Perhaps the question is where would transportation companies be without information technology? The answer would be in the dark ages. Without IT, no company can even get started in the morning. What’s the first thing you do? Fire up the computer to see what’s in the email. That’s if you haven’t already checked things out on your smartphone.
Then you might check your website to see what enquiries came in overnight. You do have a website and email address, don’t you? If not, you’re missing out and leaving money on the table for your competitors to take. Don’t fall victim to your ignorance of not wanting to leverage the power of information technology when it comes to saving money and optimizing operations for specialized businesses in the transportation industry.
Turning a Bite into a Catch
Is your website working for you the way it should? Do you have an enquiry form on there where customers can leave their contact details and a basic question so you can get in touch and turn an enquiry into an order? If you don’t, that is a glaring omission on the part of whoever built your website. The really worrying thing is, even if you create a business website, if you don’t have these basics in place, you can bet your life your competitors do. That means they will be getting work that could be yours.
Analyze and Find Out
You’ve probably got plenty of experience, but as we’ve just seen, IT can do things on auto without your input. Did you know there are things you can do to analyze where your customers are coming from, so you can see where to advertise? This is called analytics software, and it can show you how these people find you, what search engine they use (so if they mainly use a particular one, you know where to plant seeds in their mind).
It can tell you what parts of your website people looked at and which they didn’t bother with, so you know where things can be improved. It can tell you a load more too, so if any of this sounds interesting, you should talk to an IT company and get them on the case, to bring your operation bang up to date, ready to compete and start making some serious money. Keep in mind that it is critical to protect your network infrastructure when introducing any type of technology.
Dispatching Solutions
In addition to general office efficiency, there is IT that is aimed at your specific industry. You’re in the transportation business, and that’s a specialized area, but make no mistake in that people have looked into the running of an outfit like yours. If you spend most of your time juggling with a fleet of vehicles and a roster of drivers, there are bound to be details that slip through the net and things you’ll never know the answer to.
But fleet management technology software and dispatching solutions can keep tabs on absolutely everything. It can tell you exactly where each vehicle is right now. It can tell you what route the driver took and how fast they drove, where they stopped and for how long. It can tell you that, by law, this driver needs to take a break. It can tell you that a particular truck needs servicing, and even what is likely to happen if it doesn’t get that.
GPS Tracking
GPS tracking has revolutionized the way businesses, both large and small, in the transportation industry operate. With the benefits of GPS tracking, dispatchers can quickly identify which driver is closest to a pickup or delivery location and assign them accordingly. This reduces travel time and ensures that deliveries are made in a timely manner. This has a knock-on benefit of improved customer service, which is always something that companies in this industry struggle to achieve.
Another benefit of GPS tracking is improved safety. By monitoring driving behavior such as speed, harsh braking, and rapid acceleration, businesses can identify risky driving habits and provide feedback or training to improve safety on the road. This not only reduces accidents but also helps prevent costly legal issues down the line. Finally, this type of technology provides increased security; with real-time monitoring, businesses can quickly identify any unauthorized use or theft of company vehicles.