Mainstreaming connectivity

The use of the internet in fleet management has been a well-established method of controlling fleet data for many early adopters of web-based technology for the last decade. Yet it has only been within recent years that the use of web-based technology has become mainstreamed within the fleet sector. This relatively slow uptake of a tried and tested management method can perhaps be attributed in part to the challenging economic climate we’ve found ourselves struggling through in recent years.

Whereas the knee jerk reaction to recession for most businesses is to freeze spending, given a little more consideration and the benefits of identifying, and removing, unnecessary and significant costs through a comparably minor investment becomes the logical choice.

Going mobile

The internet represents the ability for us to communicate and access powerful information instantly, from anywhere in the world around the clock. And it’s this fast-paced connectivity that is changing the face of fleet management and revolutionising the industry as we know it. Yet to make such technology work harder for a fleet, and truly empower managers and field workers alike, the next step is to enable this connectivity further through the use of portable devices. It’s no longer enough for multi-location fleets to communicate and share data from a desktop alone. Many organisations now demand to be able to upload data or access updates that are real time to the second, regardless of location. And as fleets become more complex in both assets and in terms of the diversity of employees responsible for contributing their piece of the fleet puzzle to the centralised database, the ability for a field mechanic to input repairs data en route to the next job or a HR manager to access driver licence status information whilst at a court hearing for example, becomes more than just a ‘nice to have’ feature.

Devices such as toughbooks or reinforced laptops, PDAs and even the ever popular iPhone all have the ability, when used as portals to facilitate access to fleet management software, to link-up globally dispersed fleet operations and centralise accurate data in real-time. This is the future of effective fleet management.

Automation for compliance

It’s not just technology that’s changed the shape of the fleet sector or indeed has the ability, depending on its use, to provide significant advantage to fleet operations. Ten years ago, compliance was a dirty word uttered by HR managers in darkened corridors; a burden on overstretched administrators and, often, an all-together afterthought. These days compliance with multiple and ever-increasing legislation from employee duty of care, to appropriate document management and data protection can make or break a business.

The increase in compliance legislation relating to fleet management and employment in general brings with it an increased administration burden and associated cost. Yet through advancements in internet connectivity, fleet software and portable device functionality, this burden can be reduced and in many cases removed all together. As a result of the dawn of connectivity, and the mainstreaming of web-based technology in fleet operation, automatic management and reporting of compliance is realised. And this is just one example of how technology is streamlining fleet processes, saving man hours, reducing instances of human error and ensuring businesses have a holistic view over the entire fleet make up.

The next challenge

As we venture into what’s set to be another difficult and uncertain financial year for the private and public sector alike, fleets of all shapes and sizes face the same set of challenges: maintaining that competitive edge, whilst reducing waste and cutting costs. When it comes to the role fleet management software will have in the coming years, its primary function of providing essential visibility will remain, yet its role in facilitating increased measurability and accountability will significantly increase. A lot of this will be achieved via the use of portable devices and increased connectivity. And with more scrutiny on outgoings anticipated as a direct result of the ongoing economic pressure, fleet management software will no longer be a ‘nice to have’ optional extra but an essential tool to support lean and mean fleet operations.