Customers aren’t the only ones who wait days for support about issues such as missing packages. Fleet managers are also often left waiting for answers when they have questions.
Frustration is only the first of the many reasons why your business needs the right telematics technology to provide proper support. It has lasting effects that ripple down to every part of your fleet and beyond.
Read on to learn the true costs of poor telematics customer support and how to mitigate them.
The True Costs of Poor Telematics Customer Support
Having poor telematics customer support has a monetary impact, but you’ll miss out on more than potential earnings.
You’ll also lose time and the sparkling reputation your business has earned. You could even face legal repercussions or put your fleet and its drivers in jeopardy.
Downtime
Inefficient support can grind your fleet to a halt. Deliveries may stop altogether, leading to angry calls from customers that the support system isn’t prepared to handle.
It also delays equipment repairs. Your operational expenses will rise as you spend more time fixing equipment.
Reputation Damage
Poor customer service leads to delayed issue resolution. As a result, you lose not only time and money but also the trust of your customers.
They’ll leave poor reviews for others to see. TrustPulse says that approximately 94% of online shoppers were convinced to avoid a business thanks to an online review.
Negative customer experiences have more power than positive ones. Customers will tell twice as many people about their terrible experience with your company as they would if it were positive.
You can even lose loyal customers. Most won’t return to a business after even one late delivery.
Safety
Drivers who lack support are essentially flying blind. They don’t have any help finding the best routes to deliver their loads.
This does more than make loads take longer to reach their destination. It also increases safety risks.
Drivers who aren’t warned about dangers ahead of them are more likely to get into accidents. This can cause damage to equipment or even loss of life.
Compliance
A customer angry enough about poor customer service could sue a fleet. Even a small delivery delay can lead to a court battle.
It’s also more difficult to stay current with the latest regulations without your support team on your side working as they should. You could end up on the wrong side of the law, facing financial or legal penalties and a hit to your reputation.
How Telematics Technology Can Help
Fleet telematics refers to an integrated group of technologies that work together and feed off each other. They’re meant to improve driver safety and fleet operations when implemented correctly.
They can also help with specific problems. Telematics technology combats the problems created by poor customer support. It benefits customers by helping them always know where their packages are and receive them sooner. It also helps businesses and fleet managers make faster, safer deliveries.
How It Benefits Customers
GPS and route automation software provide customers with accurate ETAs. They can know the exact location of the vehicle carrying their package and when it’ll arrive. Customer service representatives can also provide instant updates instead of giving vague approximations.
Customers will have greater peace of mind knowing they can keep track of their packages at all times. You won’t get as many calls to customer service demanding to know what happened to their order.
How It Benefits Businesses and Fleet Managers
Fleet managers can’t be everywhere at once, but telematics almost gives them this ability. The tracking information it provides lets them monitor their entire fleet.
They can streamline operations and reroute vehicles if necessary. Route optimization has several benefits, including:
- Lower fuel consumption and emissions
- Improved driver performance
- Faster deliveries
Proper customer support helps reduce fleet downtime. This helps maximize fleet productivity and profitability.
Packages will arrive sooner and more safely. You can also use the data you gather to project further trends and grow your business.
Companies that fully utilize telematics for customer support gain a positive reputation for transparency and reliability. It can help you stand out amongst your competitors. You’ll get more repeat orders and build brand loyalty.
Other Ways to Avoid Hidden Costs
Technology is only the first step in improving fleet management service quality.
Once you’ve found the right provider, use their technology to mitigate the hidden costs of fleet management further. Train everyone on the best ways to monitor every part of your business so you can spot issues before they spiral out of control. That’s what support is all about.
Choose the Right Provider
Choose vendors that are already known for their strong telematics customer support. You should be able to reach them whenever you have any questions about their services.
They should also be known for seamlessly integrating software. The systems they offer should work with and not against each other to provide the maximum benefits.
Monitor KPIs
Track your fleet’s KPIs or key performance indicators. A few of the most important ones that you should keep an eye on are:
- Fuel efficiency
- Driver behavior
- Maintenance schedules
These metrics let you notice and curtail any issues before they start to harm your fleet.
Train Thoroughly
Train every team member, from the customer service representatives to the fleet manager.
Make sure they understand the fleet management systems they’ll be using. Help them overcome the learning curve until they’ve mastered the software.
Work with a Fleet Expert Today
Fleets that don’t provide enough support to their members and customers lose time and money. They’re putting their reputation and the safety of their drivers on the line every day. Proper telematics customer support saves you from these losses.
EnVue Telematics has been an award-winning, leading provider of advanced telematics and custom fleet technologies since 2011. We’re a one-stop shop for all your needs. We’ll guide you through the process of creating a system fit for your needs, from selection to implementation to maintenance.
Talk to a real fleet expert-schedule a free consultation today.
