Technology is becoming more advanced by the day, and with the easy availability of new systems and mobile applications for tracking, capturing data and performing safety checks, anyone working in the courier industry is in luck. It’s an exciting time…
If you’re a fleet manager in the transport sector and you’re looking to find more efficient ways to keep track of your workers – and make sure they can manage themselves – here are some of the best and simplest technologies in the business.
Remembering Safety Checks
Courier jobs always involve vehicle safety checks, and most drivers are expected to perform these either daily or weekly. Since these checks are often done manually, paperwork including important information can often go missing (or not get completed at all).
Fleet managers can now provide electronic forms for their drivers to fill out via a mobile application. This will allow operators to check whether mandatory procedures have been carried out without having to riffle through papers. Plus, minor issues such as small bumps or other damages to the vehicle can be logged, meaning maintenance staff can be more aware of any pending required jobs. Completing safety checks with this system will improve the efficiency of your business in more ways than one, so it’s certainly recommended to make a start by investing in this kind of mobile app.
Minding the Mileage
Differentiating between a worker’s personal journeys and the time they spend on the road doing courier jobs can be a tricky business if they own their own vehicles, but only if you don’t have the technology to do it for you. Savvy tech-smart fleet managers are now using an application which allows drivers to confirm their purpose for a journey with the simple click of a button. This accurate representation of used mileage not only allows companies to significantly reduce their administration processes, but also means that fraudulent fuel expense claims can be avoided.
Submitting Performance Feedback
Most companies use tracking systems to assess the performance of their drivers, but few have found a solution for effectively notifying the driver of any relevant feedback. Anyone working on courier jobs is faced with daily challenges and sometimes danger on the road and, without regular assessment and helpful driver feedback, some workers may find themselves involved in costly on-the-job incidents.
Using a mobile application to record and log progress is becoming a favoured method of more and more fleet managers. The app calculates an individual score for the courier, based on telematics data, alongside company averages. Behaviour like harsh acceleration, fast cornering, braking issues and speeding are also broken down in the report. This data both encourages employees to improve their driving style and notifies operators which of their employees are the highest performers.
If you’re an owner driver looking to improve the efficiency and safety of your business, it’s clear that mobile apps are the best way forward. Take a step forward and make your courier jobs easier to manage by taking advantage of the modern technology at your disposal.
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Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day courier jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.
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