Maintaining and organizing fleet vehicles, field personnel or other resources is impossible without a reliable centralized system available at all levels of the business. Fortunately these systems do exist and are called fleet management applications or vehicle tracking systems. There are a variety of options available and these have been developed to deal with all aspects of managing and maintaining a fleet in addition to employees and job dispatching. Each includes a raft of features and capabilities which makes it hard to pick a solution. These fall into two kinds of system, on the internet or locally installed applications. If a business has an existing database to handle sections of the business then this information might have to be obtained by fleet management software.

• Centralized data storage

Having all information in one place is vital for organization of all aspects of a business. All good solutions permit the input and storage of automobile information like support, M.O.T and road tax documents. Driver records like driving credentials, medical conditions and endorsements may also be entered on to the system. Important vehicle and driver files can be scanned and easily retrieved when required.

• Vehicle tracking with GPS

An important feature when selecting a Primary Market Research solution is the ability to understand where vehicles or personnel can be found or where they have been. Vehicle monitoring is usually accomplished with the installation of a small device in the car or in the event of assets or personnel a little device can be carried in a pocket or attached. Once setup it is possible to observe vehicles, people and resources in real time on maps. Knowing where all of the business assets are allows the fleet manager or transfer dispatcher to assign the ideal asset to the right location.

• Job assignment and dispatch

This is a very useful feature but not all of fleet management systems feature it. The capability to assign tasks through the machine is a very useful function. Mobile employees, drivers or field engineers can update the project status, upload pictures and signatures allowing back office staff to instantly see and notify a customer of advancement. These programs can be installed on existing devices like smart iphones, android and blackberry handsets.

• History trails and reports

When all of a business’s data is stored in a centrally managed system it is easy to compile reports which may improve efficiency and also save money. Detailed reports on individual assets such as vehicles can reveal total running costs for this motor vehicle. Vehicle monitoring information can show just how much fuel was used and help to indicate cheaper alternative routes. This combined data from employees can enable a business to determine where efficiencies could be gained.

Fleet management applications and vehicle tracking solutions should boost a business and if used properly should enhance the functioning and efficiency of a business’s mobile tools.