Because of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19), the whole world has been faced with tremendous difficulties. And along with it the whole economy, as well. Many businesses have paused their operations, while others have gone mobile, having their employees work from home.
So how does this situation impact fleet owners and managers? What can be done to ensure that your business is running smoothly and that your drivers are safe?
What are the main COVID-19-related problems for your fleet?
Social distancing
Most of the fleet company offices will probably remain closed for a while, depending on the country or state you are living in. So, you’re probably trying to work from home and run your business effectively. This fact automatically raises barriers to the effective operation of your business. How can your drivers report to you daily if they are not physically at the office? That’s the effect of social distancing. And communication over the phone may not always be the best solution.
A day of downtime
If a vehicle breaks down for some reason, your driver will probably not be able to tell you what it’s about. Until the tow truck gets the vehicle in the repair shop, you will essentially be in the dark. Will your car/truck will be back on the road on the same day? This type of downtime not only means that your service toward customers will be delayed, but also you will probably lose money because of that.
Operating expenses won’t wait
A big issue to consider during this period is changes in operating costs for your business. These can be changes in insurance rates or taxes. Those costs might be reduced or increased (again depending on your country/ state). The Consumer Federation of America has taken actions so that drivers can pay insurance according to the miles they have driven. At the same time, the US Government has taken action to help taxpayers and businesses affected by the Coronavirus.
Fuel management
Another topic to consider is fuel cost, the price of which has become unstable. Specifically due to the current situation the price of gas has gone down. This fact might be helpful for your business as you can save costs. However you can save even more money on fuel; even at times when its price has gone up. You can do that by making sure your drivers are driving your vehicles in an optimal way and, by identifying and preventing fuel theft.
How to manage your fleet using “work from home” solutions
Remote vehicle management
Since you will probably be spending quite a lot of time working from home. And, considering all these issues troubling us, a remote vehicle management system can be of high importance and value for your business. Especially if you’re in a “work from home” situation. As you may already know, Veturilo is one such system and can help you in many ways.
Track and monitor with Veturilo, as you work from home
With Veturilo, your drivers will be able to take the company vehicles at home, without having to check them back in to the company’s parking lot. Don’t worry though, you will still be able to check if they left home for work, on time. And, to top it off, you’ll be able to do some truck fleet tracking. That means you’ll know if they used the company’s vehicles solely for business and not for personal reasons.
You can do all that in a work from home situation, almost effortlessly. But wait, there’s more.
Good for any type of small to medium fleet
Moreover, an important attribute of Veturilo is its adaptability, which allows it to be installed on any type of passenger or light duty vehicle. That is, if it was manufactured after 1996 in the US or after 2001 in the EU. Whether you have a fleet of delivery trucks or you are a contractor, Veturilo can be used with your vehicles very easily. The same applies for most truck fleet companies and for car fleet owners, such as limos and taxis. Having Veturilo installed, it gives you the ability to take actions so you can minimize both tax and insurance rates, as well as other expenses.
Safety precautions for drivers and customers
Ensuring that your drivers and customers are healthy, is of high importance. Especially in the current pandemic period. You must make sure your drivers have all the special equipment with them, such as gloves and masks. That’s, in order to minimize the risk of passing an infection.
Moreover, keeping their distance from customers is extremely important, as well as avoiding any physical contact. Finally, all drivers must abide by the rules set by the country and health experts.
Effects on driver psychology
Your drivers are very likely to be psychologically affected by the current situation. As a result, there might be a negative impact on their productivity. You need to find ways to keep their morale at the right level.
Fleet driver management
With Veturilo, you can monitor their driving behavior and find out whether they’re driving the vehicles in the best way possible, or not. Through Veturilo, you will be able to assess their performance and reward your best and most productive drivers. By doing that, you’re giving them motivation to keep performing well. And, more importantly, you’re just as simply making a step towards retaining them; which is very important any day of the year. That’s fleet driver management at its best!
Fleet maintenance and how to do it
Knowing your vehicles are in a good condition is very significant in achieving an uneventful daily routine. Especially when you work from home, you must be in the position to discover any technical issues as soon as possible. That’s because unless you have an in-house repair shop and a mechanic on stand-by, it might be difficult to find an repair shop that’s open for business at a convenient time.
Real time vehicle management and optimization
Veturilo will send DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) alerts directly to your phone. This gives you timely notification when something is wrong with any of your vehicles, instantly. That way, you can prevent a more severe damage and address the issue before it causes serious downtime. And that’s how you opt for vehicle management optimization.
Service to society
During these days of uncertainty, due to Coronavirus, it is our duty to work together; preventing this disease from spreading at uncontrolled rates. We, at Veturilo, believe our service can help you as a work from home solution, minimizing physical contact among staff and customers. Keeping your fleet business running like clockwork, at the same time.
Need to learn more about our service and its features?