Let’s face it: managing a fleet of vehicles is hard. The situation is even worse if you don’t have the right tools and deal with uncooperative personnel. However, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. With the help of efficient tools like the GPS tracking system, you can optimize operations, cut unnecessary operation costs, and improve efficiency and safety.
“A helpful system will remove the pain of managing a fleet and allow you to monitor the vehicle’s location and condition in real-time easily. Access to crucial data on vehicle condition and driver’s behavior on the road is also helpful for making informed decisions that propel your business forward, especially when employing advanced tracking systems for trucks.
Here are some essential features when buying a GPS tracking system.
Why You Need A GPS Tracker for Your Business
Vehicle GPS systems with real-time tracking ability collect and relay information to you as it happens. It can be about the mileage, speed, location, direction to which the vehicle is being driven, or even emissions. It can also provide diagnostic updates about the wheel’s air pressure, oil change, or brake condition.
This way, you can ensure that immediate assistance is provided in case of an accident and coordinate with emergency response teams or the police with the precise location.
Here’s a rundown of the key benefits of real-time tracking for your business:
- Optimized fleet management
- Reduced fuel consumption
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Enhanced safety and security for employees and vehicles
While GPS systems can offer users many benefits, there’s a variety of them out there, which makes finding the right one tricky. They are designed with extra features besides the essential tracking role for different purposes. Since not all GPS trackers will suit your business or personal needs, you must first get the best GPS vehicle tracking system and later you can also use fleet manager software to have track and you can get it from a reliable provider to reap the most, then consider the key features you need.
These are the 6 key features to look for in a vehicle tracking system:
1. Real-Time Tracking and Geofencing
Generally, real-time tracking enhances efficiency, productivity, and vehicle safety monitoring. Improved security and safety of your employees influence productivity and overall fleet performance. You achieved this with a tracking system with geofencing capability, maintaining constant communication, and ensuring safe driving.
If you are running a delivery business, real-time tracking allows you to estimate arrival time based on the road conditions to avoid delays. Keeping customers updated on the delivery status will go a long way in improving their satisfaction.
For businesses that operate within a specific region, the geofencing feature facilitates the creation of a digital boundary. Anytime the vehicle enters or goes beyond the defined area, a notification is sent to your phone.
The standard GPS tracking systems are good enough for monitoring vehicles and maintaining communications with the driver, but the Geofencing features take it a step higher. Keeping fleet managers updated with the vehicle’s status in accurate geofenced locations improves response time.
3. Route Optimization
The route optimization feature allows fleet managers and drivers to identify efficient routes by determining road conditions, traffic, and other essential variables. As a result, it improves productivity since drivers can focus on fulfilling customer or business needs. Route planning also streamlines scheduling to build strong relationships with customers or suppliers.
4. Data Analysis and Report Generation
Analytics are integral to fleet management, facilitating quick and informed decision-making. So, a system without this capability means you could be missing out. Ensure your GPS vehicle tracker offers analytics on top of other essential features.
With the help of advanced GPS systems, fleet managers can extract valuable information by reviewing the collected data. Generating customized reports gives insights into the vehicle’s gas emissions, fuel consumption, engine performance, and even the driver’s behavior, such as acceleration, braking, speed, and after-work hours usage.
This allows managers to identify factors causing your business to lose money and implement cost-cutting measures while enhancing overall efficiency.
Usually, the reports are automatically generated regularly and sent to your smartphone in an easy-to-access format for viewing on your phone or laptop.
5. Scalability
When managing a small number of vehicles, you may not need a tracking system with advanced features. However, you’ll notice that the vehicle tracking needs and integration capabilities soon change as the business expands. As such, you need a scalable GPS.
Scalability, especially in fleet tracking, allows businesses to manage increasing demands and maintain a healthy performance. However, not all systems will match your business growth. So, keeping scalability in mind will help you pick an ideal system with features like hierarchies, customized groups, categories, and attributes.
This ensures the system aligns with your needs without incurring huge potential costs in the future.
6. Integration Capability
Always ensure the system properly integrates with other systems for scheduling, billing, maintenance, fuel monitoring, and fleet management. Systems that seamlessly integrate will give you an easy time utilizing the generated data and running your operations.
For instance, you need a GPS that integrates with the dash cam to give you a real-time view. The GPS lets the dashcam access the vehicle’s speed and location while capturing video. Such data synchronization can help identify, neutralize, and prevent costly mishaps.
7. User-Friendliness
Last but not least is user-friendliness. Generally, you need a system that balances sophistication and ease of use. Besides, what good comes from a complicated system that is difficult to understand?
So, when searching for a GPS, take the time to understand how it operates. Look at the dashboard to assess how easy it is to navigate and view various tracked metrics. Additionally, you want software that’s easy to maintain remotely. A system that needs to be operated on-site can be costly and inconveniencing.
Another factor that determines ease of use is mobile accessibility. Choose a mobile-accessible system that gives you easy access to information on the app or through a navigable website. This way, you can always know your vehicle’s status quickly.
A system that integrates with your driver’s phone makes it easy for you to access them. It allows you to issue new instructions based on customer needs, like where to stop first. Such a system also makes it easy to alert drivers of any changes in the route that affect them.
Conclusion
Finding an ideal GPS tracker to help manage your vehicles begins with understanding your business needs. So, identify first what you are trying to solve with the system; does it help manage many vehicles, or do you need other specific features unique to your business?
Nevertheless, there are essential features to consider for a reliable tracker: real-time tracking, geofencing, data analysis, report generation, ease of scaling and integration, and user-friendliness. These features are just as important for small businesses as for large organizations.
Ensure you get one from a reputable brand for a product that meets your current needs and accommodates your future needs. Find one today and enjoy the many advantages they offer that will see you optimize operations and increase your business growth.