You took a big risk.
You made the leap from HVAC technician to HVAC company owner. Your business is flourishing and you employ a handful of people. Although challenging, starting a HVAC company has been worth it.
But you know what isn’t worth it?
All the unnecessary time, energy, and costs wasted with manual fleet management—from logging mileage by hand to dealing with stolen vehicles.
With multiple technicians visiting job sites everyday, it’s important to have a reliable tracking system. In fact, 64% of fleet managers currently use GPS tracking systems, and that number is increasing considerably every year.
Why do so many small businesses, including HVAC companies like yours, make the switch to GPS vehicle tracking?
We’ll go through 5 benefits of GPS tracking for HVAC companies.
But first…
How does a vehicle tracking system work?
Vehicle tracking systems work by installing GPS devices into each vehicle. This device constantly gathers information on speed, idling, hours, vehicle diagnostics, accidents, and more.
This data is then transmitted from the device via a cloud-based solution, allowing you to access it from your computer or phone.
What are the benefits of vehicle tracking systems?
- Reduce costs
- Extend vehicle lifespans
- Enhance driver and vehicle safety
- Increase productivity
- Better customer service
Vehicle tracking benefits (HVAC)
1. Reduce costs
Every company is looking to improve their bottom line, and HVAC companies are no different. GPS vehicle tracking saves time and money on operating costs like fuel efficiency, discounted insurance, safer driving, and tedious admin work.
In fact, 45% of total GPS tracking users reported a positive ROI within 11 months of implementing GPS trackers.
a. Fuel costs savings
Transporting heavy HVAC equipment is already a fuel burner, so it’s important to get a handle on avoidable fuel waste. A vehicle tracking system shows you when vehicles are idling, as well as bad driver behavior so you can prevent wasteful fuel burn. And with better routing capabilities, your drivers will arrive at job sites more efficiently.
b. Discounted insurance
Insurance companies love it when businesses use fleet tracking software because it improves driving safety and security. They often offer discounts on premiums, which is nothing to sneeze at in an industry with notoriously slim margins.
c. Identify wasteful behavior and problematic driving
GPS tracking can flag problematic driving habits such as frequent speeding or aggressive driving, which leads to fuel inefficiency or collision-related costs. This helps you identify specific technicians who may need more training…or a new job.
And your technicians are most likely driving branded trucks, so it’s important they’re representing your company well while on the roads.
d. Decrease administrative hours
With a GPS system you and your fleet drivers don’t need to waste time manually logging mileage, stops, breaks and hours because it’s all done automatically. Those time savings can be reinvested into serving additional clients and growing your business.
2. Extend vehicle lifespans
Your HVAC trucks are depreciating and they’re always at risk of damage. Instead of manually scheduling maintenance logs on paper, GPS tracking systems easily schedule maintenance tasks based on mileage intervals or set dates.
They automate routine and preventive maintenance reminders. This extends the life-cycle of your vehicles and prevents costly breakdowns by catching vehicular issues early. Fleet management systems like Force Fleet Tracking enable you to collect and monitor key vehicle data such as fuel levels, battery health, DTCs, and recalls. Remember: every minute a broken-down vehicle spends in the shop is a minute that could be spent with HVAC clients.
Breakdowns can also lead to missed or delayed calls. That means unhappy customers, bad reviews, and a big headache for you.
3. Enhance vehicle and driver safety
You know all your technicians by name, and I’ll bet you’re always looking for ways to make their job safer. GPS tracking gives data on driver performance and fleet safety. This information tends to reduce speeding and damage incidents, with 42% of fleet tracking technology users reporting considerably fewer safety incidents.
With GPS tracking, you get real-time location data 24/7. So you can always find your trucks when they’re out on calls—or if they get stolen. You can also tell when a vehicle breaks down or experiences an accident—immediately. This reduces the chance of stranded drivers on a service call and enables you to reroute the closest technician to fulfill orders.
Force allows you to set up custom notifications when your vehicles are disturbed, towed, or stolen to ensure fleet safety.
4. Increase productivity
GPS tracking technology increases productivity. It’s always collecting data. So over time, you gain a clear picture of wasted time and effort. This information helps you streamline dispatching with the ability to direct your drivers in the most efficient way possible.
Examples of productivity-enhancing results include less down time, more efficient routes, and faster response times to unanticipated problems.
Your technicians have enough on their plate as is…the last thing they want to do after running around all day fixing air conditioning and heating units is fill out reports. By automating data collection with a vehicle tracking device, you can gather the info you need while removing human error and the need to follow up on paper logs.
5. Better customer service
For all the reasons mentioned above, GPS tracking will generally improve customer service.
HVAC jobs can easily cost your customers hundreds or thousands of dollars. So, a top concern should be ensuring your HVAC fleets arrive at the job site on time. Late or missed calls can have big costs for your business.
With GPS tracking software, you can optimize routes and deal with problems more efficiently. This results in better service and happy customers.
And GPS tracking solutions like Force Fleet Tracking allow your customers to track their HVAC technician with a live link. So they won’t wait around all day for technicians. Because they’ll know exactly where their technician is. That peace of mind translates into a better experience, which makes it more likely they’ll give you referrals—one of the largest lead channels for great HVAC companies.
Not convinced? 54% of companies who adopted GPS technology report a significant improvement to customer service
Is GPS tracking legal?
Yes, GPS tracking is legal. You’re not spying on people, you’re tracking company vehicles to manage customer service, workforce efficiency, employee safety, and vehicle security.
That said, peoples’ privacy is an important consideration. So keep employees informed about tracking measures and keep private information secure.
Your employees will likely have questions about what information is being tracked and how GPS tracking works. To help introduce them to the technology, it’s recommended that you implement a fleet tracking policy that covers:
- Why you’re tracking company vehicles
- What data you’ll track
- How and when that data will be collected
- How the data will be used
- How you’ll keep private data safe
GPS tracking for HVAC companies
GPS tracking for HVAC companies is a no brainer. When you track and monitor your fleet, you gain the ability to dispatch your technicians in the most efficient manner possible, enhance standard vehicle maintenance, save on fuel costs, and ultimately provide better service for your customers.
Are you considering a GPS fleet management solution? Learn more about Force Fleet Tracking and start a free trial today.
