{"id":5110,"date":"2020-04-11T17:15:18","date_gmt":"2020-04-11T15:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=5110"},"modified":"2020-04-11T17:15:18","modified_gmt":"2020-04-11T15:15:18","slug":"select-the-right-software-package-for-your-fleet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2020\/04\/11\/select-the-right-software-package-for-your-fleet\/","title":{"rendered":"Select the right software package for your fleet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Select the right software package for your fleet<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Choosing the right product and supplier can increase operational efficiencies, save money and improve compliance, reports Catherine Chetwynd<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Selecting the right fleet management software system and supplier can be a time-consuming and confusing task. As well as a vast number of packages and modules being available on the market, service levels and support also varies from supplier to supplier.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, while this may seem an onerous task, taking on a new system tends to be the beginning of a long-term buyer-supplier relationship, so thorough market and product research is necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first step is to be clear on what you want the software to do. \u201cFleet managers need to understand what they want to get out of their fleet management software,\u201d says John Pryor, chairman of fleet operators association ACFO. \u201cAnd then they need to make sure it is compatible with the systems they already have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Maurice Elford, fleet manager of housing association L&Q, adds: \u201cIs it for keeping records? Will you drive reports out of it? What do you want to record on it?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe upload our fuel data, maintenance; we have everything in one place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The increasing number of sources of data such as telematics, online licence-checking services and fuel cards, may mean managers require their software packages to accept information from many places.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, those running a large fleet may need customisable tools that allow them to create workflows, approval processes, key performance indicators (KPIs), and the like, and that can be developed to respond to the growth or changes in the fleet, company or industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

Highlighting specific requirements can also often lead to a supplier creating specific functions. For example, North Yorkshire Police worked with Civica to develop a module to increase the usage of under-utilised vehicles. They were re-classed as pool cars, making them available to anyone in the force.<\/span><\/p>\n

This enabled the organisation to save \u00a333,000 in the first 12 months of the initiative and cut CO2 through reducing the use of higher-emitting grey fleet vehicles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drive Software Solutions often sees large fleets, its specialism, using the wrong type of system for their needs. \u201cAgain and again we have found myriad systems from multiple software providers being run in parallel,\u201d says Simon West-Oliver, sales and marketing director at Drive Software Solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the most part, none of these systems were designed with anything other than a single function in mind, much less integrating with others. So fleets end up having multiple repositories of customer and vehicle data \u2013 and that\u2019s where expensive mistakes start to happen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Key to success in finalising specification is to involve all parties who may use or rub shoulders with the software: drivers, finance, HR and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of businesses operate in virtual silos, so it is important to involve the whole business and to fully understand their objectives, along with the problems they typically encounter,\u201d says Martin Evans, Jaama managing director.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other areas to consider include current problems that can be fixed and the impact of that on other departments, where relevant data is held and what problems disparate locations may have and how this will change.<\/span><\/p>\n

When drawing up a list of requirements, it is also worth considering if any future changes to a fleet operation will affect what is required from the software package.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThink about tomorrow as well,\u201d says Elford. \u201cOne of the biggest pitfalls is systems that do not offer the flexibility to make alterations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Failing to prepare carefully compromises the fleet manager\u2019s ability to write a tender document which allows potential suppliers to understand exactly what is required. This may lead to a mismatch of software and fleet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFleet management technology is about marrying up vehicles, drivers and requirements; it is simply a tool to facilitate the professionalism of that delivery,\u201d says Geoffrey Bray, chairman of Fleet Industry Advisory Group. \u201cTechnology is our servant, not our master.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When the list of requirements is finalised, an obvious place to start when looking for a supplier is the major players such as Chevin Fleet Solutions, Jaama and Civica.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, organisations should also be open to contacting smaller suppliers, says Carl Nicholson, fleet manager at North Somerset Council. \u201cWe were trying to cut overheads by reducing staffing costs, so we needed a system that would automate a lot of processes,\u201d he adds.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were finding it quite hard to get the development we needed to make a system that worked \u2013 being 100 or so vehicles, we did not have the clout of some of the bigger players.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were trying to find a solution that linked our telematics data and enabled a web-based, more efficient fleet system.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo not go to the big players straightaway because web-based technology has changed the game.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Nicholson says the council\u2019s telematics provider Quartix suggested its software partner FleetCheck and \u201cthe pricing was significantly better\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

He adds: \u201cWe have had FleetCheck for two years and are very happy with it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Having narrowed down potential suppliers to a manageable number and defined the specification, a fleet manager should \u201csend the vendor a request for information (RFI) containing specific questions: what services are provided, what service level is relevant and what it covers\u201d, says Ashley Sowerby, managing director of Chevin Fleet Solutions. \u201cSuppliers should be able to use this to explain how their software meets your requirements.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

SLAs should also be appropriate to the risk to the business if something goes wrong with the software.<\/span><\/p>\n

A supplier should also be asked to compile a timeframe for implementation. Introducing a fleet software package is not an overnight process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Case study:\u00a0 Skanska<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Improving usage of data to reduce costs and cutting fleet administration were two reasons behind Skanska\u2019s decision to introduce Jaama\u2019s Key2 fleet management software package.<\/span><\/p>\n

The project development and construction company also wanted a system that was future proof, with the ability to evolve modules \u2013 and develop new ones \u2013 to keep the software up to date.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted a system to manage our vehicle and equipment assets, hold all information in a single location, and to interface with our HR system, feed data back to our finance department and link with our workshops and stores,\u201d says Julie Madoui, head of fleet at Skanska.<\/span><\/p>\n

The company operates a UK fleet of around 2,500 vehicles from company cars to heavy commercial vehicles, and also uses its vehicle management software to manage some plant equipment assets.<\/span><\/p>\n

Skanska\u2019s expansion through acquisition meant the fleet was operating on two parallel systems, which proved administratively cumbersome and operationally inefficient.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fleet provides a range of services to customers, so the chosen system was required to undertake a significant volume of financial work such as cost allocation and vehicle and driver management.<\/span><\/p>\n

The software package also had to manage vehicle service, maintenance and repairs on Skanska\u2019s and some third-party vehicles at the company\u2019s network of workshops. The web-based, modular Key2 system enables Skanska to manage all activities in one place.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe management information available is powerful and has enabled us to remove lots of spreadsheets,\u201d says Madoui.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe ability to link data from different parts of the system enables us to make business critical decisions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Questions to consider<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Web-based or enabled?<\/span><\/p>\n