5 reasons why fleet managers need an asset tracking system

Asset tracking plays a crucial role in enabling fleet managers to better manage their vehicles and other assets.

UK fleets have grown 42% larger in the last decade and this means more responsibility. As a manager, you not only have to stay aware of your fleets location and condition, but also organise maintenance, repair and scheduling of vehicles for jobs.

So whether you’re running a nationwide fleet or a small number of motors, asset tracking can help.

How does asset tracking work for fleet management?

Simply put, asset tracking (often called asset management) is a process for tracking and monitoring the whereabouts of your fleet – we cover the basics of asset tracking in our blog here <link to blog>.

Asset tracking will also automate many management tasks, oversee vehicle transactions and scheduling and gather useful data for your auditing and reporting.

Not just for cars and vans, asset tracking can be useful for buses for public transit authorities or motorised equipment for construction companies.

There are several techniques used for asset tracking, including barcode technology and RFID (radio frequency identification).

Our asset-I solution works with both and enables you to ….

Better manage equipment

With an asset tracking system, you can trace your entire fleet and perform inventory checks. Asset tracking software will also ensure all of your equipment is compliant, keeping a record of where it has been used, any defects reported, maintenance and anything else that is relevant to that vehicle.

This will reveal how effectively your drivers use your fleet day-to-day. Do drivers prefer to pick just a handful of the newest vehicles? Is one particular model always out for maintenance? Understanding how vehicles accumulate wear and tear will tell you how to organise vehicle schedules and make future purchasing decisions.

Reduce theft

Vehicle theft is common, especially on sites where there is little to no security. Luckily, missing assets are a preventable cost. Thousands of pounds can be saved if an efficient asset tracking solution is in place.  Using accurate GPS, a tracking system can show where your assets are in real-time and alert you if they have been moved.

Maintenance, auto-alerts and reminders

If you have several delivery vehicles, you can keep track of each and every vehicle with automated alerts and reminders that come with an asset tracking system. You can also see the current status of a vehicle – is someone using it?

Maintenance checks, warranty expiries and proposed dates for decommissioning are also stored in the asset tracking system and alerts are automatically triggered to ensure they are not missed.

Rolling actions such as servicing are recorded as they are undertaken, and condition of the asset also updated on its record.

Asset tracking software can also upgrade the process of scheduling, dispatching and even invoicing.

Improve operations

An asset tracking system can handle many time-consuming tasks such as securely handle key sign-outs so fleet managers do not need to be present to confirm a driver has taken the correct keys. The system can also alert you if keys are overdue and notify if drivers report issues with their vehicles.

Tailoring Asset-I to work your way

Our asset tracking solution Asset-I can be tailored so it works exactly the way you do.

• Create and manage asset locations specific to your organisational needs
• Define and manage asset group categories
• Build and customise reports with automated scheduling
• Configure recurring events and trigger alerts
• Customise and tailor asset records to capture only the information needed
• Define system and mobile users, assigning user access levels
• Integrate Asset-i with our Smart Locker solution
• Integrate Asset-i with our custom app build services

We partner with Zebra to pair leading mobile computers with our asset tracking technology. The TC52 is a best-selling rugged handheld computer, offering maximum performance thanks to its superfast processor. The easy and flexible multi-touch device works even when wet, with a gloved finger or a stylus. And the best-in-class outdoor readability screen is easy to read, even in bright sunlight – ideal for a fleet manager.