Do you already use a software solution for all fleet management tasks or do you still work with Excel? Whether it’s greater transparency, cost control or compliance with legal requirements, using software offers companies many benefits. In this article, we present the five most important advantages of such a solution for fleet management.
What is fleet management software?
Fleet management software is a digital solution that supports companies in managing their vehicle fleets. It allows all fleet data to be recorded and processed centrally, appointments to be managed, costs to be analyzed and damage to be processed. Targeted evaluations provide insights into the fleet and help to identify optimization potential.
Advantage 1: Simplify complex processes through structured workflows
The complexity of fleet operations has increased rapidly in recent years. Be it through the increased use of electric vehicles, the introduction of corporate car sharing or decentrally organized company fleets. The of data from all vehiclesthat a fleet manager must constantly keep an eye on and analyze today can hardly be managed with a manual organization.
A fleet software can handle this amount of data and tasks in fleet management but it can bundle and evaluate it in such a way that those responsible can obtain all relevant information about the status of the fleet with just a few clicks, such as
- Appointment reminders for the next inspection or upcoming driver’s license checks
- Planning of leasing and procurement cycles
- Recording and forecasting of costs
- Analyses of tank data and consumption
- Organization of UVV driver training
With a software solution, rigid processes and tasks for fleet management can be designed simply and flexibly. This saves costs and resources in the long term. Time-consuming coordination becomes easier as communication takes place digitally and the various parties involved have flexible access to information.
Fleet software also offers the option of connecting to third-party systems. Thanks to suitable interfaces, data can be migrated, processed and stored in a centrally controlled system. This is a great relief, especially for decentrally organized fleets, as multiple data entry becomes unnecessary.
Advantage 2: Keeping an eye on fleet costs
Another important benefit for fleet management is improved cost control. By centrally monitoring all relevant information in one software, you have an overview of all costs incurred. The software enables expenses such as fuel, maintenance, repairs and insurance to be recorded and analyzed.
The detailed insight into the cost structures enables you to identify potential savings and take effective measures to optimize and reduce costs. It is irrelevant whether the solution is used in a small or large fleet. A digital solution objectively evaluates the collected data and facilitates cost control of the entire fleet.
Especially if pool vehicles are managed in the fleet, it is essential to keep an eye on costs at all times, because an unevenly or insufficiently utilized vehicle pool can be expensive. The same applies to the monitoring of high-cost commercial vehicles. Meaningful reports allow outliers to be quickly identified and meaningful action measures to be derived by fleet management.
Advantage 3: Fleet software creates transparency
The fleet manager is the central authority in the fleet and the first point of contact in almost all processes. Most of the time, however, it is merely the interface: it passes on information or tasks, transmits a request for action to another instance, or obtains information about the vehicles from external parties.
With fleet software such as Fleet+, direct communication channels are created and designed in such a way that all parties involved are relieved in the long term and personnel resources are conserved. Software is particularly important when it comes to integrating other departments or external service providers. All relevant instances in the fleet can be enter specific data or access the required information. The results are available immediately and data protection is maintained, as only the relevant information is displayed depending on the authorization within the application. Fleet management defines the authorizations for this in advance.
Thanks to fleet management software, everyone involved has the necessary transparency about the fleet. You have access to information such as vehicle locations, vehicle usage and driver activity in real time. This allows effective decisions to be made more quickly and fleet operations to be better managed overall with all vehicles.
Less effort with our fleet software Fleet+
Advantage 4: Promote innovative mobility concepts
Electromobility is on the rise – both in private vehicles and in the fleet. E-vehicles require a high degree of digital organization, especially when it comes to the Reach management concerns. This means that vehicle driving and charging times or the availability of charging stations must be continuously checked and adjusted if necessary.
In times when sustainability and environmentally friendly transportation options are becoming increasingly important, a digital solution offers the opportunity to integrate alternative forms of mobility. If pool vehicles are already part of your fleet, the use of fleet software is all the more important, as vehicle bookings and overall utilization are the basis for efficient car sharing. In short, anyone who wants to open up to new mobility concepts should be able to understand and manage the associated data complexity.
Advantage 5: Reliably meeting keeper liability obligations
As a fleet manager, you are responsible for compliance with legal regulations and your owner liability obligations. Here, too, the software provides enormous advantages for fleet management, because the digital solution helps you to fulfill these obligations precisely for all vehicles. The software automatically reminds you of important dates such as main inspections, Driver’s license checks and UVV driver training. This minimizes the risk of sanctions and fines.
Smartphone apps also offer drivers a great deal of flexibility, for example by allowing driver’s license checks to be carried out conveniently while on the move. Drivers can use their smartphone to scan their driver’s license whether they are at home, on the road or in the office.
Are you still checking or are you already managing? More time thanks to digital holder liability (in german)
Which software solution is the right one if I want to take advantage of all the benefits in fleet management?
Fleet management should clarify the following questions before purchasing software in order to reduce the workload on the fleet:
- Do you want simpler cost recording and analysis?
- Should the collected data serve as a basis for strategic decisions in fleet management?
- Are there distributed fleet locations and which stakeholders should have direct access to the data?
- How much support do you want to give the drivers?
- Which departments and external service providers are involved?
- Are there any data protection requirements in the company?
- What services and apps are available for drivers?
- What is important to know about this before implementing the software?
In short, a carefully thought-out list of all processes in the fleet provides a good basis for making a decision on the purchase of a Fleet Software and facilitates the transition to a digitally managed fleet. The challenge is to implement the solution in such a way that labor-intensive processes gradually be simplified and costs saved.
Finding the right fleet software
Which digital solution is the right one? In our free guide, we give you tips for choosing the right
software for your fleet and explain what you should consider as a fleet manager.
Conclusion: Advantages for fleet management regardless of fleet size
Are you responsible for fleet management and want to move away from simply managing your fleet and towards effective optimization in all areas? Successful fleet management requires flexibility from all parties involved.
Large players in particular are aware of the complexity of their processes and rely on software solutions. However, smaller fleets with low budgets still rely on manual management methods. The disadvantage of Excel and Co. quickly becomes clear when the fleet grows and with it the requirements – more data also means more personnel and correspondingly more effort.
Fleet software offers numerous advantages for fleet management: from simplifying work processes and cost control to creating transparency and promoting innovative mobility concepts.
Whether you have a small pool of vehicles or a large mixed fleet – by using a software solution like this, companies can increase their efficiency, reduce their costs and implement more environmentally friendly transportation options at the same time. If you want to take your business into the future, now is the time to embrace a digital solution and the many benefits it offers for fleet management.
FAQ - Advantages of fleet management software
The use of fleet software helps to make fleet management more efficient and cost-saving. The central recording and maintenance of all vehicle and driver-related data increases transparency within the company. Time-consuming routine tasks can be automated to save time and minimize costs. Analysis tools support the strategic alignment of the fleet and help to identify potential savings.
Fleet software facilitates compliance with legal requirements through integrated appointment management and reminds drivers of upcoming deadlines and checks such as driver training, driving license checks or general inspections. Smartphone apps also involve drivers and offer a great deal of flexibility.
As a central platform, fleet management software makes communication with other departments, service providers and suppliers much easier. Data and documents are stored centrally and are accessible to all authorized users – based on individual access rights – which prevents duplicate data maintenance and minimizes additional work.
The cost of fleet software varies and depends on various factors such as the size of the fleet, the range of functions, the number of users and the license model. At Carano, we advise you individually and create a customized offer for you.
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