White Paper spring 2010 KEY FEATURES OF ONLINE FLEET MANAGEMENT

key features of online fleet management Online fleet management (OFM) is a convenient web tool to help companies manage the performance and costs of their vehicles. An OFM system has two major benefits: 1. It gives companies immediate access to all of their fleet data (such as orders, vehicle reports, and invoices) in a user-friendly format. 2. It provides administrators and drivers with a wide range of tools to streamline common tasks. Companies who use OFM to monitor their fleets see tangible savings in all areas of fleet management. By analyzing the data, administrators can make effective changes in procedures and behaviors. The result is a marked improvement in efficiency, productivity, and maintenance costs. Here s what the best systems on the market have to offer: SMART USE OF TECHNOLOGY First and foremost, a good OFM system will be easy for company employees to use. Features to look for include compatibility with mobile devices and clear site navigation. Sections like recently viewed and favorites, for example, will help administrators save time on daily assignments. Some OFM systems also offer personalized customer service options. Live chats with experienced personnel and click to call buttons (to speak to an OFM expert) are two ways that system developers are working to make an administrator s job faster and easier. Features to look for include compatibility with mobile devices and clear site navigation. www.merchantsfleetmanagement.com 2

FLEXIBLE MANAGEMENT TOOLS A well-designed OFM system will help administrators manage a fleet all the way from acquisition to termination. Using its flexible online tools, managers can quickly complete many regular fleet management tasks and easily access data on a wide array of areas, including: Orders Order Status a tool for managers to monitor fleet orders and order vehicle replacements if needed. Vehicle Selector the option to pre-select a choice of vehicles for drivers, or set an allowance limit on drivers choices. On-The-Road Management Roadside and Maintenance tools to keep track of all vehicle maintenance, repairs, and accidents. Driver Change the ability to swiftly assign a vehicle to another driver. Costs Standard and Custom Invoices flexible invoicing for generating and merging info on fleet and insurance costs, or breaking down costs by company divisions. Using flexible online tools, managers can quickly complete many regular fleet management tasks and easily access data on areas such as orders, on-the-road management, and costs. www.merchantsfleetmanagement.com 3

DRIVER ASSISTANCE In addition to tools for administrators, most OFM systems offer a number of immediate ways to help drivers. Standard features include: The ability to report and keep track of personal miles, even when drivers are on the road. An option for drivers to generate their own reports on taxable benefits. A way for drivers to access the maintenance history on their vehicles. ACCURATE MANAGEMENT REPORTS Detailed, accurate reports are the most important way for companies to check up on the health of their fleets. These check-ups can range from an inventory or a thorough maintenance history on all vehicles, to a simple look at the status of an order. Knowing when a vehicle is due for repairs, for example, is vital planning information for fleet managers. A smart OFM system allows administrators to customize reports (e.g. adding or deleting fields) and generate them at any time. Key reports to look for include: Unit Maintenance History Fleet Maintenance History Order Status Fleet Inventory Coming Off Lease e.g. when vehicles with leases are due to expire Missing Plates/Plate Expiry e.g. when regular plates are needed to replace temporary plates Detailed, accurate reports are the most important way for companies to check up on the health of their fleets. www.merchantsfleetmanagement.com 4

TROUBLESHOOTING MEASURES One helpful feature that many OFM systems provide is the ability to generate exception reports. These can tell an administrator when a vehicle has missed its preventative maintenance, is over its allotted mileage, or has a discrepancy in its mileage history. These types of reports give a fleet administrator time to fix small-scale problems before they become major issues. Well-maintained fleet vehicles stay on the road and increase a company s profit margins. EASY-ACCESS HELP Quick responses to questions are important in online environments. The faster the answer, the quicker a manager can get back to work. Most OFM systems offer a range of easy-access help options, such as: Live Chats text-based conversations in real-time. Click to Call the option to speak to knowledgeable personnel. Help Libraries help documents on all aspects of the system. Document Center reports and information sheets on productive fleet management. www.merchantsfleetmanagement.com 5

ROBUST SECURITY With such a wide range of features available for both drivers and administrators, an OFM system must have robust security measures in place. These typically fall into two categories: Role-based Security allows administrators to assign privileges according to company roles. For instance, a manager can view and manage orders for replacement vehicles while a driver can only view which vehicles are available for him to use. Hierarchical Security gives parent companies the ability to control the access of all divisions and subcompanies. A parent company administrator, for example, might want to keep certain areas (like invoices) off-limits to division managers. INTEGRATION WITH A FLEET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Though very useful on its own, online fleet management can do more when it is fully integrated with other fleet management services. Companies who take the time to plan a coordinated program of fleet management an OFM system, comprehensive insurance and maintenance plans, contingencies for accidents, etc. will see a better rate of return on their initial fleet investment. www.merchantsfleetmanagement.com 6