Running a small business is not as easy as it sounds. Small business owners constantly need to offer the best possible products or services whilst controlling their costs. Although budget is a major consideration for all businesses; small businesses, in particular, need to put extra focus to their bottom line to sustain and maintain profitability. While you keep your operational costs down, you do not want to dismiss services or products that can add value to your company – for example, small business GPS fleet tracking solutions. Check out some reasons on why you should start leveraging on these solutions today and in 2018.
API Integration Can Ease Workflows
When you integrate APIs, you can consolidate multiple tasks such as vehicle tracking, scheduling, and invoicing into a single window. You will be able to maximize efficiency by eliminating the need to run multiple programs to automate your fleet operations. You should search for a provider that truly understands the value of GPS fleet tracking for small businesses. From there, you will be able to customize a solution, which not only allows integration with other APIs, but simplifies existing fleet management workflow.
Keep Clear Records of Fuel Consumption and Other Expenditures
A major concern for small business fleet managers is whether the fuel budget is being used as intended. Traditional fuel cards can only give a rough overview of how much fuel is being purchased. By opting for a GPS integrated fuel card, you will be able to find out if there has been a case of fuel card misuse. It happens – when small business owners found out those unscrupulous drivers have been purchasing company fuel for personal use, it is already too late. Those drivers have already chalked up significant fuel costs. If you do not want to worry about things like stolen or lost fuel cards, a GPS integrated fuel card will prove to be useful.
Temperature Monitoring for Cooled or Heated Deliveries
When the movement of temperature sensitive goods happen within a fixed location, the task of monitoring them is often easy. The real challenge starts when they are in transit. These goods can be a source of anxiety for personnel who are responsible for ensuring their safety and freshness. Small business GPS fleet tracking allows you to monitor the temperature of your cargo in real time, and also receive or send alerts to your team members when temperatures go beyond acceptable thresholds. You will be able to serve your clients much more efficiently and you can avoid costly losses.
Track Your Fleet’s Location in Real Time
A handy feature you can gain with small business GPS fleet tracking is the ability to set geofences. They are virtual boundaries that notify you when your vehicles leave or enter designated areas. You will know if unauthorized activities occur because you can employ customizable schedules that orders where vehicles should be at specific times. Apart from unauthorized vehicle use, geofences can be used to manage operational territory and for theft prevention.
GPS fleet tracking for a small business may seem like a ‘luxury item’ to have at first, but after considering all the advantages your business stands to gain, it is actually a necessity. It helps improve your bottom line by curbing unnecessary spending and maintain profitability.