26 December 2014 Business Planning Guide www.greenmediaonline.com
FLEET MANAGEMENT
In an industry fi lled with heavy competition, landscaping businesses
face the tough challenge of standing out in the crowd. Strong
pricing pressure pushes landscape contractors to fi nd new ways
of keeping costs down and revenue streaming. Among the most
successful are those who have discovered GPS fl eet management.
Because landscape contractors work
with clients more often than businesses
like HVAC, plumbing and electrical,
customer service is a top priority. By
consistently making a positive fi rst
impression and delivering great service,
businesses can increase customer loyalty,
retention and referrals, ultimately
boosting revenue.
Utilizing a GPS fl eet tracking
solution, landscaping companies can
transform the customer experience, and
ensure crews are delivering top-notch
service. When crews are driving to jobs,
it's important that they are arriving on time. GPS fl eet tracking
solutions provide crews with the most effi cient routes to any
location, ensuring accurate ETAs for clients.
If crews get lost or stuck in traffi c, dispatchers can simply log
into the Cloud-based application to determine the best way around
it. They can then send new routes to a vehicle's GPS navigation
device, allowing drivers to follow voice-guided, turn-by-turn
directions. In the event that delays occur, it's important to keep
customers informed. Using a fl eet tracking solution, dispatchers
have the data available to let customers know exactly when crews
will arrive.
Because crews have little supervision, it can be diffi cult to
monitor their productivity. If they
are working unauthorized jobs, that's
money the company will never see.
Fleet tracking solutions can provide
a picture of a vehicle's activity for any
time period selected. Business owners
can see exactly where their crews have
been, how long they were there and
where they are headed in real-time.
This helps to ensure jobs are being
completed on time and there is no
unauthorized activity.
Being able to monitor field
workers' activity also helps to validate
employee hours. Employees can clock in and out using a
mobile application that turns smartphones and tablets into
virtual time clocks. This can save crews a lot of time as they
won't have to drive to the office each day to check in. Alerts
can be set up to notify management via e-mail or SMS message
■ BY ADRIENNE SACHS
Utilizing a GPS fl eet
tracking solution,
landscaping companies
can transform the customer
experience, and ensure
crews are delivering
top-notch service.
The Benefi ts of GPS Fleet
Tracking Technology
