Networkfleet™

Summary

When Coast Plumbing, Heating & Air, Inc. (Coast), a professional plumbing, heating and air conditioning service contractor located in Orange County, CA, decided it was time to find an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) vendor, they selected Networkcar (www.networkcar.com), a leader in remote diagnostics and wireless fleet management.

Coast sought out a wireless fleet management solution to :

1. improve response time of vehicles
2. reduce operating expenses

The Criteria

Coast, which installed Networkfleet on its 28 vehicles in March 2004, had very simple criteria - they wanted to be able to track their vehicles better. However, the company realized many more benefits than just AVL from the product.

The Solution

Affordable Monthly Fees

The Networkfleet wireless fleet management solution consists of an in-vehicle hardware unit and a web-based software package/service. Networkfleet's monthly service fees are almost half those of other vendors.

Easy Deployment

With its plug and play design, Networkfleet requires no wire splicing or drilling of holes in the vehicle. Unlike other systems, installation time is less than 30 minutes per vehicle. Since the Networkfleet software is completely hosted by Networkcar, Coast does not have to worry about downloading the application. Coast can easily have all managers using the software simultaneously from various locations since the Networkfleet application is accessible via the internet from any computer, 24/7.

Robust set of features

Even though the Networkfleet system is user-friendly and easy to navigate, its robust functionality provides a comprehensive set of vehicle diagnostics data in addition to location data. With this special functionality, Coast can receive alerts whenever a vehicle has a diagnostic trouble code or is due for scheduled maintenance. It also will allow fleet managers to obtain valuable idle-time, mileage and fuel efficiency data for each vehicle. In addition, Networkfleet is able to provide actual speed data, which aids in improving driver safety.

The Benefits

More Jobs

"Networkfleet's GPS and online mapping system has allowed us to more efficiently route service technicians to customer sites and provide the prompt service we are known for," says Jerry Herrington, Fleet Supervisor for Coast. "By knowing where our technicians are at all times, we've been able to respond to more last minute service calls which translates into better customer service and more revenue." Networkfleet's landmarking feature allows Coast to plot customer sites on a web-based map, showing which driver is closest to a customer site. "Response time is critical in this industry and Networkfleet helps us to get to the customer faster," Herrington continues. Better routing and faster response time has translated into a 15 percent increase in revenues as Coast has been able to increase the number of jobs it does in the first month Networkfleet has been installed.

Safer Driving

Not only does Networkfleet get Coast to the customer quicker, it also helps them to get to the customer safer. Networkfleet's diagnostic capabilities allow Coast to monitor the speeds of their vehicles. According to Herrington, "More than 50 percent of our drivers were speeding. One vehicle even hit 93 mph." Networkfleet provides a histogram that graphs the various speeds of each individual vehicle, as well the amount of idle time. "Thanks to Networkfleet, we've been able to curb speeding and encourage safe driving, which reduces accidents."

Reduced Labor Costs

Using Networkfleet's reporting capabilities, Coast is able to accurately track the hours worked at each job to ensure that they match the hours reported on service technician timesheets, significantly reducing unauthorized driving and overtime costs. Coast also is able to ensure that the miles driven correlate with the company gas card bills. Coast has saved more than 20 percent in fuel costs by reducing unauthorized fuel usage over the first two months of using the system.

Better Maintenance

Coast also is able to proactively address problems and increase vehicle uptime with diagnostic problem alerts. Managers are able to see exactly which vehicles are due for maintenance or have problems, enabling them to save in wear and tear costs on the vehicles. On average, Coast eliminates 80 miles per month per vehicle ensuring that vehicles are used for company business only. According to AAA, wear and tear costs companies 16.2 cents per mile on average. This translates into a savings of over $360 per month in wear and tear for the Coast fleet. Combined with the fuel savings, Coast saves a total of over $2,300 per month in operating expenses using Networkfleet

Conclusion

Jerry Herrington comments, "It is truly amazing --- Networkfleet has paid for itself within the first month." Networkfleet has helped Coast to realize increased revenue, a reduction in operating expenditures and increased levels of customer service. He continues, "Networkfleet helps us to differentiate ourselves from our competitors on so many levels --- we've been extremely satisfied with the results and would recommend this system to anyone looking to improve their business."

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Networkcar