The way you manage your fleet will directly impact how much profit you yield. When you work your fleet until it's completely broken, this is known as reactive management, which ends up costing your business more. But when you implement a proactive fleet management system, your profits will keep your business running and your pockets full.
When it comes to fleet costs, maintenance takes up quite a large portion of your costs. And with fuel costs already costing you an arm and leg, businesses need to see where they can save as much as possible. A major part of planned fleet management includes predictive maintenance.
According to industry research, predictive maintenance can:
This is why investing in software and hardware from a provider like Cartrack can help your business plan better. This keeps your fleets on the road and your profits in your pocket.
Reactive fleet management is when you're only aware of problems in your fleet after they’ve already occurred and are disrupting the workflow. Planned fleet management is when you’ve implemented hardware and software to monitor your fleet in real time. So you’re aware of how every part of your fleet is operating and can spot a problem before it impacts your operations.
To get an easy understanding of what a fleet that's run with reactive management looks like, let's build a scenario. Barry has a delivery warehouse in Boksburg, Johannesburg. He has 15 delivery trucks, 8 delivery motorbikes, 6 forklifts and 2 pallet jacks.
In the past 6 months, 8 of his trucks have broken down while en route to deliver goods to customers. 5 of the motorbikes are constantly in for repairs and mechanical issues. 4 of the forklifts are always breaking down, and the 1 pallet jack is faulty, but Barry doesn’t have enough funds to fix it. And on top of this, Barry is spending way more than he budgeted on fuel for his fleet.
So what does this mean for Barry’s business? Currently he’s behind on deliveries, and customers are leaving negative reviews online because of this. On top of that, some of his clients have stopped using his business to deliver their goods to customers.
Warehouse workers are frustrated that their workflow is constantly disrupted because of faulty or broken down machinery. And drivers are frustrated because they’re not meeting their targets due to vehicles being constantly out of service.
The main reason Barry can't get any of this under control is because he doesn’t have full visibility of his fleet. He doesn’t know:
Katlego has a delivery business in Durbanville, Cape Town. He has 19 delivery trucks, 6 delivery motorbikes, 4 forklifts and 3 pallet jacks. Before Katlego signed up to Cartrack’s fleet management system, he was experiencing similar problems as Barry, but now thanks to valuable data and insights his operations are running smoothly.
Thanks to predictive maintenance insights from the system, Katelgo was able to spot any failing parts in his trucks, motorbikes, and machinery before they actually broke down and disrupted his operations.
Data and insights informed Katlego which machines were always in use and which ones were never in use. This way, he was able to right-size his fleet to match the needs of his operations and rotate machines & vehicles among his staff so none were overused.
AI cameras and telematics gave Katlego valuable insights into how his drivers were operating his trucks. He was able to spot reckless driving habits like speeding and unnecessary idling that not only waste fuel but also damage vehicle parts. Cartrack also provided him with driver scorecards so he could individually coach and monitor each driver.
MiFleet and fuel sensors allowed Katlego to accurately monitor fuel usage in his fleet. He was quickly able to spot drivers who were stealing fuel by not filling their trucks completely and tapping the rest of the fuel into their own jerry cans.
Advanced GPS telematics helped Katlego optimise his routes for his drivers so they always have the most efficient route to their destinations, saving time and fuel. Cartrack’s delivery management software optimised his delivery operations so he, his drivers and his customers were always aware of what was happening with their deliveries.
When you have a reactive fleet management approach, it costs you more money because you don't have actual insights to keep your fleet profitable. When you move to a planned or proactive fleet management system, it will initially cost you more because you need hardware and software. However, this will soon pay for itself.
Reactive management works great in the beginning because everything is new and works. But the longer you operate in a reactive state, the bigger your problems will get.
Planned fleet management allows you to actually see every aspect of your fleet, and if you use a provider that has it all, you’ll be able to monitor everything from one platform. Planned fleet management means you’ll know:
If your business and fleet are stuck in the nonstop crisis-after-crisis way of functioning, it’s because of one thing: poor fleet visibility. The best way to transition into a more organised and functional fleet management style is to invest in a fleet management system.
There are two main things any business should do when choosing a fleet management system.
Once you do these two things, full implementation will be the next step for your business. You want full visibility of your entire fleet operations. This includes:
Cartrack is often only associated with vehicle tracking, especially in South Africa. But did you know that a major part of our business is to help businesses with fleets gain full operational control? So, if you’re looking for a fleet partner to help you transition from reactive fleet management to planned fleet management, this is how Cartrack can help you!
Our driver management system can help prevent accidents by improving how your drivers are behaving on the roads. We have a smart camera system that’s powered by AI that will provide real-time in-cabin alerts when your drivers are showing signs of questionable driving. This includes:
On top of this, you’ll have access to driver scorecards which allow you to coach each driver on their specific driving habits!
At Cartrack we understand the importance of having your fleet on the road and not in the workshop. When your machines and vehicles break down unexpectedly, it causes unplanned operational downtime, which costs profits.
Our advanced telematics system is able to accurately monitor the health of your vehicles, spotting a fault before it completely breaks down. It also allows you to set inspection checks so your vehicles are always monitored, as well as maintenance alerts so you’ll know when each vehicle is due for its service.
Our fuel management system takes the guesswork out of your fleet’s fuel usage. You’ll instantly spot leakage, theft, fuel card fraud and inaccuracy. Our system makes sure you have eyes on every drop of fuel in your fleet.
When your admin is done on multiple different systems or even worse, on actual paper… things get lost and unorganised. Having a Cartrack fleet management system can digitise and simplify all administration tasks for your fleet, so you’ll never be scratching your head trying to remember when a driver worked over time or if fines were paid.
To successfully implement a planned fleet management system, you need to know where every vehicle and machine is in your business. Cartrack’s advanced GPS tracking devices allow you to keep an eye on every asset in your fleet, yes, even your non-powered assets!
You can also set up geofences that alert you when any asset enters or leaves set zones.
Are deliveries being made on time? Are your drivers working their set hours? Are you using the right size vehicles for each load? Is your fleet meeting its KPIs? Cartrack’s fleet management system can ensure you have all the data you need to measure and keep track of your fleet’s performance.
Do you know how effectively you’re using your fleet? Cartrack allows you to monitor every aspect of your fleet from one platform. You’ll get:
Having accurate delivery times keeps you organised and your clients happy. Cartrack can make sure your drivers take the best route, and the drivers closest to a delivery destination are designated to deliver those parcels.
A planned fleet management system includes having proper insights into deliveries so you can ensure that all deliveries are all happening when they should.
The most important thing every fleet owner needs to know is how much their fleet is costing them to operate. This way they can see if they’re operating at a loss or not. Cartrack’s fleet management system provides you with insights and reports on your entire fleet operation.
With Cartrack you’ll have complete visibility into your fleet, from drivers to wasted costs. This allows you to successfully run your business with planned fleet management instead of running around putting out fires.
For more insights on fleet management, check out this blog on Data-Driven Decision-Making in Fleet Management.
Discover how transitioning from reactive to planned fleet management with Cartrack slashes maintenance costs and maximises your profitability.
