When it comes to fleet decision makers, 87% believe cost pressures have made their roles more important than ever to business strategy.

The research finding from Bridgestone Mobility Solutions is highly insightful at a time when a multitude of economic challenges are weighing heavily on company finance teams.

Indeed, more than a quarter (27%) of fleets expect their businesses to contract this year, with just over half (55%) anticipating growth.

Seize the day

Van fleets are the heartbeat of UK commercial operations and are intrinsic to business performance. While they’re a cost base, they’re also a catalyst for operational efficiency and sustainability, service excellence and reputational prowess.

By optimising all of these elements, businesses will be better placed to emerge from the cost of business squeeze more competitive – and digital transformation can provide the keys for doing so.

Tech adoption has long been vaunted by the government as a route to increased productivity and it has become a central pillar in its growth strategy for UK plc.

For van fleets, connected tech systems – with telematics platforms at their heart – can trigger new ways of working, automating business processes and opening the door to cost savings and improvements in workflow management. 

The power of data insights

Using Webfleet, Bridgestone Mobility Solutions’ fleet management software, for example, more informed decisions can be made with accurate vehicle and driver insights, including fuel consumption, driving times, vehicle locations and driving behaviour.

Fuel is currently the biggest target for cost savings, cited by 32% of van fleets in our recent study. Although there may be limited scope for reducing fleet journeys, there are significant opportunities to boost fuel economy.

Measuring mpg is critical, alongside KPIs such as vehicle idling, speeding and incidences of harsh steering or braking.  Telematics solutions, such as Webfleet, deliver these performance insights, in real time, enabling trends to be identified and the root causes of fuel wastage to be addressed.

Workflow efficiency in the spotlight

Elsewhere, jobs and orders can be sent with automatic routing information directly to drivers’ dedicated terminals or a mobile application, helping them circumvent paralysing traffic congestion. Routing and scheduling solutions allow managers to improve the visibility of their daily workflow and the sequence of jobs can be optimised at the touch of a button. Customers, meanwhile, can also be kept up to date with automatic email or text notifications, making them aware of ETAs and changes to schedules as they happen. 

Handheld driver devices can host applications to streamline a range of daily activities, resulting in time-efficiency savings for both drivers and the back office. Apps on driver devices, such as the Webfleet PRO M and PRO 8 series, can be used for order management, proof of delivery, conducting vehicle checks, mileage capture and claims admin processes.

With such solutions embedded into their operations, van fleets can rest assured they have to tools they need to optimise their mobility decisions and protect their bottom line.

Call 0208 822 3605 or visit www.webfleet.com