Empower and improve your construction business with smart fleet management software

The buildings, homes, bridges, iconic structures and the very cities we live in today, are all made possible thanks to construction companies. 

 

To bring these masterpieces to life and ensure operational success, effective fleet management features are a must-have. 

If you are in the construction industry, you’ve come to the right place. 

We will inform you about ways you can empower and improve your construction business, and how smart fleet management software will help you do this.  

‍

‍

What does a fleet management software platform do?

This can be referred to as a fleet software platform. 

All kinds of businesses or industries can use the tool to manage all aspects of their operations, from the powerful data insights it provides. For example, gain insights about maintenance, driver behaviour, fuel expenditure, fuel consumption and so much more.  

For a fleet manager, time is money.  

A lot of tasks can be automated to cut time spent on admin and create more time for growing the business.

Certain managerial qualities are also needed, to add the cherry on top of a good fleet management process.

What skills do you need to be a fleet manager?

1. Create quality supervision

Construction fleet managers need to make sure they have an overview of their operations, drivers, and vehicles all day. No matter the time of day, if their vehicles are not working, they need to give reasons why they are not working, react fast, and find immediate solutions. Or perhaps there could be an issue on-site, they need to identify who is in charge of what construction project or which driver is responsible for using certain vehicles or equipment. 

2. Make safety a priority

Necessary measures should be taken to secure his/her fleet. They need to know the location of their vehicles in real-time to prevent or identify any theft, and to protect their assets during a construction project. Fleet managers also need to make sure their vehicles are driven well and set performance standards for drivers to meet. This will ensure the  drivers, vehicles, and assets are all safe, while at the same time, unnecessary fleet costs won’t be incurred. Another safety measure is to ensure rules and regulations are being followed, where drivers should be encouraged to avoid distractions and safety hazards. In this case, managers should be aware of no-go zones for their fleet, and create geofences or barriers stopping drivers from entering any unsafe or unauthorised areas.  

3. Make sense of data

Fleet managers need to analyse, interpret and react fast to software data, to make instant decisions that will safeguard operations. If they receive data alerts such as a vehicle has broken down, there’s bad driving or a vehicle is not where it should be, they will need to respond. For instance, there could be a non-functioning vehicle, and then maintenance will need to be carried out to prevent costly repairs on construction vehicles.

4. Manage vehicle maintenance and make better decisions 

A manager needs to be more strategic about the data received from the software platform, and use it to plan and be more organised in the future. They can make predictions or forecasts for newly purchased or old vehicles and maintenance plans. Questions like are more vehicles needed? Or which vehicles are being used the most and which are the most efficient? Can be answered by the software platform service  to plan ahead. Ultimately, to reduce fleet costs and do operations more efficiently. 

What are the types of fleet management industries out there?

• Vehicle rental & leasing
• Cold chain logistics
• Construction
• Taxi
• Transportation & logistics

In this article specifically, we will dive into what fleet management involves for construction businesses, and give you construction fleet tracking and telematics solutions. 

‍

What is construction fleet management?

It involves the planning and oversight of all vehicles, drivers, and assets to ensure productivity and effective workflow in the business.  

It is a process where fleet managers gain full visibility and control of their operations using route planning, vehicle fleet monitoring, data collection, and reporting. 

Managers of construction fleets need to see what’s working and what isn’t, so there are fewer project delays and cost impacts on the entire business. 

A smart fleet management platform is the answer to effective construction fleet management– here’s how. 

Why you need Cartrack’s fleet management solution to improve your construction fleet business

‍

• GPS vehicle and equipment tracking: Easily locate your vehicles and assets to keep them safe, and acquire information about their condition. And monitor if they are being utilised efficiently. 
• Maintain your construction assets: Get maintenance alerts when your vehicles and machinery need a service to reduce costs and increase the lifespan of your vehicles. Also, reduce downtime and improve productivity.
• Construction fleet safety: AI-powered tech cameras give insight into driver behaviour, making sure they are not easily distracted and are driving correctly. 
• Driver management and training: Promoting safe driving habits and training will help save you time and money. This will improve road behaviour and reduce wear and tear on vehicles. 
• Keep your assets and cargo protected: Ensure they are where they should be, and receive alerts when they enter or exit unauthorised zones.

‍

• Timestamps: Know when teams arrive and leave job sites to ensure working hours align so can pay your team’s wages accordingly. 
• Less admin: Less paperwork, as all fleet processes are automated and documented electronically. 
• Manage costs: Understand your project costs and ensure your pricing keeps you profitable and competitive. Our actionable insights help you spot cost inefficiencies, empowering you to focus on growing your business.

Equipment fleet management in a construction fleet 

Not only is vehicle management important for your construction fleet vehicle or vehicles, but heavy equipment fleet management plays an equal role.

The breakdown of this equipment could be severely costly to the business, limit projects getting done on time, and cause a lack of delivery to clients. 

Let’s look at a concrete mixer, as an example.

They allow you to produce your own batches of mixed concrete that can be transported directly to where it’s needed on the construction site. It’s also a money and time saver as you won’t have to rely on a concrete batch plant to deliver and you can control the quantity of what is used. 

Let’s say you have ten cement mixers on site, do you know if they are being utilised effectively and if they are protected? Monitor them with GPS tracking technology, and get data insights on the platform.

They could be left on without supervision, and are turning unnecessarily without cement in them– thus are not being used efficiently. You could have some that are underutilised, so then you’ll save by not buying more where there’s no need.  

Also get live alerts if they are stolen, or are being used without consent and if they are due for maintenance. 

‍

4 major benefits of fleet management software for construction fleets 

1. Optimise fleet and operator performance 

Successful fleet management systems involve analysing vehicle and operator data to the max. 

Data insights such as fuel consumption, mileage, mechanical diagnostics, maintenance and driver performance– all allow managers to understand fleet operator history and performance thoroughly. 

Fleet managers can then refine daily operations, save on costs and make informed business decisions. 

For example, truck breakdowns and service maintenance can also be extremely costly. Managers can use the data to develop and manage a vehicle maintenance schedule, resulting in a drop in repairs and extending the lifespan of vehicles. They will also operate at full capacity, which means a reduction in fuel running costs. 

‍

In addition, data about the best routes to take and safe driving methods to use can be implemented to improve driver safety and fuel economy.

‍

2. Increase productivity and workflow

When fleet management software is in place, there’s less room for errors, issues, delays, or anything that could disrupt workflow, resulting in more efficiency overall. 

Fleet managers must coordinate vehicle and equipment dispatch efficiently to keep construction projects on schedule. They can plan efficient routes, find the best routes and send the nearest available drivers to fulfil site requirements. The right people are assigned to the right jobs, and get tasks done better and on time. Projects are planned accurately and the team is accountable and on top of task deliverables needed to keep projects moving forward.

As a result, the company will have more time to respond to urgent requests and adapt quickly without delays.

‍

3. Improve invoicing

Automated reports tell you exactly when your construction teams arrive or leave their assigned project sites. 

This lets you see their actual working hours so you can bill your clients and pay your team’s wages accurately, helping you avoid cost wastages.  

Managers should consider their invoicing and transactions to be done digitally, which will also improve data security and safety. 

Also to implement financial record-keeping on a digital platform to improve accuracy and minimise payment errors and/or misses. 

This will allow construction companies to look back at payment history and send accurate invoices to clients.  

‍

4. Better budgeting & forecasting 

The whole objective of running a successful construction operation is to see if there are capital gains. Companies can thus leverage valuable fleet data to get an overview of expenses and an understanding of what projects are making or losing money. 

Get reports to predict expenses and revenue, and generate more accurate budgeting and projections for the future. For example, they can assess how much money has been spent on fuel within a certain period and budget accordingly. 

Overall, the business should understand where they stand financially, to take the right measures to keep their doors open and finances healthy.

How to grow an efficient construction business

We know a fleet management platform will give you more control of your business, but as with any business, other elements are important to your success.

We’ve got some additional tips for your toolbox. 

1. Create a great team: You need the right people in your corner to ensure the work gets done right. And you should also be rewarding them for great work and empowering them to do better. 
2. Build a strong network: Attend events and network to build your customer base. Build a report with existing clients, and create a space for positive referrals.
3. Launch a website: Your website should include valuable information about your company and services, and answer questions your customers often ask. You should list how your services will solve their problems.
4. Build effective sales and marketing channels: Having an engaging website and social media accounts is a good starting point for an online presence. But to take it a step further, you should consider using effective digital strategies like SEO, analytics, content marketing, and advertising as part of your overall growth strategy.
5. Invest in the right construction fleet management software: As mentioned, a saas platform will assist with much smoother operations, and give fleet manager’s more control of their fleet through accurate reporting and data insights. 

The best fleet management for construction businesses is out there. Get started with fleet management software from Cartrack. Grow and improve your business with a tech-powered platform today.