With the U.S. economy recovering ever-so-slowly and the international economy still on the injured list, transportation-oriented companies continue to scramble to maintain any competitive edge they can find. It’s not like fuel costs are going to go down, so protecting that recurring investment is of paramount importance. Fuel management systems enable all types of fleet operations to improve tracking, data gathering and analysis.
Competitive advantage is the composite of many small efficiencies as well as ensuring you’re employing the best and the brightest. But your people can’t do their best if they’re working with second-rate tools or stale or incomplete information. A fuel management system is the most valuable productivity-enhancing tool you can give them, because it can support and enhance every aspect of your fuel-related operations
It’s a comprehensive technology.
A fuel management system not only helps streamline processes, it gives you much greater visibility. You get more data, right now. It’s always accurate and always complete.
You can eliminate financial mysteries regarding costs and correct allocations, so monitoring costs and managing your budget are easier. You can reduce billing delays, doubly valuable for Fixed-Base Operators that do third-party billing. You can identify driver training and coaching opportunities. You can ensure fleet maintenance stays on schedule.
Oh, and you can eliminate those slippery control issues regarding the whereabouts or usage of fuel assets.
In fact, you can better manage your fleet assets, too. If your fleet includes any of these vehicles, a fuel management system can give your business a distinct competitive advantage:
- Squad cars or fire trucks
- Delivery vans
- Utility trucks
- Long-haul trucks
- Buses
- Construction equipment
- Forklifts
- Company or government motor pool
- Boats
Competitive advantage is in the details.
You can capture fueling and vehicle information and use it immediately to identify improvements and make better-informed decisions. As you use your fuel management system, you’ll discover additional opportunities to streamline and save.
A fuel management system not only facilitates regular maintenance, it helps avert potentially expensive unexpected repairs when it detects and alerts you to engine error codes or you see anomalies in the detailed vehicle data you capture with every fueling event.
That could even lead to the need for fewer vehicles in the future. Owning and maintaining a fleet is a tremendous cost, and the more time vehicles spend in the shop the less time they’re working for you. If you could reduce the fleet by even one vehicle without sacrificing productivity or customer service, how much would that save you over a year? What else could you do with that money?
You’ll be able to reduce fuel consumption by streamlining logistics such as route planning and instituting more cost-conscious driving behaviors based on the data you gather about prolonged idle times, PTO, etc. That saves gas and fleet wear-and-tear. It also gets drivers thinking about how they can be more efficient day in and day out. When everyone on your team is constantly thinking about improvement, that’s a competitive advantage.
And with fuel assuredly one of your highest expenses, even small mileage improvements can add up handsomely, to many thousands of dollars annually depending on the size of your operation.
Using a fuel management system, you can:
- Save money
- Increase productivity
- Improve vehicle performance
- Extend the life of your fleet
- Stretch out your capital investment schedule
- Redirect ongoing savings and funds that would otherwise have been funneled into purchasing new vehicles toward other important business development or capital needs. You cannot maintain competitive advantage unless you have ability to support yourself and your need to grow.
A fuel management system keeps you on top of your operation. So when that unforeseen opportunity comes your way, or an emergency forces you to rearrange your plans, you’ll be ready. Being fully prepared is a competitive advantage.
Photo Credit: MNapoleon