As the tech that enables the exchange of information between fleet vehicles and managers, telematics has been billed as a game changer for any business that uses a fleet.

But while awareness of its benefits has increased significantly, telematics is not revolutionary: these technologies have been available for over a decade. And now there is a new kid on the block – Mobile Enterprise Management (MEM) – and it threatens to blow traditional telematics out of the water.

Telematics data is typically created using GPS units with on-board computers. The hardware uses cellular networks to transfer real-time data to central offices, where it is
interpreted for fleet management. This gives managers a bird’s-eye view of an entire field operation, checking the profitability and productivity of the fleet, while ensuring the workforce is operating the vehicle as intended. 

The headline benefits include vast fuel savings through route optimisation and increased driver and vehicle safety. 

But this is archaic because almost everyone now has a smartphone in their pocket and more and more organisations are can use technologies such as cloud and big data to harness insights from this mobility. These two technologies, plus the power and mobility of the smartphone, can give unparalleled insight into operations. 

This includes traditional telematics information, but also planning, navigation, routing and compliance data, and an unprecedented understanding about use of assets such as cranes, plants or trailers.

All constituents of a fleet can now communicate and interact with data and gain insight from it in real time. By using mobile and the cloud to connect an organisation from the front line to the back end, businesses can totally optimise their operations. This is MEM.

Telematics is the first step in using tech to help transform a business. But to be able to stay at the cutting edge by totally optimising all parts of a mobile organisation, fleet-based businesses must forget telematics, think bigger and embrace full mobility with MEM.