| Cover Story Ultimately, he says, fl eets stand to benefi t from this ecosystem of connections in the following ways: • Reduced downtime. • Improved warranty dollar capture. • Less rental or safety stock requirements. • Lower administrative costs. • More reliable asset planning and utilization. According to offi cials at Bosch, a supplier of technology and services (www.bosch.com), connected mobility also presents a wealth of opportunities for fl eets to enhance driver safety and comfort through automated driving and driver assistance functions. Technology now enables automatic steering for functions such as lane-keeping assistance and cross-wind compensation. In addition to helping with driver safety and comfort, the offi cials say it also provides a foundation on the path to fully automated driving. “Drivers will also benefi t from this interconnectivity by having real-time information about Some fl eets are utilizing certain technology-based offerings in their service bays for predictive maintenance in an effort to make maintenance a strategic or competitive differentiator for them. Photo courtesy of DK Communications where they should stop and take their breaks or stop for the night, based on space availability,” adds Panasonic’s Lewis. How to select the right technology provider By David A. Kolman, Editor When it comes to implementing vehicle technology, there always seems to be frustrations and challenges. However, there are a number of basic things that can be done “to eliminate the experimentations and go straight to the business of choosing the right system for your fl eet,” maintains Joel Beal, a principal with Rockwell Technology (www.JBATelematics. com), a company that helps fl eets choose and use the correct technology, including fl eet telematics, electronic logging devices and transportation management systems. There are 12 steps any fl eet can use to “reap large rewards with the right technology, implemented the right way,” he says. 1. Determine immediate requirements. This is usually the most diffi cult step, yet it is the most important step. “Don’t think about what is technically possible or what your competitor is doing,” advises Beal. “Just think about your needs.” 2. Estimate your requirements fi ve years out. Know where you want your company to go and how you want it to look in fi ve years. 3. Write it down. Once current and future needs have been determined, write them down so you can judge telematics systems and make an informed decision. Beal recommends writing a Request for Proposal (RFP) “to communicate to your internal team, even if it’s just you, and your potential suppliers exactly what you want. Potential suppliers need to know how to respond back to you in an organized manner. “Not only is an RFP your way of keeping track, it is also your way to see if the supplier understands your needs and your business. It is important to see if the potential supplier listens.” 4. Identify suppliers who may meet your requirements. Attempt to get a list of no more than 12 suppliers who appear to meet your requirements. Look at your competitors and see who they use. Read trade publications in your fi eld and see what suppliers are featured or interviewed. Do an Internet search, attend trade shows, look at businessoriented social media, etc. 5. Create a short list of suppliers. Review the RFPs received to fi nd a company that meets most of your important requirements, has people you trust and can work with, at a price you can justify. 6. Evaluate potential suppliers. Prove to yourself that they have technology that’s right for you, can do the job required and if they have what it takes to have a mutually benefi cial relationship. 7. Make the decision, order the equipment, set project milestone dates. After evaluating all the collected information, make your decision and inform the potential suppliers of your decision. Review pricing and contracts/agreements. If everything is as anticipated, sign the paperwork and arrange for delivery. Identify each major step of the project and assign a beginning and an ending date. 8. Assign responsibilities. Determine who is critical to the success of the new telematics system, and realize that there may need to be more than one person involved. 9. Install equipment. “Regardless of the simplicity or complexity of the installation required, it is a process that must be followed exactly, every time,” Beal says. Because equipment installation is often a bottleneck, “start early, stay consistent and track progress daily.” 10. Train your people. Every system requires a specifi c training program. 11. Establish a recommended daily procedure checklist. The supplier probably has a template checklist for your daily operations people who interact with the new system, he notes. “You can use this as a guide, but it is best for you to develop your own because every fl eet monitors, manages and measures differently.” 12.Audit system performance. Beal suggests annual audits of the system’s performance based on the assumptions used when choosing the system. Were your assumptions correct? Was the execution of the project completed? What items remain to be completed? “Follow these 12 steps and you will create a process that allows you to fi nd, choose and use the right technology for your fl eet,” concludes Beal. A comprehensive blueprint of the 12 steps can be found in the special report from Rockwell Technology, How to Find, Install, and Use the Right Vehicle Technology for Your Fleet. To obtain a copy, contact Beal at JoelBeal@JBATelematics. com 10 FLEET MAINTENANCE ❚ JUNE 2016 ❚ VehicleServicePros.com
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