How efficient is your route planning for your fleet? When a customer calls and needs service, do you know which driver to send to handle that need swiftly and efficiently, and how to get the driver to the customer as quickly as possible? Route planning is an essential part of running a successful business that uses fleet vehicles. Here are some reasons why fleet route planning and the right route planning software are so essential to your success.
Route planning will shorten driving time, and therefore fuel use, in several ways. Taking the shortest route possible is usually the most fuel-efficient option, and route planning allows you to do this. However, when traffic is heavy, you may actually burn more fuel by sitting in traffic. Route planning can help by allowing you to route drivers around these traffic problems.
1. Route Planning Prevents Traffic Delays
Cloud technology and GPS positioning allows fleet managers to see a real-time picture of where their vehicles are and what traffic conditions are like. This means they can now avoid delays by routing drivers around known traffic problems and choosing the best, most efficient route for the time of day and current traffic conditions. This means that even during rush hour, drivers can easily get to their destination at the specified appointment time.2. Improve Customer Satisfaction
No customer likes to have a three-hour window of time when a driver will arrive for a service appointment. People are busy, and they have better ways to spend their time than waiting for your service professional to arrive. Yet without accurate route planning, you can't give accurate arrival times. One of the best fleet management tips you can embrace is to use your route planning and fleet management software to provide customers with accurate arrival estimates and small appointment windows. This will increase customer satisfaction tremendously.3. Save Money on Fuel
Fuel is one of your biggest expenses, but planning routes efficiently will help you cut your fuel costs. In general, planning routes ensures that your drivers are spending less time on the roads driving, and less drive time means less fuel expense.Route planning will shorten driving time, and therefore fuel use, in several ways. Taking the shortest route possible is usually the most fuel-efficient option, and route planning allows you to do this. However, when traffic is heavy, you may actually burn more fuel by sitting in traffic. Route planning can help by allowing you to route drivers around these traffic problems.