Vehicle tracking
Many industries have large mobile workforces. These represent a major cost to the business and monitoring and controlling that cost can make the difference between making a good profit and a loss.
Vehicle use is open to abuse and it is very difficult for business owners to know how their vehicles are being used. There are other less obvious benefits like to be able to monitor if employees are speeding. Business owners can be held responsible for the accidents caused by their employees if reasonable steps have not been taken to ensure the safety of both the employee and other road users.
With a vehicle tracking solution it is possible to see when a vehicle it started and stopped, and gives very accurate tracking of every journey as well as the speed of the vehicle. It is possible to see when a vehicle is stuck in traffic and when it is somewhere it is not supposed to be. In the event of needing to know where everyone is to make a decision about servicing an urgent call, all vehicles whereabouts can be seen simultaneously in real time.
Vehicle tracking works by having a Global Positioning System (GPS) fitted to each vehicle which transmits data at regular intervals using mobile phone technology to a tracking centre. This data is stored and can be viewed from a PC. There are different solutions available and some use their own software and some use a web browser.
Atomik.biz has been involved in installing two tracking solutions for clients and the benefits to the businesss have been staggering.
One driver made a habit of driving well above the speed limit on London roads. Another who worked in Central London was found to be going home to Stevenage for lunch. One employee lent his company car to a friend who drove it to Scotland and then abandoned it. These are extreme examples but none of these things would have been discovered without the trackers.
More day to day uses are being able to work out the split of business and personal mileage. Overtime payments can be verified for out of hours calls. Knowing that a driver actually arrived on a contract call when they said they did. Knowing when staff leave for the evening. As a result of vehicle tracking both mileage costs and overtime payments can be reduced. The tracker can also be used to find a stolen vehicle.
This might all seem like big brother but the abuse of the freedom of being mobile is costing many businesses dearly.
Atomik.biz will help with the choice of the right solution and help your business get the best use from that investment.