How Can GPS Technology Grow Your Business?

GPS technology is everywhere. Take a close look at the vehicles around you during your next drive. Notice the delivery trucks, pest control trucks, government vehicles, construction trucks, big rigs, and numerous other logoed vehicles? More than 50% of them are equipped with GPS tracking. There’s a reason so many businesses use it. It increases their bottom line by cutting costs and enhancing customer satisfaction. That means huge potential for business growth.

We have some concrete examples to show how this works for organizations of all sizes. In a recent survey, businesses shared their experiences with using GPS tracking to manage their fleets.

The graphs showing the results of survey questions offer some important thoughts if you’re planning a new stage of growth in your business.

Top Technician and Vehicle Challenges

Participants voted fuel cost and consumption as the biggest challenges to their businesses. Second place is a three-way tie.

There’s a solution to every one of these challenges: GPS-based vehicle management software. Also, many of these answers link to each other. Providing data that makes drivers slow down keeps them safer. It  reduces fuel consumption. And slowing down reduces wear-and-tear on vehicles.

“The more data you have, the better off you are,” said Joshua Foster, executive director of Zap Termite and Pest Control in Sacramento, Calif.

Businesses can use data to address accountability, compliance, efficiency, and safety. GPS technology can reveal problems that you haven’t noticed before. And it can turn these weaknesses into strengths.

Overwhelming Thumbs-Up for GPS Technology

Only 2% of the survey participants are unlikely to recommend GPS to other organizations. The remaining 98% said GPS technology gave them a quick ROI. Some found that GPS tracking is integral to their success.

“It’s something I wouldn’t go without,” said Jimmy Arnold of Georgia-based Peachtree Pest Control.

Of course, the technology itself isn’t the only key. In this chart, the responses show that customers need to be happy with the company providing their GPS tracking. They want quality support for software and hardware.

Employees Weigh In

Some technicians and drivers view GPS technology as Big Brother — at first. But the survey responses show that it’s possible to get their buy-in. The key is how organizations implement GPS. Two-thirds of those surveyed made a special effort to outline the benefits. Businesses that do more to show the benefits get more employee support.

“Like anything else, you don’t want to just hammer the guys who aren’t performing,” said David Cooksey of McCall Service. “You want to reward the guys who are performing.”

One piece of advice we hear frequently is to use GPS tracking to help employees. If their first interaction with the technology is a reprimand, it sets the stage for a confrontation between management and drivers. On the other hand, using it to reward good driving sets a positive precedent. And that could pave the way for a smoother buy-in.

Does Every Organization Need GPS Technology?

No organization is too small for GPS tracking. Even with a small fleet, you’ll gain insights into vehicle use. You’ll track maintenance more effectively. And you will be able to do more work with the same number of people, in the same amount of time. That’s exactly what a small organization needs.

The 53% of organizations that don’t use GPS tracking say it’s because they’re too small. Yet 39% of respondents had fleets of 2-4 vehicles. Only 12% percent had more than 25 vehicles. That means GPS tracking is scalable.

Efficiency and maintenance are also critical to smaller businesses. GPS can address both issues and enhance customer service. Customers will get proof of service and more-accurate ETAs.

Customer reviews are essential to businesses, so that’s a huge potential boost for smaller organizations.

On the other end of the spectrum, a large organization can use GPS technology to make sure no customers get lost. It’s easy to overlook a small percentage when you operate on a larger scale, but it’s not good for ensuring repeat business.

“I think it’s a good tool to use whether you’re a small fleet or whether you’re a large fleet, “said Scott Davis of Pest Pro Pest Control, which has two service vans. “We all have those risk exposures, no matter who you are.”