Vehicle fleet management should aim to maximize vehicle productivity, and there are features that no fleet management software should overlook.
Nowadays, it is very rare to find a company that does not have vehicles in its operation. This is why it is of the utmost importance to manage every aspect of daily activities, always trying to get the most out of it and reduce costs.
There are companies that use Excel tables for vehicle fleet management, the following question arises:
In reality, much of the information collected in Excel tables is done manually and the interpretation of the data is cumbersome and inconsistent.
Fortunately, there are digital tools that help fleet managers better control what is happening in their operations, in a very simple way. However, not all digital solutions offer the same thing.
With this in mind, here are the features that a good fleet management system should have.
1. easy and simple to use
The management system should be user-friendly for all users with an intuitive experience and navigation.
Downloading data must be done conveniently for each of the steps to follow. Likewise, reports, minutes and graphs must be accessible at any time without the need to request them.
Data and information must be easy to read and interpret in a clear and precise manner. Ultimately, you don't want a system that you don't feel comfortable using every day.
2. Capable of accepting large amounts of data
The more data we collect, the more good vehicle decisions we can make.
There's no point in having all the data on fuel expenses if we don't know how many miles they drive per month.
Collecting data on maintenance, fuel costs and consumption, miles traveled, tasks, location, suppliers and all fleet activity is essential for good information analysis and decision making.
3. Reports, Reports and Charts
Having all the data collected on the operation of your fleet will be of no use if you do nothing with this information.
The generation of reports, reports and graphs helps the manager to have a clear overview of each vehicle and driver in the fleet.
Another great benefit of having automated reports, real-time reports and graphs is to visualize costs, areas of opportunity and strengths of the operation. This will allow better decisions to be made based on real data and therefore to optimize the operation in an assertive manner.
4. 24/7 Access
Yes, this means that all your fleet information can be available from any device at any time.
Indeed, the daily activities of a fleet manager are varied and they are often faced with unforeseen events in and outside the office. It is therefore essential to access the management system from a computer or smartphone.
5. Real-time location
Knowing the location of vehicles and their routes in real time is a great advantage.
This lets you know if there is a delay in a delivery, if a vehicle leaves the established route or if there are critical points for drivers, such as traffic zones or dangerous areas.
This gives you an overview of all movements in your company.
6. Automatic alerts.
When the fleet management system automatically sends alerts about any expiring events, procedures, or documents, you are unlikely to incur additional costs for not completing these tasks on time.
It is also important that the system notifies you of violations generated for your vehicles at the time they are generated, so that you are up to date with their payment.
A digital solution will allow you to meet all these conditions. You will be able to concentrate all the information relating to your vehicles in one place. You'll also have the ability to get automated reports with actionable insights that will help you make better decisions to save time and money.
