GPS Tracking ROI

Nice to see this press release today.  I only tried to make this very thing happen with Arsenault Associates and a different GPS Tracking provider nearly 5 years ago.  At least they are with the program now, so hats off to Arsenault Associates and Networkcar.

Networkcar today announced that it has partnered with Arsenault Associates to integrate engine diagnostic data into Arsenault Associates’ Dossier fleet maintenance software. Networkcar’s award winning vehicle management system Networkfleet will enable Dossier users to automatically receive odometer readings, hourly meter readings, and diagnostic trouble code notifications to automate the scheduling of preventative maintenance for fleet vehicles…. read more about this intelligent integration of high ROI solutions.

Arsenault’s Dossier fleet management software is one of the best solutions on the market.  I’ve used it and evaluated it for consulting clients, always giving it high marks.  However, the parent company has always been … how do I put this, non-combatively … somewhat cool to integration with intelligent GPS tracking.

Networkcar’s Networkfleet GPS tracking system has been mentioned here before.  It’s very cost effective, integrates directly to the vehicle computer bus … when are the rest of the GPS manufacturers, aside from Geotab that is, going to catch on to the idea that managing location only isn’t what it’s all about?  Networkcar built a non-trivial amount of fleet management into the Networkfleet package … but let’s face it,

• It’s not a dedicated fleet management package as is Dossier and it’s competitors
• Fleet managers who have already made the investment in a dedicated package are not going to throw their software and data out … at least they won’t if they’re smart.

One time a year or so ago I visited a potential sales client who used a decent, free-standing fleet management software.  The client felt that GPS tracking would be a valuable tool but that it really wouldn’t help him with actual fleet management tasks.  While we were chatting, his assistant, a lady who juggled a thousand and one details about the fleet, had to excuse herself from the meeting and eventually spent more than two hours and six phone calls straightening out an every day occurrence … the automated fuel metering system reported one set of mileage figures in the fuel used report on several vehicles, the fleet management software gave another mileage figure, and a spot check of several of the vehicles showed yet a third figure on the odometers.  The accounting department had “bounced back’ an inch-thick sheaf of paper and demand accurate figures … after all, that’s the accounting department’s job.  Wonder how much this little (all too frequent) fiasco cost when all the hours of wasted time were added up?

If you’re tracking your mileage by manually passing around mileage figures, you need integrated GPS tracking and fleet management system for reasons that don’t always include latitude and longitude.