“Telematics technology and solutions are moving at a fast pace – just like mobile phones, what was top of the range two to three years ago is now ‘old hat’,” says Harrhy.

“And this is going to provide fleet managers with opportunities to enhance their systems in the future in
ways that they might not realise at the moment.”

Some organisations are finding that it’s possible to integrate telematics within their wider business systems as a direct result of technological innovations.

Coffee roaster and supplier Matthew Algie began using TomTom’s Pro 9100 telematics solution last year to ensure that the “most appropriate” employee was consistently dispatched to customers.

The company services and maintains coffee machines as well as supplying freshly-roasted coffee.

It has a team of 20 trainers, 40 engineers and 25 sales executives, who each drive company-owned vehicles.

The decision to invest in a new in-house telematics and software system was based on the need to view available engineers, stock levels and road conditions – and subsequently select the most suitable employee for a job.

Matthew Algie has since achieved a 20% increase in the number of sales, training and engineer call-outs accomplished on-time since installing the system to run alongside its service management software, Metrix.

It attributes this success to TomTom’s vehicle tracking function which includes speed camera alerts, an advanced mapping function to guide drivers and a ‘live HD traffic’ function  which provides information about traffic jams.

Matthew Algie now intends to move the telematics system to the next level by using it remotely through staff iPhones using TomTom’s new Webfleet web-based fleet management software.

Peter McGadey, Matthew Algie’s operations director, said: “The implementation of the TomTom product coincided with our new service management software and enabled us to be incredibly efficient.

“Sales teams, trainers and engineers have all benefited from a significant rise in appointments – up to a 20% increase in some cases.”

Case study: Daniel Contractors

Daniel Contractors has witnessed large cost savings after implementing a “proactive” telematics  system – and is already looking at ways to enhance the system further.

The company, which provides services ranging from civil engineering to facilities management and plant hire to the laying of pipelines installed Traffilog across its fleet of 450 vehicles earlier this year.

Reduce road accidents

The main purpose for installing telematics was to reduce road traffic accidents. The number of these incidents is already down by 4% on a like-for-like basis.

Reduce SMR/re-charge costs SMR costs have been reduced as a result of mobile engineers being incentivised to drive their vehicles according to best practice principles.

Traffilog provides employees with monthly grades of their driving and observations to help them improve.

Paul Boulds (pictured), head of group transport and fleet, said an additional benefit is that the company is now in a strong position to renegotiate future insurance premiums.

He says: “It’s also bringing us savings on our recharge costs – particularly for brakes.”

Boulds is now looking at ways to evolve the system, including linking the telematics system to the vehicle’s engine light system so that he receives an email if one of the lights goes on.

Reduce vehicle downtime This will enable Boulds to schedule that vehicle into a garage at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure that there’s minimum downtime.