Misconceptions about GPS Vehicle Tracking

By on 23 April, 2013 in General, Marketing

Misconceptions of GPS vehicle tracking

The decision to install GPS vehicle tracking software is one that is never made lightly by fleet managers and business owners. We’ve compiled some of the most common, and reasonable, objections for installing these systems and used our experience to demonstrate a more encouraging side of the story.

1. We don’t need GPS vehicle tracking because we trust our people.

One of the biggest worries for a fleet manager installing GPS vehicle tracking software is that drivers will feel their privacy is being breached.  Truth is, GPS vehicle tracking is not about monitoring employees every move. These systems are installed to obtain useful but usually inaccessible vehicle information in order to develop a more efficient, productive and safer work environment. Information gathered results in improved dispatch and routing data (which benefits employees by giving them the ability to complete more jobs in a day) and is a reliable source of information when facing traffic violations or customer disputes. Once employees understand why the technology is important, they can embrace the benefits it has for them as well as the business.

2. My company can’t afford a GPS vehicle tracking system.

In the current economic climate, we know that cost is a concern at the forefront of a fleet manager’s mind. While it is important to be aware of the upfront hardware and recurring fees associated with fleet management systems, it is critical to assess the return on investment you are likely to receive by implementing the software. Within the first few months, fleet managers can see how the systems are saving them time and money. Systems tend to pay for themselves by identifying inefficiencies in the field which are costing hundreds or thousands of dollars per month – ineffective routing and excess engine idling to name a few! But these savings are just the tip of the iceberg. Once operational processes have been streamlined and you are operating in business wisdom, you can begin to automate processes and manage by exception and this is where you will see your ROI significantly increase. GPS vehicle tracking systems increase the profitability and productivity of your business.

3. GPS vehicle tracking doesn’t make sense for a small company.

Any business with mobile assets to keep track of (whether it’s 1 or 12,000 vehicles) will benefit from access to real-time and reliable information from the field. If your business relies on vehicles to get the job done, as a fleet manager you need to know where those vehicles are now, where they have been, what they are doing and how they are doing it. Taking advantage of this information presents a clear picture of your operations and provides insight into optimising operational processes and enhancing the service you provide.

Key points to note here is that you need to find a solution which is suitable for your business now, but flexible enough to manage as your business grows as well. Appropriate software for a $30b enterprise may not be suitable for a one man business so it is important that any system you implement can be scaled to your needs. Great tracking systems give you the ability to operate in business wisdom; the software is working for you rather than the other way around.

4. GPS vehicle systems are complicated to install and use.

Fleet managers worry that installing and managing tracking systems will take more time than they have. The good news is fleet tracking systems usually comprise of the same components: A GPS device installed in each vehicle and a user interface (web-based or otherwise) which categorises and displays information for the user. Cloud based platforms are ever-present in the industry and is where time and money savings are identified. Space is virtually unlimited for users on these platforms and the ease of set-up and software integration features make install and use relatively simple on a variety of devices. Once you’re up and running, access to real-time information is as simple as entering a username and password.

Reputable and experienced GPS vehicle tracking organisations design tracking systems with the end user in mind and work with organisations to:

  • Implement the fleet management solution as seamlessly as possible.
  • Create an intuitive, easy to navigate solutions optimised for the user.
  • Provide knowledgeable, accessible technical and sales support to cover any issues.

View our demo video or try our calculator to see the benefits GPS tracking can have in your organisation.

 

Comments { 0 }

Microsoft end support for Windows XP

By on 16 April, 2013 in Business Tools, i360

The countdown until Microsoft ends their support for Windows XP is on. From April 8, 2014, users of the 11 year old operating system will no longer receive security updates or have access to technical support from Microsoft.

We took a look at users of i360 to determine what is happening with XP and other operating systems. In the past month, 93% of visits to i360 have been from Microsoft subscribers and below we can see the software they’re employing:

xp graph

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dominant Microsoft software for i360 users is Windows 7 with 56% of visitors, and the soon to be unsupported XP is the runner up with 28%. The latest system, Windows 8, comes in at second to last with less than 4%.

PC’s supporting Windows XP won’t cease to operate on April 8, 2014, but Microsoft will no longer invest resources to update and maintain the system. There will be no new security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options or online technical content updates which may expose company data and IP to potential risks, such as:

  •  Security & Compliance Risks: Unsupported and unpatched environments are vulnerable to security risks.
  • Lack of Independent Software Vendor (ISV) & Hardware Manufacturers support.

We are encouraging our customers on XP start to making changeover plans to a modern operating system. Migrating will incur costs but later systems do offer their own ROI as well as productivity and efficiency gains.

For more information visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/endofsupport.aspx

 

Comments { 0 }

New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards

By on 9 April, 2013 in News

We are thrilled to be a supporter of the 2013 New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards which will be held at SkyCity on the 17th May.

We’re proud to support an event which:

  1. Identifies the technology sector as a leading contributor to New Zealand’s economy and export success.
  2. Awards New Zealand’s most successful technology companies and highest achieving individual’s – one of the industry’s most sought-after accolades.

Our CEO and Co-founder Selwyn Pellett won the Tait Communications Flying Kiwi Award in 2009 for his sustained and outstanding contribution to growing New Zealand’s hi-tech industries.

After receiving a record number of entries, finalists for the upcoming awards have been announced. You can visit http://www.hitech.org.nz/ to see the nominees in each category and purchase tickets to the gala dinner in Auckland.

 

Comments { 0 }

Latest Release delivers Improved Performance

By on 27 March, 2013 in i360

We are happy to announce the latest i360 update has been released. Imarda is committed to the on-going improvement of i360; ensuring our users receive enhanced usability and new features on a continual basis.

Key changes in this update include:

  • The input tables within the vehicles reports have been re-designed, improving usability.
  • The system has been optimised to reduce vehicle and report loading time.

What’s new in the 13.1 update?

1.     Service Manager

Users can now select the date a service was completed and choose an ignition event afterward from which to schedule the next service.

Invoice ID numbers within the service manager will automatically increment as services are recorded. This number can be overwritten if required.

2.    New speed range report

Users can now report on a range of speed events within a designated period of time.

A complete set of release notes can be viewed in the support section within i360.

Comments { 0 }

Accelerated platform development through licensing deal

By on 21 March, 2013 in i360, News

We are proud to announce a licensing agreement with Fern Digital Ltd; a New Zealand –based developer of business solutions. Under the licensing agreement Imarda can integrate all of Fern’s intellectual property into our i360 fleet management platform.

“Licensing Fern’s technology enables us to expand the work we’ve done in the past four years developing our third-generation telematics platform (i360)” says Imarda CEO Selwyn Pellett.

“Fern’s intellectual property gives us the ability to accelerate the development of modules we need to expand i360’s value to a range of businesses, including transaction processing, inventory management, job workflow, and integration into Xero.”

“At this stage of i360’s development, we are able to significantly expand the power of what we can do through strategic IP acquisitions and licensing agreements” says Pellett.

“Imarda set out with a vision of turning data into knowledge and then knowledge into business wisdom. This licensing deal and possible future acquisitions will help us deliver on that goal and allow us to expand the value of our service to existing customers while opening up opportunities for Imarda in businesses we have not previously served.”

“Companies are looking for improvements right across their business and wider supply chain and by definition this necessitates a highly configurable and extensible platform like i360. Our history in GPS solves lots of the mobile asset management issues, but we see the real need to go much deeper into the back office systems to bring actionable intelligence to across the entire business process and this licensing agreement will help deliver that” says Pellett.

Comments { 0 }