When you are trying to select the right fleet operations management service for your company, it can be challenging to find the right fit. After all, the right fleet management can transport your company further down the road to success, whereas the wrong one can set your company years behind the competition.
So how do you know when a fleet operation management system is the right fit? There is no standard criteria, as every business has individual needs. However, there are certain universal questions that you should address with any fleet management service provider before deciding to sign on the dotted line.
When you’re trying to find the right fit for your fleet operations management vendor, be careful not to get roped into any long-term contracts for service. It’s best to try a service for a few months to see whether it meets your needs before signing up for a one- or three-year contract.
With Rastrac, you have freedom to choose what you want or don’t want. There are no contracts (we offer month-to-month and up to 3-year service agreement options), no activations, and no minimum purchase requirements for our tracking service. You also can purchase stand-alone software or the Rastrac Internet Server Application, as well as use our tracking devices with other fleet management software programs. Learn more about our products and services.
Service companies that use proprietary systems that cannot integrate with third party software should be avoided. Otherwise, you’ll invest a lot of your business’s hard-earned funding on locked equipment and devices that only work with one company’s software. After a few months of working with them, If you decide that you don’t like their services, or if they go out of business, you’ll be out of luck and stuck with equipment that no longer operates. This also means that you’ll have to invest in a whole new system all over again.
Rastrac’s software system can integrate and operate with third party fleet operations management open devices. This means that you’ll be able to use the open devices you’ve already purchased with our software.
An Application Programming Interface (API) is the set of routines, protocols and tools that allow software developers to develop and build software applications. If a prospective service provider’s software does not provide this type of framework that allows you to build a customizable solution to meet your tracking needs, then it isn’t the software for you… Unless you like using only the basic options. An API gives you an opportunity to create a way to track specific pieces of information that may be make your daily operations a lot easier to manage.
Rastrac’s premium Web API gives you the freedom you need to control our broad suite of vehicle tracking features. It also can integrate with third-party systems, including dispatch service providers or other industry-specific platforms.
If a fleet services provider does not offer a software support team, we recommend you go in a different direction. Without a software team to implement any changes or new features that you need to operate your business, then you likely are stuck using only the features that are currently available in that software application.
Rastrac has a knowledgeable and experienced software team available to help you implement new features. Learn more about how Rastrac’s systematic support, which includes user guides, a complete suite of online training tools, and access to live support, can help you meet your fleet operations needs.
It’s surprising how often hidden costs tend to pop up after you sign a contract. Many fleet management services won’t tell you that some of their prime selling features — or even their software updates — are actually extra services that you will have to pay extra for and are not included in their main service plans. So be sure to thoroughly read through the fee structure of the fleet management service provider before signing a contract. Otherwise, they will nickel-and-dime their way through your budget before you know what is happening.
Rastrac’s software updates are included at no additional cost, and you will clearly be informed about what features are available to you before you make a purchase.
We hope these questions have made your decision about choosing a fleet management service provider easier. If you are interested in learning more about Rastrac’s fleet management service and software as a solution for your fleet operations needs, feel free to contact us today.