As a fleet manager, you know better than anyone else that success relies on efficiency. But often, you’re drowning in time-consuming tasks that can otherwise be streamlined through workflow automation. Consider investing in vehicle fleet management software so that you can tackle these challenges efficiently:
Repetitive Administration Tasks
Repetitive administration tasks that don’t contribute to core business activities can add up to a lot of wasted resources. Creating quotations and sending invoices might take up a lot of time that you can otherwise use for more relevant fleet management tasks. These tasks hinder you from focusing on revenue-generating activities and processing improvement assignments.
Why waste your time on admin duties when you can switch to an automated workflow?
Fleet management software sends invoices to your customers, schedules deliveries for your drivers, keeps track of your operating expenses and creates fleet repair and maintenance reminders. This way, you greatly reduce repetitive paperwork and have more time for core business activities.
High Fuel Costs and Consumption
Petrol and diesel prices are constantly changing. High fuel costs aren’t something you have to worry about as a fleet manager, per se. It only becomes a problem when you see a hike in fuel consumption trends within your fleet. The best way you can track these trends is by monitoring fuel replenishment schedules and driver behaviour during operation hours.
Review historical data to determine how much fuel is typically consumed by your vehicles to get to different locations. Your fleet management software can also help you create efficient routes to shorten trips and minimise idle time.
Reduced idle time affects factors other than fuel costs and consumption. It maximises every trip your trucks and trailers take, effectively slowing down engine wear. This helps you save on repair and maintenance costs in the future.
Miscommunication with Fleet Drivers
Because you’re working onsite and fleet drivers are always on the road, you might encounter challenges with communication. SMS, phone calls and emails might not be enough to relay your messages to them.
Your fleet management software assures you that your fleet drivers have all the data and instructions they need to complete the job. On the other side of the line, you have access to the delivery status even without calling or sending a message to your driver. The automatic updates via the software also free up more time for you and the fleet drivers to carry out tasks and complete them sooner.
Delayed Deliveries
Late deliveries can be the result of many things like bad weather, inconsistencies in documentation and errors in estimated times of arrival. While there’s nothing you can do about weather-related delays except to notify the customer about the reason, fleet management software can reduce cases of documentation and ETA errors. You can verify and complete all necessary information before sending the drivers out.
The software also stores data from previous deliveries. This allows you to track previous delivery schedules and use that data as the basis for new ETAs, rather than providing rough ETAs. Customers will appreciate accuracy and clarity, resulting in better business in the long run.
These are only some ways that digitisation can help you overcome fleet management challenges and be more efficient. Automate your fleet workflow today and discover many more ways it can help you.
