Route optimisation, mileage tracking, theft prevention — popular fleet management providers boast similar functions like these. However, there’s one underrated aspect of fleet management providers. You should always look out for: good customer support, free of charge.
If a fleet management provider doesn’t include quality fleet support as part of its package, they’re not worth doing business with.
After all, what’s the point of investing in a fleet tracking system with all the bells and whistles if you can’t figure out how to use the software? Or the system crashes and you can’t fix it yourself? Or any number of issues that might crop up that only a certified customer support representative can help you fix.
This article will explain why fleet support should be non-negotiable when searching for a fleet management provider, and how it can help with daily fleet tasks as well as the long-term goals of a fleet.
Why Does Good Fleet Support Matter?
No matter how good a fleet tracking system is, there are bound to be questions and concerns that crop up now and again. Having a dedicated team of fleet support specialists on call makes solving these one-off problems that much easier. A good customer support team removes any guesswork on your part. They will ensure that your vehicles stay roadworthy at all times.
In addition to getting questions answered about the fleet tracking software, fleet managers can also utilise the fleet support team to discuss their long-term business goals.
A trained customer service representative may be able to highlight ways the software can be used to meet specific business goals that the fleet manager wasn’t aware of.
Read more: Find Out How Vimcar Offers Car Tracker Support Across The UK
5 Scenarios Where Fleet Support Is Helpful
Fleet GPS trackers aren’t the end all to fleet management concerns. Quality fleet support from a fleet management provider is crucial for the long-term success of a fleet.
Here are five common concerns that could crop up within a fleet, and the ways a team of on-call fleet support specialists can help:
1. Hardware installation issues
No matter how “easy” fleet tracking hardware is supposed to be to install, issues can still arise during installation. Being able to quickly ring up the fleet support team and have them walk you through the installation process can make things run more smoothly. A fleet can only operate so long as its vehicles are on the road — a quick and easy installation process is important.
Read more: What Is Fleet Tracking?
2. Software training questions
Learning how to use a fleet tracking software can be overwhelming, even if it comes with its own set of written instructions. A fleet support team can clear up any questions you might have and talk you through the most important functions of the tracking software.
Moreover, they can draw your attention to any useful functions you’d overlooked and pinpoint the ways they can help your fleet meet its goals.
3. Switching to pool cars
Tracking vehicles becomes more complicated once they’re able to be used by any employee at any time during business hours. Businesses need to have regulations in place for managing pool cars to ensure that they’re well-maintained and used properly.
A fleet support team can clarify how their software should be used to track pool vehicles. This includes how it should be used to abides by the strict privacy laws in the UK.
Read more: Turning Company Vehicles Into Pool Vehicles
4. Geofence and time fence utilisation
Geofences are virtual, geographic boundaries that can be set around specific areas, such as the company car park. Time fences will notify you if a vehicle is being driven outside of a certain time frame, such as after business hours.
Geofences and time fences can be used to notify customers of pickups and deliveries, determine which vehicles are available to be reloaded and more. These are two key features of most fleet management systems, and a customer support team can best explain exactly how your business can leverage these functions to meet your goals.
5. Tailoring a fleet tracking system to your business
Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed the fleet tracking hardware, are familiar with the accompanying software and your fleet is thriving.
But how can you continue to streamline your operations, optimise your fleet and continue to set — and meet! — long-term business goals?
If you think you’ve got your fleet tracking system all figured out, it’s still worth calling up the fleet support team and asking for their feedback. They work with fleets no matter where you’re located. Additionally, they can offer insights into what you’re doing well and how else to utilise their system to your advantage. Having that professional, third-party opinion can help improve your operations even more.
Professional Fleet Support for a Better Business
When deciding on a fleet management provider, make sure you’ll have access to a fleet support team free of charge. A good support team will be able to answer any questions you have about the fleet tracking system. They will be able to provide solutions to any issues that crop up over time.
