Automotive Fleet Magazine recently released the 2013 Fleet Guide that highlights the top 20 questions to ask telematics companies when looking to select a provider. These are great questions to put on your RFP. We will provide a little insight on each of the questions to ask over the next few blog posts.
How long have you been in the telematics business?
This is an important question to ask because you want to be sure you are not working with any fly-by-night telematics companies, but you also want to make sure that the company is not too old. If they are a fly-by-night, they could go out of business at any time, leaving you out in the cold. If they are too old, their technology could be outdated and not as good as others in the telematics space.
How many full-time employees do you have?
You want to make sure the company you select has enough full-time staff to keep business running smoothly. You do not want to feel the growing pains of a very small business. It is also worth noting if they have hundreds of employees because you could be considered just a number, and from a customer service standpoint, that is most likely not favorable.
What is your customer retention rate?
You will want to select a telematics company that has high customer satisfaction. A high churn rate is not a good sign of the company’s technology or customer service. The industry average is about 10-12% per year.
Will the solution integrate with my other back-office and fleet management systems?
We live in a connected world where all types of technology need to communicate in order to help streamline operations for businesses and GPS tracking software is one of them. Check that the telematics solution you choose will integrate with your back-office systems. Find out how much it will cost you as well, as some providers charge for integrations.
Are your devices 3G capable?
“3G” means third generation cellular network. The higher the number, the more coverage and faster the network is. Make sure that the devices you purchase are 3G or better, because 2G is sun-setting in 2016. Meaning if you have 2G devices, you will be forced to buy newer devices on the 3G network.
*Source: Automotive Fleet Magazine
