For any fleet operator who ever asked “how are we doing?”, the answer largely depends on two major items – the fleet routing plan and the measurement of results against that plan.  When routes are 10-25% more efficient than before and you have effective tools in place to measure results, the answer to that question is usually “we’re doing really well”.   Without an efficient starting point and effective measurement, the answer to that question is often “I’m not real sure”.

Combining fleet routing optimization with GPS tracking allows companies to plan more efficient routes, monitor progress, and run various performance analyses after the fact to further streamline operations.  The key to receiving these benefits is to optimize all routes as a whole prior to dispatch and then to measure performance against the plan.  Think about it, would you send service reps into the field without proper training on the methods for fixing problems, or send pickers into a warehouse and say “you guys figure out where this stuff is and work together to fill these orders somehow”.  Probably not. 

But, this is what many companies do when it comes to route planning and performance tracking.  They sort routes into regions or capacity buckets that are full on some days and not so full on other days.  Trying to optimize routes daily, weekly, or even monthly by crunching through hundreds of calculations is not a practical approach for most companies. So, the starting plan is not optimized for efficiency.  And, when drivers come back to the branch an hour or two late, there is no way to accurately see where the problems occurred except through conjecture, recollection of the day’s events, and/or manually entering driver log data . . . all subject to error and misdirection.

A key component to effective route planning and measurement is incorporating accurate drive and service times into the route planning process.  This makes the route plans and route measurement much more accurate and effective.  Using road network drive times and GPS feeds of arrival and departure times help companies uncover problems quickly, use more accurate delivery times in route plans, and further streamline deliveries over time based on real data.  Without this comparative data, companies can service the same locations with different drivers for years and never uncover the real opportunities they have to reduce costs in their field operations. 

The advantages of integrated fleet routing and GPS tracking are many.  From providing better customer service levels to identifying opportunities and refining delivery times based on real field data, these tools help companies plan better routes, reduce operating costs and get a leg up on their competition. 

For more information or to schedule a live demonstration, call toll-free to
1-800-893-1250 Ext. 105, or email sales@appianlogistics.com.