6 Tips to Launch a Fleet Management System at Scale

No matter how big or small your fleet is, launching a fleet management system can be a challenging undertaking. From replacing old technology to installing technology for the first time to training drivers how to use the new system, there are a lot of moving parts to keep track of. Changes to how your fleet operates involve technological and cultural shifts. Knowing what to expect and making a solid plan will help the entire process go more smoothly.

Transformational change can be difficult, with about a quarter of technology implementations succeeding. The main barriers to success include lack of proper training, poor communication, and low employee engagement. But difficult does not mean impossible, so we've put together some tips that can help your business beat the odds.

1. Define Your Goals and Set Expectations

Before you even make your pitch to leadership, defining your goals is the first step. Do you want to reduce fuel costs, improve safety, or lower your labor costs? Defining your goals will help you determine what you expect your return on investment (ROI) to be. If getting alerts about driver behavior in real-time or setting up geofences to keep track of your assets are key performance indicators (KPIs), you need to know that the fleet management system you choose can help you meet them.

If this is your business's first fleet management software system, you may have to explain what fleet management is and its benefits. If you are switching from a system you already use, you should gather information from that system and compare it against the benefits of the new systems you are considering.

Telematics fleet management software can provide a wealth of information beyond ROI, and while you may not be able to assign a metric to it, knowing what to expect from your system can help you make the case to leadership. Once your system is launched, regularly review your KPIs and report the results to leadership for continued buy-in and support.

2. Get Buy-in from Leadership

Before you can plan your implementation timeline, it's vital to have buy-in from leadership. Without the support of your business's leadership, timelines may be delayed and there may be confusion about priorities down the line.

Involving leadership early and keeping them in the know at every step of the process helps ensure alignment on implementation so that you will reach your important milestones, and the implementation is more likely to be seamless.

3. Get Buy-in from Drivers

Just as crucial as buy-in from leadership is getting buy-in from drivers. Fleet management systems offer data entry on a variety of devices and from almost anywhere. There is no magic formula to ensure driver buy-in, but there are several actions you can take to help encourage acceptance of the new fleet management system.

Give your drivers the opportunity to learn about the new system firsthand rather than through the company grapevine. This gives drivers a chance to have their questions answered. Keep the tone of communications positive and upbeat.

Highlight the positive impact the new system will have on their driving experience. Whether the goal is to improve efficiency, driver retention, or safety, highlight how the new system will benefit your drivers directly. This helps reduce any potential tension between management and drivers and speeds up driver acceptance.

One way to do this is to use gamification to get drivers excited about the new technology. Using driver scorecards, you can implement a driver-focused initiative to reduce speeding, improve fuel efficiency, or whatever metric you decide to use. The scorecard can track the driver's performance and encourage acceptance of the technology as well as helping them improve.

Open communication at every step of the process can help the implementation, and letting your drivers know what to expect can pave the way for a smooth transition.

4. Create a Launch Timeline and Stick to It

Sticking to a timeline is a challenge for almost any project, and that includes implementing a new fleet management system. From back-office staff to fleet drivers and everyone in between, conflicting goals and multiple stakeholders, it can be hard to stay on schedule. But it is crucial to set your go-live date to keep everyone on track.

Breaking the implementation down into steps and setting milestones can help keep everyone moving in the same direction. Identifying key milestones early in the process and checking progress against them is a marker of a successful implementation.

Timelines help keep key stakeholders aligned and your team on track. As with everything, communication is crucial, so checking in with key players can help ensure each step is achieved on time.

5. Training

Your new system won't be as effective if your drivers don't know how to use it. Proper and timely training is critical to getting the results you expect. Create a training schedule and communicate to your drivers the importance of attending the training. Depending on the size of your fleet, you may need to set up several training sessions to give everyone a chance to attend. Take advantage of all the training tools offered by the vendor, such as live training on what each feature is and how to use them in real-life situations. You should also receive documentation to use as a reference and a refresher to ensure the system is being used as it should be. This way, your drivers will quickly become comfortable with the new technology.

6. Take Advantage of Provider Support and Expertise

Once your new fleet management system is purchased and implemented, it doesn't mean you are on your own. When you invest in a fleet management system, you've entered into a partnership. Your telematics provider can be a source of valuable advice to ensure the system runs smoothly and that you get the most out of it. This partnership should begin before you implement the software.

For example, your telematics provider can help you define your fleet's goals and set appropriate expectations prior to launch. They should use their expertise, your fleet's history, and current status to identify your KPIs and show you how to use the system to achieve them.

Once you've launched your new software system, your provider should offer multiple avenues of support, such as basic technical support, troubleshooting, access to experts, and a helpdesk to handle more complex queries.

Doing your research, setting goals and expectations, getting buy-in, and leaning on your provider's expertise will put you on the road to a successful launch and continuous fleet efficiency improvement.