Fleetmatics 'enables Scottish Building and Maintenance firm to improve efficiency'

17 June 2013

To keep up with its growing customer base while ensuring service is maintained at a high level, Hugh Scott Builders & Slaters turned to Fleetmatics. The Scottish multi-trade building repairs and maintenance firm used the Fleetmatics GPS fleet tracking system to help improve efficiency.

With a total of 44 vehicles and branches throughout Glasgow, Hugh Scott Builders & Slaters, over the years has grown and now customers include: Property Managers and Letting Agents, Housing Associations, and many commercial properties. Fleet Manager at the company, Mr. Kenneth Caldwell, says of his experience with the Fleetmatics vehicle tracking system thus far:

“When the system was ?rst implemented, it was great to be able to organise everyone more ef?ciently. The system is easy to use and at a glance, all vehicles can be located and analysed. The ‘Live Fleet’ dashboard on the system is great, it allows me to see all the drivers en route and it gives me an in-depth report on each vehicle and presents it in a useful and digestible way.” Fleetmatics allows Mr. Caldwell to better manage his fleet and also, by knowing where the vehicles are at all times, it gives him a sense of security, as well as proof of service should any disputes arise.

A further advantage to the company since installing the fleet management system has been the considerable savings on fuel cost. “It is dif?cult to calculate exactly how much we have saved on fuel due to the ever increasing price but, despite in?ation, the fuel bills have decreased,” adds Mr. Caldwell.

Thanks to the Fleetmatics ‘Live Fleet’ function Mr. Caldwell is able to observe the location of each vehicle and is alerted to any poor driving behaviour. By using the mobile app, all of the information is at his ?ngertips. “Knowing where each driver is and whether they are en route to a job enables me to better manage my ?eet. Being alerted automatically whenever there is excessive idling or speeding allows me to take appropriate action in a timely manner,” adds Mr. Caldwell.

The ?rm also uses the ‘Idling Report’ which provides great insight including: idle start and stop times, the location of the idling vehicle and the total idle time. An automated alert is generated when idle time exceeds its assigned threshold.

Next to the wage bill the greatest cost to the company is its ?eet of vehicles; so protecting them and minimising diesel costs are fundamental. Mr. Caldwell explains: “Hugh Scott Builders & Slaters permits no private mileage, so vehicles leave their last job at a set time and are given a window of a couple of hours to get home. The Fleetmatics vehicle tracking system highlights any discrepancies so that I can investigate them accordingly.”

The bene?ts that Hugh Scott Builders & Slaters has experienced since installing the Fleetmatics GPS vehicle tracking system have far exceeded the company’s expectations. “A powerful asset of the Fleetmatics system is that it is a ‘silent worker’ that makes no demands on my time. It will work away in the background collecting and collating data and is there when called upon. It has given the company peace of mind about the security of its assets and, more importantly the behaviour of its drivers,” concludes Mr. Caldwell.

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