The Worst Ways to Pick a Fleet Management System

So, you’re looking for a fleet management information system (FMIS to those in the know) for your fleet.  

You’ve got your requirements: you have your list of specific features and tools you want, you defined the customizations you need, and even outlined your enhanced security needs.  

But then there are the common traps and pitfalls that so many companies and organizations fall into when looking at software, which often leads to decisions they regret and increased frustrations.  

RTA’s CEO Josh Turley and head of product & fleet consulting Marc Canton recently dove into the worst ways to pick a fleet management system, and we’re going to explore what those are, and what you should consider instead.  

Worst Way: Choosing Based Solely on the Lowest Bid or Price 

We all have a budget, that’s a given. And it’s not likely to change (at least not without some serious negotiations, pleading, or ritual sacrifices). But that shouldn’t be the only thing you consider when looking at fleet maintenance software.  

While it might seem like a smart move to save money upfront by picking the least expensive option or bid for your fleet management system, this is a decision that could very quickly come back to bite you in the behind, and lead to more long-term costs that end up exceeding your budget.  

Depending on how the cost or proposal is written, it may not include some of the tools and technologies that you must have to keep your fleet running at peak efficiency. Maybe things like customizations are an extra fee. Or maybe the price is based on your current fleet size, but if you go up to the next bracket in size, the price increases significantly.  

If the system lacks the necessary functionality your fleet needs, you’ll have to come up with costly workarounds, additional tools or software, or even replace the whole system again.  

This doesn’t mean that you should go with the most expensive option, either. Price will help you narrow down your options to those that fit in your budget, but it should never be the sole consideration for making your decisions—or even in the top 5 reasons to pick one fleet management system over another.  

Often, when a buyer is heavily focused on price, it’s because they perceive all of the vendors in the market to be essentially the same. And that’s a mistake, especially with a tool as vital as fleet management software. The providers in this space aren’t created equally, so you could miss the boat on ensuring you get the right partner for your organization if your blinders are on and focused on price. 

Best Way: Choose Based on Features Your Fleet Needs 

You know what your fleet needs to get a bitter grip on costs, improve processes, and maximize availability or uptime.  

That’s what you should consider when choosing a fleet maintenance system. Make a list of all the features you think your fleet could ever possibly need, then break them down into three categories: 

1. Must Haves: the items your fleet can’t live without, otherwise known as dealbreakers. 

1. Want to Haves: the items that it would be great to have, but aren’t 100% required for your fleet to run.  

1. Nice to Haves: the bonus features that would make things easier, but aren’t necessary. 

As you consider each software and system, compare them to your list. If they don’t have all the must haves and most of the want to haves, then they aren’t worth your time (even if they have the best price tag).  

Worst Way: Not Considering Training Options 

Your team is busy enough. And the fleet management software provider says that the system is user-friendly and intuitive, so you don’t even think about ensuring there’s training for your fleet.  

Then you install the system and realize that your team definitely needs training on the new software. It might be user-friendly, and intuitive to some, but not everyone is tech-savvy. And what happens when new features are released, or you have to hire new staff due to retirement, turnover, or growth? Who’s going to teach those employees how to use the new system? You? 

You don’t have time for that.  

Best Way: Ensure Comprehensive and Ongoing Training 

As fleet technology evolves and more advances are released to the market—not to mention staff turnover—ensuring your software provider offers comprehensive training on the software is the only way to guarantee you made the right choice in software.  

If your team doesn’t get the training they need on the system (even if they say they’ve used it before), it’s only going to lead to frustration and underutilization of the software, which will lead to problems and headaches.  

As I like to remind people constantly, if you’re not investing at least 40 hours per year in technical training for every member of your team, you’re not training your team enough. And that includes training on the software your team regularly uses (or should be using).  

Make sure the fleet maintenance software you pick has training for your team—and make sure it’s good training. 

Worst Way: Sticking with the Status Quo 

Change is hard. Which is why a lot of people tend to stick to the software and tools they’re used to. Whether you’re thinking about sticking with your current system (which clearly isn’t cutting it if you’re considering switching—which you must be, otherwise why are you reading this article?), or going with a different product from the same provider just because they’re familiar and the change will be minimal, sticking with the status quo is one of the worst reasons to pick a fleet management system.  

But what about the data? It's going to be such a hassle to transfer over all of our asset profiles and years of maintenance history to a new system with a new company.  

Are you really getting the most out of your data in the current system? Will a different option from the same company provide better insights, new opportunities for efficiencies and cost reductions, improved functionality and productivity, and a measurable ROI? 

Best Way: Data Transition Support 

A good fleet management system provider will have detailed information on how they support the transition from your current system to the new system. They’ll be able to show you exactly how the information will map to the new system, how long it’ll take, what steps need to be taken on your side, and what support they provide to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.  

If they don’t, they aren’t worth your time.  

Implementation timeframes can range from a few months to a year, depending on the provider, so taking that into account is important. But it shouldn’t be the main focus.  

How the implementation is supported by the provider is much more important. Find one that works with your timeline and your needs to make the transition smooth.  

Worst Way: Overlooking Post-Purchase Support 

Just knowing that a fleet maintenance software provider offers support is one thing. Merely checking the box is not enough. 

It is not something you should breeze past in your search for the ideal fleet management system.  

Often overlooked in the decision-making process, the quality of customer support available to customers is essential when considering a new system. Problems will come up, issues will arise, and confusion will happen. The last thing you want is getting stuck chasing down unresponsive customer service teams, waiting days for an answer, or getting stuck trying to figure out some kind of workaround yourself.  

Best Way: Ensuring High Quality Support 

Read the reviews online from third party sites and see what other fleet managers have said about the customer support for all the providers you’re considering.  

Are they responsive? Actually helpful? Do they offer suggestions and ideas on how to make things better? Can you get support in a timely manner? What hours is the support team available? If they’re only available 9am-5pm ET, and your fleet is based in Hawaii, that’s probably not going to work because you need your problems solved fast. 

Make sure you find a provider with high quality support that’s backed up by honest reviews.  

Worst Way: Assuming a Fleet Management Software Company Has Fleet Management Experience 

Just because a fleet management software company makes and sells fleet management software doesn’t mean that anyone in the organization has actual, hands-on fleet management experience.  

It’s an assumption that’s easy to make, but one that can cause a lot of unexpected headaches down the road.  

Is the software built by software engineers based on what they think fleet managers need?  

Or are there experienced fleet managers on staff guiding the software engineers on what to build, and why? 

Best Way: Ask about Fleet Management Expertise 

It never hurts to ask. As you consider different fleet maintenance systems, ask what expertise in fleet management the company has on staff. Do they employ former fleet managers with decades of hands-on experience running real fleets? And do those former fleet managers inform the engineering team on what to build so that the software is truly designed for fleet managers? 

A good fleet management system should be one designed by fleet managers, for fleet managers.  

Plus, all that expertise should be available to you so you can ask questions, get coaching and advice, and gain real-world insights quickly and easily.  

Conclusion 

Don’t let things like price and an aversion to change dictate the kind of software you need to manage and maintain your fleet successfully. Make sure you’re basing your decisions on what truly matters to you and your fleet in measuring your KPIs and accomplishing your goals.  

Get the Best of FMIS with RTA  

If you’re ready, check out a demo of RTA. If you need advice from experts who have helped hundreds of fleets transform their organizations, get in touch with our consultants.