The supply and maintenance of vehicle tracking systems for fleet management has become big business in the last few years. With the advent of more up to date GPS tracking and smaller, vehicle mounted GPS devices, it is now easier than ever for a fleet manager to keep an accurate log of the whereabouts of all of the vehicles on their fleet. However, choosing a reputable dealer has become increasingly hard because of the inevitable attraction of a fast buck to some less than honest vehicle tracking system suppliers.

To make sure that the dealer you choose is the right one for your business, there are a few questions you can ask first before selecting your provider.

Are they here for the long haul?

Ask your potential vehicle tracking system supplier for a list of other customers. Recommendations from existing customers are gold in any business, and it’s just as important in modern GPS network supply as in any other field. From talking to other customers you can find out what their after-care service is like, whether the company is flexible and has an established research and development programme (making sure that they’re not going to use your fleet as a ‘guinea pig’ to try out a new system) and that they’re reputable.

Show me the money…

Ask to see their accounts. This is a sure way of knowing if a company is reputable or not. Just looking at their advertising literature isn’t enough – anyone can have a glossy brochure printed up – is the company behind the blurb reliable?

TrustMark

The major players in vehicle tracking and GPS tracking devices are currently lobbying the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to introduce a ‘TrustMark’ initiative for the industry. The TrustMark initiative has been used successfully in other industries such as building, raising standards and marking out companies that take on the initiative as reliable and dependable. The vehicle tracking industry has attracted some unscrupulous businesses, all looking to make a quick profit from customers who are ill-informed and perhaps a little over-eager to join a technological revolution they know little about. Approved operators would have to meet strict criteria concerning hardware quality and after-care service standards. Although not yet inforced, questioning your supplier on their opinion of the scheme may give you a little insight into their commitment to provide a comprehensive and quality service.

Where’s the warranty?

Both hardware and software should be covered by a warranty that includes generic updates and continuing after-sales servicing. If the warranty has ‘escape’ clauses, the provider (and the equipment) may prove to be unreliable, which can be costly.

At the next junction, turn left…

Don’t get mesmerised by a wonderful collection of onboard maps, moving location dots on a screen and fancy software. That’s only a small part of the capabilities of good vehicle tracking devices. A good system should be able to provide you with a wealth of additional data including such features as unauthorised mileage reports, out-of-hours activity, speed of vehicles, programmable route planning and even silent alarms that are activated when the vehicle is supposed to be stationary (indicating possible theft).

Is it right for your business?

It is essential that you stay in control of the solution offered to you. Fleet management is a complex business, and you know the requirements and needs of your fleet far better than the GPS vehicle tracking supplier. An off-the-shelf system may seem like a cheaper option, but it could tie you in with a supplier who cannot grow with your business and cannot provide you with the information you want. Know exactly what you want from your system before you begin the search for a supplier.

The emphasis is on the fleet manager to research carefully beforehand and draw up a business plan indicating exactly what they expect a GPS system to achieve for your business, how much you are prepared to invest and a list of potential suppliers. Only then can you make an informed choice as to which is the best supplier to choose.

 

Major advances in technology and manufacturing has meant that GPS Tracking technology is now readily available, and affordable to both businesses and consumers alike.

GPS is now seen as a necessity for anyone who has a fleet of vehicles and is interested in using them daily. It may seem to an average man that where does the need for GPS tracking arise when everything is going on well without it.

GPS Tracking systems offer a number of benefits to their owners. In this article we will focus on the benefits of GPS Tracking devices installed in vehicles and fleets.

With the rising cost of fuel a GPS Tracking device fitted to a vehicle can help to increase the awareness of the efficiency of the driving, or how much fuel is being consumed. It can also help business locate the whereabouts of a company vehicle and if necessary, allocate them to a new job request that is close to their location. Not only does this help to improve the efficiency of your fleet, but also provides your customers with a much improved, responsive service.

Probably one of the most obvious reasons for installing GPS Tracking devices in fleet is to track the location of your vehicle either when out on a job, or if the vehicle is lost or stolen.

Technology such as geofencing will allow the owner of a fleet to receive alerts if the vehicle breaks a virtual boundary, useful if you suspect your employees are using your company vehicles for something other than work.

Another area of importance that can result in cost savings for your business is Insurance. Generally, Insurance companies know that vehicles that have GPS Tracking devices installed are less prone to accidents and thefts. This alone can contribute to about 15-20% savings in your bill.

In today’s business world, with increased pressure and profit expectations, the Investment of a GPS Tracking device to assist with the management of your fleet is a necessity.

Covert GPS tracking devices are easily available almost everywhere nowadays, and because the technology has got so much better and the cost of manufacture has got so much cheaper, they are within the reach of most ordinary folk.

Because of this, the numbers of units being sold has risen dramatically over recent years, and the number of companies offering covert vehicle tracking services has risen as well. It’s no surprise then that more and more individuals and companies are using covert GPS vehicle tracking as a way of discovering if their spouses or employees are cheating on them.

Spouses That Cheat

In years gone by, if you were having an affair, your only worry about parking your vehicle outside a motel room for the afternoon was that someone you knew would see it there are and tell your husband/wife. Today however, things are much more high-tech and it’s increasingly common that a simple do it yourself GPS tracking system has been hidden in your car somewhere. If that is the case, every journey you make, every stop you make on your trip, and every time your car is parked for an extended period of time (such as outside a motel room for the afternoon), is logged and can be viewed, printed out, and used as evidence against you.

Lets just think about that for a minute – if you want to track your spouses behavior, you can know precisely where their vehicle is when they say they are ‘at work’, or that they are ‘going on a night out with the girls/guys’ – and this can be done for a little more than a cell phone costs!

It’s quite a scary thought, and it does go wrong sometimes, there are instances’ where the spouse is not cheating, but has been subjected to covert GPS tracking vehicle. When they have found out about this, relationships have ended because of the lack of trust, so I would advice you to be very careful if you are planning to use covert GPS vehicle tracking to confirm your suspicions, it’s far better to use it to get firm evidence for a divorce case say.

Employees That Cheat

Hands up if you have never sneaked any time off when you should have been working – not many of you then!

If you have a company vehicle and you do extend you lunch break regularly, or go shopping in work time, then don’t be surprised if one day you are found out. Some companies treat this theft of time as seriously as they would treat theft of company property, and it is hard to argue why they shouldn’t.

Because they can now know exactly where their vehicles (and lets not forget that they are their vehicles) are at all times, some companies have seen dramatic increases in activity since employing GPS tracking fleet management specialists, and dramatic decreases in overtime payments to employees as well – some larger companies are saving tens of thousands of dollars every month since they had these systems installed.

It is estimated that it will take six to twelve months for a GPS fleet tracking system to pay for itself, through increased productivity and reduced expenses. It can pay for itself almost instantly though if a company vehicle is stolen and the system is used to successfully recover it.

Effective GPS tracking devices are great tools to help you keep track of your loved ones, employees, products and equipment. Since these GPS tracking devices are so prevalent today, you will be able to find a suitable solution that fits your budget. Installing a GPS tracking device is a good financial and management decision. It is difficult to imagine running a business today without a GPS tracking device. Just imagine the manual communication and tracking overheads that will be required to track where your company’s assets are and whether your customers are being serviced effectively. You will need to make frequent phone calls to keep track of everyone and to ensure that the entire business process flow is working well.

With the amazing advances in technology, GPS tracking devices have made things like tracking of employees and vehicles much easier. There are sufficient proven advantages in installing a GPS tracking device. Some of these are:

1) Monitor and plan the movement of your company’s vehicles

With a GPS tracking device, you can easily plan an efficient delivery route without much time or money being wasted. In the past, before the introduction of GPS tracking devices, it would be almost impossible for you to realize if some of your employees have been skiving on their job with the company’s vehicles in tow.

However, things are different now with GPS tracking devices being installed by more companies. You will be able to figure out the real-time location of your driver and if the travelling time to the planned destination took as long or longer.

2) Recover stolen goods

It is nearly impossible to predict when a company vehicle will be stolen. So installing a GPS tracking device ahead of time is smart. Without a GPS tracking device, it will take the police a longer time to track down the stolen vehicle. In that critical lost time, both the vehicle and its precious content may be disposed off.

With a GPS tracking device installed, it will be of great help to the police as the time taken to find the vehicle will be greatly reduced.

3) Ensure the safety of your employees

GPS tracking devices can improve the safety of your employees. Employees are exposed to the danger of piracy or highway robbery if crooks realize that they are delivering goods that are of high value. Since GPS tracking devices can help keep track of your employees in real-time, you can offer help quickly and minimize their risks if should they meet with any danger.

A Portable GPS Helps You Get Around

Having a portable GPS tracking system with you when you are out on your trip is always advantageous. A portable GPS tracking system can help you find your way around in various circumstances. It can help you if you are on a jungle trek. It can also help you if you are trying to make your way around busy city centers.

In the old days if you were preparing for a trek, you would need to find an appropriate map that covers the region where you plan to explore. You run the risk of venturing off into areas that are not covered by the paper map. It is unlikely that you will bring enough maps to cover all possible contingencies. Your planned route may be blocked by fallen trees or landslides. The area may have been flooded or waterlogged. The detours that you may have to take may heighten the chances of you getting lost. Your map may also be damaged by heavy rain if the map is not well protected in a waterproof sheath. If it gets dark and you are unprepared, you may not be able to read your map. Getting lost in the woods or the jungle can be a harrowing experience. If you need a search and rescue mission to get you out of the situation, this may take time. A rugged portable GPS device may be a real lifesaver in these situations.

The portable GPS device can easily indicate to the user their position with just a click of a button. From that position, the user can try to find a way out of the area and the chances of getting lost are greatly minimized. You do not need lots of space in your luggage to accommodate a portable GPS.

It is generally quite easy to use a portable GPS as you can get instructions that appear on the screen’s display. Moreover, most models now come with a voice sampler that provides you instructions clearly instead of reading them off the screen. This allows the user to understand the portable GPS device in a more interactive way.

Basically, a portable GPS is a fantastic way for determining your location with the help of the voice sampler and allows the user to find their way through unfamiliar places with ease. In many cases, the use of a portable GPS system helps to avert the user from getting into difficult or dangerous situations.