"When you make the right strategic decision to invest in a fleet management system to support your company's future, there is nothing more important than implementing it with your employees. Communicating a policy that you are willing to enforce. Because if you are not willing to enforce desired driving behavior, and "housekeeping" for fleet vehicles , you are wasting time and money. Do this the right way, and you'll recoup 2 to 10 times your investment." Philippe - Managing Director, All-Connects
Since 2002, All-Connects has been working with companies that have installed a GPS fleet management system and have been reaping the benefits ever since. From their experiences, we've identified several steps to help you introduce GPS tracking to your employees and answer most of their questions up front. You can make the transition to using a track and trace system much smoother by communicating directly with your drivers and explaining not only how it will benefit the company, but also how they will benefit.
Five steps to help employees embrace change
1. Explain in clear, transparent language to directors what you are going to do, and why you have made this decision.
2. Help them realize that their initial reaction may be rooted in assumptions, not facts.
3. Clarify the interests of the company and your drivers when considering new policies.
4. Make no secret of the installation.
5. Recognize that "big brother" is part of it just like service tickets, chat functions driver, route planning,etc.
Your new GPS tracking system will help everyone get better at their jobs. The better you get, the more money you will make! And the healthier the company, the better it will be for everyone. Savings can translate into bonus programs, less customer callbacks, cancellations and complaints, less manual recording and paperwork for time cards, better driver training,etc.
Be honest and truthful about the GPS tracking system
First, be honest and forthright from the beginning, and you will gain the trust of your employees. Experience has shown that good employees have no problem with responsibility and welcome it precisely because it sets them apart from less productive colleagues. Any employee who resists following his vehicle is more than likely an employee who could use improvement somewhere.
Some employees may also tend to be distrustful, or at least skeptical of change. Their resistance is rooted in an unrealistic attitude toward change. Change is continuous. It happens everywhere. It accelerates as technology expands. And in reality, all change is not always bad.
Describe to staff how a GPS tracking system works
Here's how the system works: A GPS tracking device (show them the All-Connects gps tracker) will be installed in each vehicle in the fleet . The GPS tracker records the location of the vehicle, the exact route the vehicle traveled, the time spent at each stop and the speed at which the vehicle was traveling. Talk here about specific information transmission such as, for example, automatic downloading (no longer needs to be transmitted manually), secure data, mobile transmission, ... The information is then sorted and analyzed to determine what changes or adjustments can be made by the driver and/or fleet manager to increase efficiency.
Now you may be wondering why the company needs to know this information. Well, there are many reasons. First, you can see if changes need to be made to routes to save time during the day. You also want to make sure everyone is pulling the same amount of weight. If one driver always has to scramble to make all his stops and another driver has extra time, this fleet management system helps you identify and solve specific problems. We all want to establish daily routes that are achievable, not impossible to reach safely.
It also tells you how fast the trucks are going and gives drivers an incentive to stay within the speed limit. This ultimately keeps everyone safer on the road. It proves that you have a safe fleet, which can lower insurance premiums for everyone through fewer accidents. Read more about accurate vehicle speed in our blog, "DeployGPS as your eyes on the road for cost-effective fleet management."
Build a good relationship with your employees
A good relationship with your drivers makes your fleet management run more smoothly and efficiently. Therefore, the more you can get the drivers to cooperate (partner) with the change rather than resist (fight) it, the better armed the company is to continue to grow. Of course, this does not mean that drivers get to decide how to use the fleet management system.
FAQ from your staff about the geotrackers
Give room for questions. If someone asks a question you can't answer right away, tell them you will find the answer and contact them later with feedback. The technology of GPS tracking is no longer a mystery today.
Explain how everyone wins when GPS tracking is implemented
There are many positives associated with implementing GPS and many other companies have achieved excellent results right away.Read our blog on ROI of GPS tracking
There are also many positives for the driver. A maintenance company in Brussels had a driver who was accused of causing an accident. Fortunately, he was cleared of this when the track and trace system showed that the vehicle had never even been near the alleged accident. The driver was thus able to clear his name, and the company was spared a potentially costly lawsuit.
If a customer claims that your employee never showed up, didn't spend enough time there, or was too early or too late, the driver has proof that can refute that claim. And it works the other way around, too, of course, and employees who have not been honest are held accountable. Because this kind of behavior casts a shadow over the efforts of other colleagues and creates resentment among themselves. Hard numbers already led to lower customer turnover at many All-Connects customers, which ultimately benefits everyone in the company.
How do you introduce a track and trace system to your team?
It's no secret why you purchased this new GPS system: increased driver efficiency, improved route management, increased time savings, potential reduction in overtime, reduced fuel consumption and the ability to account for the progress of your fleet. But how do you communicate these things to your employees? How do you make sure they see that your new system is beneficial to them, too?
We have compiled the following topics to help you introduce the system to your employees. We recommend that you break down your presentation into four main points:
- introduction of the GPS trackers
- A description of the GPS tracking system
- benefits of GPS tracking
- questions and answers
1 | Introduction to GPS trackers
Inform your employees that, in keeping with current technologies, your company is going to implement a new fleet management system. This technology enables the company to maintain a competitive advantage in today's faster-paced business environment, resulting in increased efficiency and a positive impact on the company's bottom line.
2 | Describe the GPS tracking system:
Explain how the system works in practice. Describe tracking units to be installed in the vehicles, the online management application (on PC, tablet and smartphone) and the activities the system will record (speed, mileage, distance, stop time, stop time, idle time, vehicle route, trip recording, etc.). Use examples with screenshots that All-Connects can provide you with.
3 | Benefits of GPS tracking
Outline the benefits the system will provide (from reduced insurance premiums to increased route management), but also discuss in detail the direct benefits to employees. You can't avoid the "big brother" aspect of GPS tracking. Acknowledge it and describe it as an additional tool to help run the business.
4 | Questions and Answers
Take time to answer questions, and give short answers. Use examples and figures to reinforce your answers. It is the perfect opportunity to gauge your employees' reactions and nip any smoldering resistance in the bud with transparent and clear language. Give them enough space, but make sure it does not degenerate into a Facebook tirade.
Want to know what the absolute do's and don'ts are? Then be sure to read our blog 'checklist-introduction-track-trace-employees'
Connect with us!
Do you still have questions or would you like advice in choosing the fleet management system that suits your company? Don't hesitate to contact us by phone +32 3 289 55 35 or online below. We will contact you as soon as possible to answer your questions and go over the possibilities together.
