Asset Tracking

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Introduction

Asset tracking is a vital part of fleet operations. It is the collection of real-time data from your equipment and vehicles, usually by using GPS trackers, barcodes, QR codes, or scanners. You can track location, HoS, idle time, and more regarding these vehicles. Naturally, companies need to know what they have on hand, and asset tracking helps stay on top of that. It’s been around as long as fleets have been in operation, albeit with paper and pencil. Today’s asset tracking is made much easier with electronic tracking devices and databases that fleet managers can view at any time. 

Types of Asset Trackers

There are two types of asset trackers: Long Life Asset Trackers and Rechargeable Asset Trackers. Both types send regular location updates and organize that data into reports, so fleet managers can rest assured that the asset is where it is supposed to be. The difference between the two types lies in their battery life and the types of assets they are designed to track.

Long Life Asset Trackers

Long Life Asset Trackers last up to five years on one charge. They are designed for non-powered assets, such as

  • Trailers and shipping containers
  • Signs
  • Mobile storage units

Rechargeable Asset Trackers

Rechargeable Asset Trackers are better for powered assets, and their battery life is shorter, lasting for six months. However, they recharge every time the asset powers on. They are recommended for use on assets such as

  • Vehicles
  • Generators, mobile lights
  • Heavy equipment

The Benefits of Asset Tracking

Business owners must know what they have on hand to operate their businesses properly, but why, specifically? 

Prevents Duplicate Assets: First of all, it prevents business owners from buying equipment, tools, or even vehicles that they do not need or already own. This duplicate spending happens more often than one might think since there are so many items to track when running even a small business, let alone a moderate- to large-sized one. Without accurate usage reporting, fleet managers may not realize that they have unnecessary extra equipment.

Optimize Use of Assets: Furthermore, asset tracking does not just tell you what you have. It also gives you data on these assets such as HoS, idle time, and maintenance. This data allows fleet managers to optimize their assets, saving money along the way. 

Prevent Theft: By knowing the location of your assets in real-time, you will see if it is somewhere it is not supposed to be. If thieves steal items from your fleet yard or warehouse, you can tell the authorities exactly where to find them and help law enforcement track them down for you. 

Grow Businesses: When businesses try to track assets manually, it can be a huge hassle and slow down their growth. However, with automated tracking, less staffing is required, and businesses are free to focus on other development and expansion! 

Increased Productivity: Features like geofencing, idle time reporting, and setting operating hours and areas allow businesses to increase their productivity. These features help you determine whether assets are being used properly. 

Maintain Compliance: Keeping electronic records of all of your assets helps you stay compliant with audits on balance sheets. Penalties for noncompliance can significantly hurt your company, so staying in compliance is key. 

Increased Profits: Increased productivity and efficiency leads to increased profits. When businesses can spend more time growing and expanding, they see more gains in the long run. This is why asset tracking is ideal for any business. 

Use All Assets: Many fleets have equipment that simply sits unused. Why pay for the storage space for equipment that isn’t bringing in any profit or use for the fleet? Asset tracking provides reports that show fleet managers what equipment they are using to determine what assets they no longer need. 

Conclusion

Asset tracking is a must-have for any fleet business. It provides a complete picture of what the company has, what can be improved, and what is working well. Azuga’s asset tracking software provides detailed reports on all of these matters and more, so fleet managers can leave the tedious tracking to the software and focus on making decisions and improving and growing their businesses.

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Fleet Dispatching

Dispatch software is a lifesaver when it comes to organizing your dispatch process and keeping operations streamlined. It offers a variety of features that make daily procedures so much easier, from fleet tracking to reports that help businesses make decisions. What features does dispatch software offer, and how do these features benefit fleets? We will break this down for you. 

Assign and Monitor Jobs

It is easy to assign and monitor jobs with dispatch software because it uses fleet tracking. Fleet tracking allows you to assign jobs to crews in the field. If you need a lead technician for a job, it’s simple to attach that lead tech to any job you need. You can even sort jobs based on their status, whether they’re one-time, recurring, or multi-day, or based on urgency. 

When workers finish jobs, they can mark the job as complete on their end. This way, you can know when each job concludes and when your technician moves on to their next task. 

Easier Communication

Back and forth calls between technicians and managers are no longer a problem. With dispatch software, you simply input the job you want your technicians to address. Your technicians access it from their phones and know what to do from there. When they’re done, they can mark it complete and view their next job right away. They can track their time, update their schedules, and input notes all while on the go. Everything you need to know will be on your screen when you need to know it, no need to track the information down. 

Improve Customer Service

Dispatch software can improve your business’s customer service reputation in a variety of ways. Firstly, GPS tracking allows for route optimization software, which gets your technicians to their destinations quickly and efficiently. No more late technicians making your customers wait. Furthermore, dispatch software allows you to assign technicians to customers they already know, building an improved relationship with your business. And with all of your customer information in one place, it’s easy to respond to disputes and issues in a timely and personal manner. 

All of your client and order information is available in a field service CRM that details everything you need to know about your customers and the jobs you’ve done for them. 

How to Get Dispatch Software

Azuga offers state-of-the-art dispatch software that your business is sure to benefit from every single day. These benefits will improve your fleet’s daily operations, boost customer service, and maximize productivity among your workers. These features and more bring your fleet to its maximum potential, allowing you to focus on making important decisions to help the business grow and thrive. Find out everything you can do with dispatch software by trying out a free demo today. You’re certain to be impressed with the improvements.

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Multi-Drop Route Planning

A multi-drop route planner is a process that plans a route for a driver to make more than two deliveries in multiple locations. It uses vehicle routing software to collect and analyze thousands of data points and determine the best delivery route. This route planning software can plan, re-route, and reschedule without causing any danger to the driver, environment, or business. It considers many factors, such as the number of distribution centers, warehouses, or residential areas a driver has to visit, resource availability, and driver safety. 

How Does Multi-Drop Route Planning Work? 

The route optimization software tracks the vehicle while factoring in when deliveries need to arrive. Of course, a human being should ensure that everything has been planned out properly, but the process should be automatic. Both this person and the system should look at distances, travel time, and fuel consumption. 

Once a route is set, the route optimization software compiles data to choose the best vehicle and driver depending on the delivery. It uses data based on the route and the client’s needs. At this point, it also considers the driver’s hours and weather conditions to determine how much time is needed. These systems need to work in real-time to ensure that managers and clients can connect with up-to-date information. 

Benefits of Multi-Drop Route Planning

There are various benefits to multi-drop route planning. It maximizes productivity, keeps fuel costs low, promotes driver safety, and helps businesses stay compliant with federal driver hour regulations. Your business will save money by using its drivers effectively and not using as much fuel. 

Where to Get Multi-Drop Route Planning Software

If you’re looking for this software, you don’t need to search any further! Azuga’s route optimization software allows for multiple stops. It provides the best routes based on historical data, traffic conditions, weather conditions, and machine learning that helps it create the best routes for you in real-time. See what you can do with route planning software by trying out a demo today!

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Fleet Dispatching

If you manage a fleet, you probably already understand the delicate dance that is fleet dispatching. If not, you may not realize just how crucial this process is to the success of any fleet-based business. 

What Is Fleet Dispatching?

Simply put, fleet dispatching is the process by which commercial fleet drivers are sent out into the field to make deliveries, service customers, and handle other business-related tasks. But it involves so much more than simply telling drivers, “you go there.” Good fleet dispatching may also involve considerations for traffic conditions, road hazards, driver skill sets, customer preferences, and onboard equipment. When done correctly, it’s a skillful juggling act that helps a business reach its daily goals. When poorly handled, it can be a disaster for all concerned.

What Is a Fleet Dispatcher?

A fleet dispatcher is a person in charge of scheduling and arranging dispatch for a commercial fleet. Small fleets may have a single dispatcher to manage all calls, while larger enterprise fleets may employ an entire team. 

A fleet dispatcher must clearly understand schedules and routes, job proficiencies, fuel management, fleet maintenance, and regulations related to hours of service and other fleet compliance issues. A good fleet dispatcher knows the drivers in the fleet well and can anticipate their scheduling needs and which jobs they are most suited to handle. Fleet dispatchers must be masters of communication and have elite organizational skills.

Fleet Dispatch Software from Azuga

Fleet dispatching is as much an art as a science, and it can be overwhelming at times. The best way to support the fleet dispatchers on your team is to give them tools and technology that make the job easier. Fortunately, Azuga offers the answers to all of your fleet dispatching conundrums

Our GPS Fleet Tracking software can keep track of all the vehicles in your fleet along with large equipment and other assets. Dispatchers can use this information to see which vehicles are nearby when a job pops up. What’s more, we offer top-notch route optimization tools to help guide drivers around road construction, accidents, and other hazards that might prevent them from getting to their destination on time. We can even help you schedule routine maintenance, promote road safety, and automatically deliver dispatch notifications to drivers in the field. 

Learn about all the ways Azuga Fleet can help your commercial fleet stay productive and efficient while simplifying maintenance schedules and creating a culture of safety on the road. Schedule an Azuga demo today!

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