3 ways i360 will save your business time

By on 24 May, 2013 in i360

We all know that time equals money; therefore it’s safe to say that time saved is money saved – a task at the top of the to-do list for every business owner or manager. As valuable as our time is, it is a resource which constantly seems to run out so we’ve highlighted 3 ways our intelligent telematics platform, i360 can save your business and staff time, and therefore money.

Automation

Time spent micro-managing vehicles and fleet staff in order to have a reliable ‘view’ of your operations can be a tiresome and endless task which often provides very little tangible results. Our focus at Imarda is to automate as many of our customer’s time consuming decisions and processes as possible.  i360 removes the need for micro-management by allowing clients to manage by exception; your operations are in order unless the system alerts you otherwise.

 Instant access to data

Accessing business critical information can be a time-strenuous process. For instance, the time taken to manually locate and collate a specific vehicles service and repair history for utilisation and analyse can be huge, especially if the same information is required for 100 vehicles. Business owners and managers need information, and they need it now – a report on what went wrong yesterday isn’t much use to the team today. i360 reliably collects, collates and neatly presents this data in real time so that your staff no long has to.

 Mapping

Inefficient routing and navigation can be a wasteful and costly use of driver’s time. Optimising the time spent driving from point A to point B decreases the time taken to get to and complete a job, while increasing customer service and reducing fuel usage and vehicle wear and tear. Features within i360 such as Route To, 2-Way Messaging and Navigation and Live Tracking means that office staff and drivers have the ability to identify, communicate and take/monitor the most efficient route for jobs resulting each minute of company time being used to the maximum benefit of the business.

These are just a few ways implementing Imarda’s flexible fleet management solutions will save your business time. If you would like to find out more about how i360 can work for your business, get in touch with us today.

 

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And the Award goes to…

By on 20 May, 2013 in News

Hi-Tech Awards 2013

The team at Imarda would like to congratulate the winners of the 2013 NZ Hi-Tech awards! Special praise goes to our friends at Xero and Vend who each won 2 titles, with Xero taking away the acclaimed Hi-Tech Company of the Year award.

Attended by a record-breaking 700 guests, the gala awards dinner was held on Friday 17th May. It was an honour to be a part of a vibrant crowd bursting with excitement and support for this year’s finalists.

The team at Imarda are proud to support an event which celebrates the contributions technology companies and individuals make to New Zealand’s economy and export success.

2013 winners also include technology companies Trigger Happy, ikeGPS, GreenButton, Carnival Labs, Wynyard Group, Navico, BIMstop and Robert Bell (COO at KlickEx) took away the Hi-Tech Young Achiever award.

For photos and more information on the Hi-Tech awards, click here.

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Removing the ‘Big Brother’ mindset

By on 15 May, 2013 in Business Wisdom, Compliance, i360

GPS vehicle tracking is just one of many features provided by a fleet management system. While managers and executives enjoy the luxury of access to vehicle information such as speed and driver behaviour to servicing, repairs and maintenance; drivers and employees operating the company vehicles are primarily concerned with how the GPS feature affects their right to privacy.

Privacy is at the forefront of employees mind when operating company vehicles which have GPS systems installed; especially if these vehicles are approved for personal use. Turning off a GPS device is not always possible so how do fleet managers deal with the ‘big brother is watching’ mentality.

A full understanding of employment and privacy legislation is crucial for businesses wanting to employ fleet management systems with GPS tracking functionality. Employees should be notified if they are operating a tracked vehicle and doing so not only reduces expectations of privacy but places the responsibility for further research onto the individual.

Employees who have the privilege of using a company vehicle for personal use will also have uncertainties regarding GPS tracking and their privacy. What needs to be made clear is that the approval for personal use (regardless if it’s used or not) results in businesses having to pay a fringe benefit tax and accountants need to be able to differentiate between a vehicles personal and professional mileage.

Again, a complete understanding of employment and privacy legislation is vital here so that businesses are operating within their rights and not infringing those of their staff. As not all GPS devices can be turned off, total transparency and communication regarding the vehicle information being monitored and reported outside of business hours will resolve privacy disputes.

To see how Pestrid Pest Control reacted to the ‘big brother’ mentality, click here.

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Hardware and your FMS Solution

By on 13 May, 2013 in Hardware, i360, ROI & Profit

Hardware is a critical component of your fleet management solution as it defines the type of information extracted from each of your fleet vehicles. This said, when purchasing a fleet management system, it is important to ensure each device will derive the maximum return on investment for your business.

As hardware is a significant contributor to the upfront cost of installing a fleet management system, you want to make sure your devices are tailored to the specific needs of your vehicles and assets. Therefore, you must select devices which provide the most significant information for your fleet. For example, a smartphone with GPS tracking capability may resolve a small fleet’s location and tracking issues; but an enterprise needing to reduce fuel usage, lower emissions and extend the life of more than 100 heavy duty vehicles require more powerful devices that can adequately collate and transmit a substantial amount of data.

This is where the term ‘hardware agnostic’ becomes a core aspect of the system you purchase. Hardware agnostic systems are designed independent of hardware so that customers are not limited to a specific set of devices when they purchase a fleet management solution. This means you can install the most suitable device in each vehicle and access the information collected in real time and in one place. For example, at Imarda we develop our propriety vector range of hardware but a key distinguishing feature of our i360 platform is its ability to integrate with third party devices and smartphones.

Hardware agnostic platforms ‘speak’ to technology and devices from a variety of manufactures so clients can use devices with functionality most suited to their specific needs. These systems are more flexible and suitable for businesses and fleets of all sizes and ends in a higher ROI for customers.

To learn more about our hardware agnostic platform click here.

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Welcome Aboard!

By on 6 May, 2013 in General

The team at Imarda is growing and we’re pleased to welcome new comers Ashish Antil and Sarah Geoghegan aboard. We sat down with these two to get some more info.

Ashish1

Ashish joins the Engineering department as a Software Developer.

 

Give us a recap – before Imarda where have you been and what have you been doing?

Before moving to New Zealand and joining Imarda I spent 8 years working in various technology roles. My previous role was a software developer in the Delhi region of India.

What excites you most about working at Imarda?

I’m most excited about Imarda’s integration of three systems: maps, hardware and application software. I love a good challenge!

What’s your motto in life?

Live and let live.

If you were an animal what animal would you be? Why?

I can’t choose just one here. On land I would be a Cheetah, in the air I would be a Hawk.

What piece of technology could you not live without? Why?

My cell phone as it lets me stay in touch with my close ones.

iPhone or Android? Why?

What are these brands you speak of?! My choice is windows 8 or Lumia 920…better user experience in my opinion.

Sarah1

All the way from Dublin, Ireland, Sarah joins Imarda’s Customer Service department.

 

Welcome to the team Sarah! What brings you to this part of the world?

I’ve spent the last few years backpacking around Asia and Australia. I’ve been an apple picker, mango picker, electrical installer, bar manager, chef, cow girl and now here I am!

What excites you most about working at Imarda?

The unknown! It keeps me on my toes and makes every day interesting.

What’s your motto in life?

Love many, trust few, and never eat yellow snow.

What piece of technology could you not live without? Why?

Wi-Fi. Being away from home, wifi makes contact easy.

What’s your favourite part about living and working in New Zealand?

The friendly kiwis!

It’s great to have some new faces around the office and we’re looking forward to working with Ashish and Sarah. For information on Imarda staff click here.

 

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