Telematics and other fleet technologies deliver proven benefits to transportation businesses. During challenging or uncertain times, however, investing in new technology can seem daunting, even in the face of potential ROI.
A targeted – or incremental – approach to technology adoption can help businesses address their biggest challenges first while still managing costs, streamlining implementation and setting a course for overall operational transformation.
Key Steps for Targeted Technology Adoption
Identify your challenges
Conduct a thorough evaluation of your operations. Identify pain points, inefficiencies, compliance requirements, safety concerns and other areas for improvement. Chances are, you already have a good idea of where you need to focus, but a more formal assessment will help you pinpoint where technology can make a significant impact.
Prioritize your challenges
Rank the challenges that you identified from greatest to least. Bigger challenges may include those that are hindering your ability to reach businesses goals or putting your fleet at risk in terms of safety or compliance.
Identify solutions
Research solutions that will address your challenges, focusing on your biggest challenges first. Talk to providers, attend industry events, read reviews, and seek recommendations to understand the options available. When talking to providers, be specific about the problem you are trying to solve to ensure that their technology will provide the results you are looking for.
As you work through the planning steps outlined above, a roadmap for what technology solutions you need and in what order to implement them should naturally begin to emerge.
Key Considerations for Targeted Technology Adoption
Even when adding fleet technology incrementally, it’s important to maintain a holistic view. Remember: Your end goal is to transform your operations – to become safer, more efficient, more resilient and more profitable.
Here are some things to consider as you begin to select solutions and execute your technology adoption roadmap.
Single provider vs. multiple?
Let’s say that you find a technology provider that has a specific solution that you’re looking to implement right now. That’s great. However, before you make a final decision it’s important to look beyond that specific solution and determine whether the provider has the full range of solutions that you ultimately plan to implement.
Does that ELD provider, for instance, also have video telematics and asset and trailer tracking? And, if so, do they do a good job on all of them? Technology, after all, should simplify things so you can focus on your core business. Working with multiple technology providers and systems can quickly get complicated, creating new operational headaches.
Provider innovation
Innovation is another key consideration when looking at fleet technology providers. Are they forward-looking? Do they have their finger on the pulse of the industry? Do they stay abreast of the changing regulations? In trucking, the business and regulatory landscape is always evolving, and your challenges and needs shift accordingly. It is crucial to partner with a technology provider that is proactive and responsive to support your success today and in the uncertain future.
Integration
Finally, selecting a provider with a robust and ever-growing integrations network is key to getting the full benefit of any technology solution. You want solutions that interact and play well with the larger fleet technology ecosystem – from TMS and dispatch software to freight visibility, fuel cards and more.
EROAD Is Your Partner for Operational Transformation
EROAD offers a full range of fleet management solutions to ensure compliance, improve fleet visibility and safety, boost efficiency and, ultimately, support your operational transformation – all from a single, easy-to-use fleet management platform.
