they should expect the products they have bought from you will reach them. Being unsure about time is unacceptable in today’s market. Customers will always choose to buy from business that gives them accurate information concerning the location and delivery of goods. When everything else is the same, the fact that you are using a tracking system will give you a competitive advantage. 9. Improved vehicle maintenanceTracking devices can be plugged into vehicle analytics to keep accurate records of vehicle usage. This can make it easy to follow maintenance schedules. Vehicle tracking also gives you the power to look at the locations of a vehicle and verify whether it was taken to a service station or not. Improved maintenance helps to prolong the life of the vehicles. It also helps to prevent delays that may be caused when the vehicles break down. Today, vehicle tracking is not as expensive as it used to be in the past. It is now an inexpensive endeavour for any business that wants to operate more efficiently. The set up cost and service fee are worth it if you want to maximize profits. This is why vehicle tracking is considered as one of the best practices by the largest and most profitable companies on the world. Download a PDF to Read Later If you’re running a small business in the United States, you likely rely on multiple vehicles (and drivers) to get the job done. Those vehicles—whether cars, vans or pick-ups— are not only critical to how you operate your company and engage with your customers, but they’re also one of the largest sources of cost, risk, and frustration. For you to run a more efficient and profitable business today—and pave the way for growth—you need to effectively monitor, manage and maintain your small fleet. That’s easier said than done. Keeping your vehicles running smoothly, holding your drivers accountable, and controlling your costs are heavy burdens for busy small businesses. If you’re a small business owner and are considering a fleet management or GPS fleet tracking solution, but are unsure about the potential costs, or how this technology can truly impact your company, read on. To help you streamline your evaluation process, we’ve outlined the top five reasons your business needs a connected vehicle tracking system like Force by Mojio: But First…What Exactly Is GPS Fleet Tracking and How Does It Work?Force by Mojio’s vehicle tracking for small business fleets uses GPS tracking devices that are plugged into each fleet vehicle. The GPS devices work silently in the background to gather data about location, engine health, driver behavior, and more. Updating every 10 seconds, data is up to date, giving small business owners real-time visibility into the whereabouts of their vehicles and drivers. Through a mobile and web app, fleet managers or owners can easily access data to inform business decisions. Reason #1: Track Your Vehicles (and Your Drivers)Do you remember the day you hired your first employee? That was probably the first time someone other than yourself represented your company. It’s a big step, trusting someone enough to let them serve your customers – let alone giving them control of your company’s vehicles. But it’s a necessary step for any small business to grow. As your small business grows, so does your fleet of vehicles – and new challenges surface around keeping your team happy, holding them accountable for the way they treat your equipment, your vehicles, and most importantly, your customers. Doing that without making your people feel like you’re breathing down their neck is a challenge. Nobody wants to work for a micromanager. The most successful business owners have a philosophy of trust but verify. Savvy owners give their employees the freedom to work independently, but put modern systems and technologies in place to gain visibility into what’s actually happening on a day-to-day basis. If issues do arise, the information needed for a resolution is readily available. And that’s where fleet tracking comes in. For many small businesses, vehicle tracking is a no-brainer. In fact, businesses without GPS tracking software will find themselves at a disadvantage versus the competition. Simply being able to view the live status and location of your vehicles in real-time is a huge win. The best vehicle GPS fleet tracking solutions will help you answer questions like:
Force by Mojio shows you the real-time GPS location of your vehicles on a live map, whether they’re parked or on a trip. You’ll also get a complete history of every trip taken, including starting and ending address, trip duration, stop time, a detailed route map, and more. By setting custom virtual boundaries (called geofences) around specific areas, you can also be notified when a company vehicle enters and exits these areas – giving you more visibility into unauthorized trips. What our clients say about our small business fleet tracking system
Get peace of mind while tracking your investment. WATCH DEMO VIDEO!Reason #2: Avoid Breakdowns & Unexpected RepairsDo you treat a rental car with the same care as your own vehicle? Probably not. Now, apply that same thinking to your crew. While they may do a great job, your drivers aren’t exactly incentivized to worry about maximizing fuel efficiency, minimizing wear and tear, or dealing with the Check Engine Light. As far as they’re concerned, those are your vehicles and your problems, not theirs. Unless you’re getting behind the wheel of each vehicle on a regular basis, you’re flying blind and you won’t know the actual health and performance status for some of the biggest assets on your balance sheet. All too often, employees don’t report mechanical issues to fleet managers because they either don’t notice, don’t care, or forget. Or, they simply wait too long to report the problem, and what could have been a simple fix quickly grows into a major repair, costing you thousands and limiting your ability to serve your customers. As a business owner, that’s enough to keep you up at night. You need a way to monitor the health and performance of your vehicles without relying on anecdotes, opinions, and delayed information from your crew. That’s where connected vehicle diagnostics technology comes in. By plugging directly into your vehicle’s OBD-II port, the GPS tracking device can access the same information that mechanics use to diagnose and repair. In fact, many mechanics and repair shops will charge you $100 just for the diagnostic test. Keep that cash in your bank account. With Force by Mojio installed on your fleet, you’ll get alerts if any of your vehicles are showing the dreaded Check Engine Light or are experiencing a specific DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code). That’s step 1, knowing there’s a problem. Step 2 is knowing what the problem is. You’ll now know what the code is, including the severity of the issue in a plain-English description. You’ll also get notified of any manufacturer’s recalls right in the app, before you receive a notice in the mail. Finally, Force by Mojio can also predict when consumable parts like air filters and batteries are nearly ready for replacement, based on your vehicle’s make, model, and usage pattern. This allows you to take preventative action when it’s most convenient for you and before it’s a bigger problem. What our clients say about our vehicle diagnostics
Reason #3: Improve Your Customer ServiceYour customers have short memories. If you operate a home service or delivery business, your reputation is only as good as your last visit. That’s the painful reality of a service-based business. Now add social media, where consumer reviews on sites like Yelp, Twitter, and Facebook can make or break your business. It’s never been more important to do everything you can to ensure that your customers are consistently satisfied. Here are three ways that Force by Mojio can directly boost the quality of your service.
What our clients say about our real-time fleet tracking systemREAD MORE TESTIMONIALS Reason #4: Improve Driver Safety and Vehicle SecurityWe’ve all seen the bumper stickers: “How’s my driving? Call 1-800-888-8888.” While that was an innovative idea in the 1990s, today’s connected vehicle technology can do everything these bumper stickers were meant to do, and so much more. Without visibility into how your vehicles are actually being used, you (and your reputation) are at the mercy of your crew and their driving style. Not only could their careless driving damage your company’s public image, it will surely result in you spending more than you should on fuel (up to 40% more!) – not to mention the extra wear and tear that comes with using “company vehicles.” Plus, unsafe driving behavior like speeding and harsh braking can lead to fines and safety violations – in addition to taking a major toll on vehicle health. That’s bad enough, but roadside emergencies and accidents are much worse, often ending with tragic consequences. In order to improve driver safety, you first need driver data. Here’s how Force by Mojio helps you keep your drivers (and your vehicles) safer on the road:
Keeping your fleet safe while on the road is a top priority, but what about when they’re parked, or sitting for extended periods overnight on weekends and holidays. How will you know that your vehicles are secure?
What our clients say about our driver safety reports & vehicle security alerts
Reason #5: Reduce Your Operating CostsTo profit, grow your revenue or decrease your costs. That’s straight from Business 101. In the real world, things aren’t quite that simple, especially when the economy is in turmoil. There’s no magic pill or silver bullet. But there are tools that provide you with the data, information, and insights needed to make your business a leaner, more cost-efficient operation. Vehicle tracking and management solutions like Force by Mojio are in that camp. Here are some of the ways that this technology can save you money: Save on vehicle maintenanceWhen you’re managing a small fleet, every vehicle in the shop has a big impact on your bottom line. Keeping every vehicle running smoothly is imperative to maintaining productivity and avoiding costly downtime. Our predictive alerts will tell you when it’s time to replace an air filter or a failing battery—before it becomes a more expensive problem. If an unexpected engine issue occurs, you can skip the diagnostic test at the shop (already saving you $100), as you’ll have the ability to know what the Check Engine Light actually means, including a helpful description of the problem and the severity. Save on fuel consumptionKnowledge is power; or, in this case, it’s savings at the pump. Know your fuel efficiency trends over time, as well as for each trip, and know which drivers are the most inefficient. Combined, you’ll have the information to take control of your fuel consumption and cut down on wasteful driving habits like excessive idling, inefficient routes, and aggressive driving. Save on insurance costsMany commercial insurance carriers will provide a policy discount for the use of tracking devices to aid in the recovery of stolen vehicles. Plus, with a vehicle tracking solution in place, you’ll be able to provide the precise location information that the authorities need to recover stolen vehicles. This is particularly important for vehicles that carry highly-regulated goods like cannabis, or expensive equipment. Save time and increase productivityTime is money. Stop interrupting your team’s work for distracting check-ins and location updates. Smart notifications and alerts will get you the information you need without even having to ask for it. That way, you can stay focused on what truly matters and get back more of your most scarce resource – your time. Vehicle Tracking For Small BusinessHold your drivers accountable, control your costs, increase efficiency and productivity, and keep your fleet safe and secure. There’s never been a better time to enhance your fleet with an affordable, high-performance, and easy-to-use GPS fleet tracking and management solution like Force by Mojio. This is the same automotive-grade technology that powers connected car services for major consumer brands like T-Mobile and Vivint, but has been specifically designed from the ground up with guidance and feedback from real small business owners like you. And it’s versatile enough to serve any industry, including construction, plumbing, catering/food delivery, courier services, pest control, landscaping, cleaning services, waste management—the list goes on. Start using Force by Mojio with our free trial and experience the benefits for yourself. START FREE TRIAL |