There’s a problem with managing a fleet fueling business the old way (paper, spreadsheets, manual work). It leads to inefficiencies and errors. Think about it. Dispatchers must manually create and dispatch every order. Drivers must manage multiple stops and a bunch of paper tickets in the field. Invoicing takes days. Basically, the entire operation slows down by waiting on paper for every process. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that businesses are looking for tools to manage their operations better. That’s where a fleet-fueling software comes in.
Fleet-fueling software helps streamline entire operations and gives countless hours of busy work back to the team.
How does fleet-fueling software work?
Essentially, fleet-fueling software automates/digitizes operations. It eliminates all the paperwork, spreadsheets and manual efforts that go into managing deliveries. From building driver schedules and optimizing routes to LCR meter integrations—fleet-fueling software makes operations workflows simple. Here are some of its key features:
- LCR meter integrations
This is one of the most important features of fleet-fueling software. Usually, without meter integration, drivers are running back and forth between trucks to manually take note of gallons delivered at every site. Apart from being tedious, it’s error-prone where chances of recording 5,000 gallons as 500 are high.
But with LCR meter integrations it’s easier for drivers to account for every drop of gallon recorded/delivered without actual manual work. LCR meters are integrated with the driver app. Drivers simply need to scan the barcode/QR codes on the asset/equipment and start fueling. So whatever is recorded in the meter is directly captured on the driver app.
This saves drivers time and minimizes the chances of errors in recording delivery gallons.
- Driver app
Drivers have a lot going on in the field. They have multiple stops. They’re fueling multiple assets at every stop. It’s easy to imagine the amount of paperwork they deal with. And what’s worse is the hours they spend in the manual work of recording delivery numbers, maintaining paper tickets, back and forth calls with dispatchers, etc. And overall there’s a lot of guesswork.
The fix here? Digitizing workflows for drivers.
With a smartphone app drivers have access to all the information they need to accurately complete deliveries. They receive their entire schedule/shift details on their phone. That includes pre-trip/post-trip activities, supplier information, and delivery instructions. Drivers simply need to go to the customer location, scan QR code/barcode on the assets, and start fueling.
They can also capture all BOLs and other documents on the app, hand over printed delivery tickets to customers and record customer signatures as proof of delivery on the app. Plus, the offline mode available enables drivers to make deliveries to remote locations.
Overall, drivers save at least an hour or 2. Their productivity goes up and they’re more efficient.
- Route optimization
Since drivers are going to multiple customer locations, it’s important to build routes in a way that maximizes their deliveries while ensuring they’re not working extra hours or travelling longer miles. And that’s difficult to do when building routes manually.
Fleet-fueling software offers route optimization that auto-generates the most optimal routes for drivers. And these routes are built on a number of factors like customer distances, order priorities, inventory, etc. Not only does this save hours of busy work for dispatchers but also optimizes fuel delivery, and here’s how:
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- Fleets can deliver more gallons/complete more deliveries with the same resources
- Miles travelled are less because there are no unnecessary detours on longer routes
- Overtime for drivers is minimized
- Instances of zero-runs/run-outs are minimized
- Dispatch-accounting integration
Errors in invoices and long billing cycles are major concerns for fuel marketers. Because they’re manually reconciling shifts and inputting data into the accounting system, generating invoices takes a lot of time and errors are frequent. In fact, even those using legacy systems that don’t integrate with accounting systems struggle with accounting.
Modern fleet-fueling software integrates with existing accounting systems. On the dispatch side of the software, managers get an entire paper trail of every shift. So they know exactly what went in and out of the truck. And it’s easy to reconcile shifts without manually reviewing each paper ticket or going back and forth with dispatchers/drivers to figure out what happened during the shift. Once shifts are reconciled, it’s easy to verify them and push them into accounting systems with a single click.
This bridge between dispatch and accounting systems eliminates manual work and ensures invoices are generated and paid faster.
Benefits of fleet-fueling software
Fleet-fueling software also is significant from a business sense:
- Accurate, on-time deliveries: With fleet-fueling software, fleets can ensure there are no errors in deliveries, and deliveries are completed on time.
- Improved customer experience: A fuel marketer once said, “we sell the same fuel, they sell the same fuel. So how can we offer a better service to customers that makes us standout of the pack?” Technology is the key word here. On-time deliveries, real-time updates on order status, and instant delivery tickets all build a sense of transparency and loyalty with customers.
- Reduced operational costs: With drivers working less overtime, routes optimized, and inaccuracies reduced, operational costs go down.
- Higher cash flow availability: With fleet-fueling software, fleets no longer must wait for drivers to return from the field with paperwork to create invoices. It all happens in real-time, increasing cash flow availability.
How fuel marketers are leveraging fleet-fueling software
Here’s an example of a customer who leveraged fleet-fueling software to make operations more efficient.
Pacific States Petroleum is one of California’s largest on-site fueling businesses. Even after running a successful business for over 23 years, there were parts of their operations that were continuously breaking due to the all the paper processes and manual work. Some of the specific challenges they faced were:
- Tracking drivers in real-time (to confirm which sites they are delivering to and order status)
- Dispatchers had to manually put in all the order information into their database, and key information sometimes got lost in translation
- They were running operations across multiple branches, which added to the chaos
The need for fleet-fueling software was evident. And implementing FleetPanda’s fleet-fueling software helped bring their business into the digital age.
Paperwork was eliminated. Dispatchers could now track and monitor drivers in real-time, so they knew where drivers were, and the inventory they were carrying. Drivers could better manage their workloads. And that’s how they transformed their entire operations, making fleet fueling more efficient.
How do fleets choose the right fleet-fueling software for their business?
There is a lot of fleet-fueling software in the market. That’s the tricky part. But investing in software is one of the most critical tech investments. Apart from putting in a lot of money, businesses also are putting in their team’s time and effort in adopting new software, getting them trained, etc. So it’s imperative to be sure capital is well spent.
Here are some must-consider factors when evaluating different vendors:
- How fast is their product improving?
This one’s important. Product velocity tells says a lot about how fast the product can adapt to the evolving industry.
- Is it flexible and customizable?
A one-size-fits-all approach never works. Every business is different. Software must be customized based on specific business needs, and scalable to support business as it grows.
- Does it integrate with other tools?
Check for integrations with existing tools and also their capability in terms of building custom integrations. If a fleet already is using multiple systems, adding another one on top of it that doesn’t integrate/play well with the other systems will just make operations more disconnected.
- Implementation and training
Implementing new tech can do more harm than good if the team is not well-equipped to use the software. Find out about the implementation processes, timelines, and the training available. Also, look for additional hidden costs associated with training.
- Software type: Is it cloud-based or on-premises?
On-prem software is a big no. Apart from being outdated, it has additional costs associated with implementation, hardware, and server maintenance.
Cloud-based software is easier to launch and can be accessed from anywhere. All that is needed is a stable WiFi connection.
More information about choosing the right software is available here.