Are GPS Tracking Myths Holding Your Business Hostage?

It’s getting near the end of the year.  Your plans to make your business even better in 2008 are already well firmed up, aren’t they? Hmmm, not yet?  Well it’s still not too late to plan … remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. In addition to all the other aspects of planning you need to do to make your business the best it’s ever been in 2008, you must think hard about GPS tracking.  In my 20 plus years with this technology here are a number of common myths I have seen holding businesses back … and why they truly are myths.

1. GPS tracking is unnecessary - I can keep track of my fleet well enough using cell phones/voice radio:  Sorry, this is absolutely wrong thinking.  Not only do you waste hours per month asking drivers where they are, there are some drivers who will tell you what you want to hear, not where they actually are.  And what about the driver who doesn’t really know?
2. We don’t need GPS tracking because we trust our people: Indeed I hope you do.  In the few cases I have been involved with in which GPS tracking was used to fire employees the managers were never really surprised.  One way or another they knew the employee was a “bad apple” before they used GPS tracking.  I guess they weren’t confident enough in the managerial skills to make a decision without the technology assist.  But, by a huge percentage, employees are good and they want to give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.  However, a manager must measure.  Ronald Reagan said it best … “Trust but verify”.
3. All of our drivers are going to quit if we get GPS tracking:  Sounds plausible but absolutely won’t happen.  Many drivers will even “get on the GPS bandwagon”, especially since it verifies their good behavior, gives proof of meeting appointments, performance goals (you do have performance goals and incentives, don’t you?) ad increases their safety.  This is especially true if you involve employees from day one … employees are one of your best resources in source selection … they know how the system ought to work, because they are the ones on the road.
4. Our company is so busy, we’d never use a GPS tracking system: this is one of the top warning signs that your business is out of control … running you instead of you running it.  GPS tracking will save time and make the business less of a hassle if you let it.  One county executive told me once that he was against the idea of buying a GPS tracking system because “we have supervisors who we pay to be on the road and watch the employees.”  Now that’s clever thinking.  Pay people wages even higher than the workers and give them expensive vehicles so they can drive around and play ‘cat and mouse” games with the workers.  (read my series called Tales of November 4 for some chuckles on this subject) Real efficiency in action there, Mr. Commissioner.  And I suppose the next step is to hire supervisory supervisors to go out and watch the supervisors?  get real.  This is 2008 staring us in the face.  You can not afford to pay people to watch people.  A properly specified and sourced GPS tracking system will empower supervisors to do supervisory work, while keeping better track of employees than any roving watchman ever could.
5. My company ( county agency, school district, etc.)  can’t afford a GPS tracking system: Of all the bone-chilling, business-killing myths out there, this one is the most absolutely bogus.  The truth is, you can’t afford not to use GPS tracking.  I have sold, installed, and supervised the installation of thousands of GPS tracking systems.  I have never seen a case where the ROI (Return On Investment) was longer than six months.  Period.  You can reduce up front capital outlays also by intelligent business leasing plans … often you don’t need to come up with more than the first month’s lease payment, and you’ll own your own system in two years or so …taking a tax deduction along the way for the leasing costs.  And speaking of taxes?  Of course you need to ask your tax advisor, but be sure to look over the IRS section 179 provisions.  You can buy qualified equipment for your business and expense it directly, rather than depreciating it over years … this reduces the actual costs directly by the amount of your business tax rate … how’s that for a little “sweetener” to make up for the “sourness” of paying income tax.

In short, if you want to get 2008 of as the best year ever for your business, get GPS tracking and write me back at the end of 2008 and tell me how it helped.