Attempting to juggle all the aspects of managing a fleet can often be overwhelming at the best of times. With legislation to comply with, regular servicing and maintenance schedules to keep on top of, drivers to manage and customers to keep happy, it can often feel as though there just aren’t enough hours left in the day. With the abundance of vehicle tracking and telematics options available since the early 2000’s, fleet managers can now choose from a range of solutions designed to suit all fleet types and budgets to help manage their day-to-day fleet operations.
But with all this vehicle tracking and fleet management technology, many fleet managers still neglect to consider the option of trailer tracking. From increased trailer utilisation, to more accurate invoicing and improved customer service, implementing a trailer tracking solution can result in a range of benefits and instant ROI to any fleet operation. So how do you know if trailer tracking would benefit you and your business?
Here are 7 signs that your fleet might benefit from implementing a trailer tracking solution:
1. Regular trailer servicing is a logistical nightmare
You have operational standards that must be met every 3 weeks, but the logistics of finding trailers, allocating downtime and bringing them to be serviced is a process that often causes fleet managers headaches. Having a trailer tracking solution that provides maintenance scheduling is such an effective way of getting rid of those headaches. Plan your trailers routes around upcoming service deadlines to ensure they remain compliant and you stay stress-free.
2.Your paper trail is getting overwhelming
Do you find keeping your paper work organised is often more difficult than it needs to be? Have you had the odd proof of delivery sheet go missing leaving you with holes in your audit trail? With a comprehensive trailer tracking solution you have an efficient audit trail that provides you with your trailers’ usage times and length spent on depot sites for a paperless proof of delivery system.
3. Slow turnaround times are losing you money
Do you find your trailers are often waiting for long periods of time at customer depots to load/unload? Slow and inefficient turnaround times equals lost time and therefore lost money. Many trailer tracking solutions come with geofencing features that enable you to ‘ring fence’ a customer’s depot and set up instant sms/email notifications to be sent to the customer whenever your trailer is entering that ringfence. This allows your customer to ensure the loading deck is prepared to arrival for a quick turnaround time.
4. Your trailers have too much downtime
How many times have your trailers been left on a customer site for weeks at a time? Or you have realised that your customers have more trailers than contracted? If your answer is “too many times” then your current method of tracking trailers is probably affecting your company’s bottom line. Live trailer tracking means you can pinpoint the exact location of any of your valuable assets at any time, allowing you to ensure no trailers sit idle again. Utilisation reporting also outlines how you can use your trailers more efficiently by analysing the time spent idle or at a customer’s site.
5. You’re blind to your assets
Ever lost thousands of pounds from spoilt loads because your driver wasn’t aware the trailer fridge was faulty? Or had one of your vehicles involved in a costly RTA from a dangerous tyre blowout? These days trailer tracking devices offer much more than just location tracking. The latest technology on the market can provide a wealth of trailer related data, such as temperature monitoring, tyre pressure/temperature monitoring and other FMS data including axle weight, etc. With a live connection to the on-board GPS device, any issues can be communicated to both the driver and the back office instantly and therefore rectified immediately, stopping any potential accidents or spoilt loads from occurring.
6. Your invoicing process is slow
Invoicing can often be slow and tedious if you do not have the correct tools to aid you. If you are relying on paper copies for proof of delivery you tend to find that the paperwork comes back damaged or it doesn’t come back at all. Having an all-in-one paperless proof of delivery solution gives you the freedom to create and send invoices within minutes, as the arrival and departure reports are updated in real time.
7. Recovering lost trailers is a frustrating process
This is one of the most common issue we find that fleet managers have to deal with on a daily basis. Having trailers that are ‘lost’ for weeks on end and having to call up depots, drivers and customers to try and locate them is an unnecessary process for fleet managers to go through. Trailer tracking is an effective solution for this, with live tracking from a battery that lasts around 7 years gives you complete visibility and sound of mind at all time. Do you need to know where your trailer is? Just type the registration into your tracking search bar. Or when your trailers left a depot? You can run your trailers’ journey history reports.
Improved trailer utilisation and happier customers are just some of the many benefits of implementing a trailer tracking solution. To find out more on how trailer tracking could benefit your fleet’s bottom line, click here or get in touch with one of the team to schedule a demo.
About the Isotrak Group
The Isotrak Group, comprising the Isotrak, Alcolock GB and Verilocation businesses, provides market-leading fleet management and telematics solutions to customers in the UK, Australia, and North America. Their tracking solutions, fleet data analytics, breathalyzer immobilisation technologies and specialist services are supported by a user-friendly interface that seamlessly integrates into everyday operations, all aimed at helping customers drive competitiveness through greater productivity and improved safety and compliance.
