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No two government agencies operate the exact same way. This is far from an earth-shattering revelation, but it will now and forever ring true. So why would you adopt a fleet management strategy that is made for another local, state, or federal government agency?
In short, you shouldn’t.
From a telematics perspective, the goal for most fleet managers is to generate as much ROI out of their technology as possible, while minimizing taxpayer dollars. It is for this reason alone that you should focus on rightsizing your fleet management technology.
So what do we mean by “rightsizing?” In many ways, it boils down to whether or not you need all the bells and whistles to effectively manage your fleet. Take a fleet in south Texas for example. There is no need for winter operations technology if your area only receives snowfall every 2-3 years.
Whether you are looking into fleet management systems for the first time or updating your current platform, here are a few things to consider.
Focus on key KPIs
One of the easiest ways to rightsize your technology is to have a clear understanding of your fleet’s current goals and the key performance indicators that are needed to show improvement. Without first establishing KPIs, you can quickly go down the route of too much data, an issue that causes more problems than it fixes.
Start by looking at each of your departments and the current goals that you have in place. As you start exploring technology options, make sure that solutions address as many as possible. In the case of fleet technology sometimes less is more.
Customization vs Out of the box
Ever heard of putting a square peg into a round hole? That is essentially what you are doing if your fleet is looking at a truly out-of-the-box solution. Platforms like Geotab place a high priority on customization so that you can build a fleet management system that works for your fleet.
As we mentioned earlier, there may be instances where your city of 10,000 can adopt strategies that Los Angeles and New York City are currently deploying, but those might be few and far between. On the surface, an out-of-the-box solution might seem easier to implement, but the chances of it falling short, causing you to have to go through the entire process again is greater.
Creating a growth mindset
Few things in government happen tomorrow. Most of the time there are much longer goals and initiatives established, some of which might not happen for a couple of years. As you look into fleet technology, one of the customization pieces should be options that are able to grow with your fleet.
A perfect example of this, that many government agencies are currently diving into, is fleet electrification. While it may very well be an overall plan, it may not come to fruition until 2024. Having the knowledge that your fleet technology can grow with your fleet will cut costs and save time in the long run.
Rightsizing with Geotab
Whether you are managing a fleet of 100 or 10,000, the end goal is the same: to simplify the fleet management process. Dialing in your technology is essential to creating a system that maximizes ROI while minimizing waste. And it is for this reason, that Geotab has become the industry leader in government fleet management platforms.
Let our team show you how you can build a fleet management system specifically designed to help you improve operations and reduce operating costs. Schedule a demo today and see why so many fleets are moving to Geotab.
