How to find the right GPS Fleet Tracking System for your business

GPS Satellite

GPS Fleet tracking can save you time, fuel, and other expenses. Finding the right system, and the right company to install it can be a hassle. From the perspective of someone on the inside I can will give you a brief insight on how to end up with the least headaches.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• A list of all your vehicles makes/models/years
• Type of business you are in

1. Identify your own needs and organize them so you can get an accurate and timely estimate from companies:

   1) How many vehicles do you have?
   2) How often will you be tracking them?
   3) What type of business are you in?
   4) Do you have many different types of vehicles or all the same?
   5) Does the system need to be covert? (hidden from view)
   6) Does your insurance company offer a discount for such a system and if so, what are the requirements?

2. Search locally for companies that specialize in GPS Tracking:

   There are many national and international GPS Tracking companies, but for a small to medium sized business you are best off with a local guy. GPS systems need maintenance from time to time, you will be taking vehicles on and off the road periodically, and the quicker these systems can be repaired and/or transferred in the future, the better. The bigger GPS companies use 3rd party installers who are local to the area the system is being installed in. These outfits operate on sales volume but are truthfully right around the same price as the local guy. Personalized service, quick turnaround time on repairs, and any other special requests you may have will be much more feasible for a local company who knows the area and has knowledgeable installers standing by. Remember, you will be dealing with the company you choose long after the systems are installed, so make the right decision and eliminate any headaches that come along with a bad choice.

   The only advantage you may get with a big corporation is the option to lease or finance the units. Many businesses can enjoy the money saving benefits of GPS Tracking but do not have the capital available for the initial investment.

   Many smaller GPS companies also offer financing, but you will most likely have to do it through a 3rd party bank or leasing company.

3. Speak with these companies individually and take some notes. Here are some useful questions to ask:

   1) Do you use your own installers, or do you subcontract the work?
   This is important for turnaround time on repairs as well as the quality of the installation.

   2) Does your system have the capability to monitor different parts of the vehicle?
   This is useful if you wish to know if a pump is on, or if a PTO was engaged

   3) Do I need to install any software to use your system, or is it web-based?
   Some companies have software that you will need to load on your office computers to use their system, while other companies use a web-based portal that can be accessed from any computer with internet. Web-Based portals tend to be less of a hassle, especially if you want to view your trucks while you are away from the office.

   4) What is your turnaround time on repairs and transfers?
   If and when a problem does occur you must choose a company that will repair your unit at no charge and in a timely manner. Also when old vehicles are taken off the road and replaced with new ones they must come out to you to transfer the unit from one vehicle to another.

   5) How quickly does your system update?
   GPS Tracking systems update periodically, for instance if a system updates every 30 seconds it means your vehicle history will display where the truck was in 30 second intervals. The map of where the vehicle was will be a road with a dot every half mile or so. The shorter the updates the closer the dots will be together, but the bigger your monthly charge will be due to increased data usage.

   6) What information does your system give me and how far back does the history go?
   As a minimum you will need Speed, Direction, and status (ignition on or off)
   Your vehicle history can tell you route logs, time spent idling, and give a stop report.

   7) What type of antenna do you use?
   An under dash antenna is covert, inexpensive, and works fairly well
   A roof mount antenna is small but can be seen on the roof. It's more expensive but offers the best performance especially around buildings.

4. Determine Pricing:
   It is important to ask the following questions regarding pricing

   1) What is the installation charge?
   2) What is my monthly charge per vehicle?
   3) Does this include maintenance?
   4) How does the tracking interval affect the monthly charge?
   5) Do you offer financing?
   6) Do you offer leasing?

   With this information you can determine what system and what company is right for you. Remember, you will be doing business with these people long after they install your system, so make sure you feel comfortable with your GPS provider.

   Use this information to determine what company is right for you.

Tips & Warnings

• If your business is in an industrial park you can ask around to see who everyone else uses

• Ask for referrals from the GPS company

• Ask to see the system or be given a demo

• See if they offer a trial so you can test out one unit for a month and see if you want to go forward with the whole fleet