The recent Covid-19 pandemic has seen a significant shift toward businesses going digital due to the need for home working. And according to a new report from Capgemini Consulting, the most successful companies that shift to going digital see a 26% raise in profitability, regardless of their industry.
When it comes to having one place where all your fleet information is stored, it becomes easier for you and your drivers to do a better job for your customers and become more efficient across the business.
The days of keeping paper-based records of vehicle checks, maintenance history and purchase orders are numbered. Key information can often get lost or mislaid and slow down overall fleet operations, however, using a fleet management system allows you to record and keep track of all your information in real-time from a single centralised platform.
Here we explore some of the ways in which going paperless can significantly boost the productivity of your fleet.
Key benefits of going paperless
Irrespective of the size of your fleet, the benefits of digitising your operations and workflows are limitless.
Increased efficiency
Businesses suffer from the amount of time spent on paperwork.
With a digital system in place, inspections, checks and reporting can be completed easily and quickly, meaning less time is spent inputting data by hand, creating a more productive and efficient workforce. Information can also be readily accessed when stored electronically.
Reduced costs
Going paperless not only helps reduce labour costs but also increases productivity. The costs associated with paper admin can significantly add up; from labour to the cost of supplies such as the paper itself (across several printed forms - inspections, service records, compliance), ink, printers, and copiers all of which contribute to negatively impacting on a business's bottom line.
Eliminating a paper-based system enables you to make substantial cost savings over time.
Simplified workflows
One of the most significant benefits of transitioning from paper to fleet management technology is the ability to streamline workflows and connect every stage of the fleet lifecycle from a central system.
From daily vehicle checks and reporting to optimising routes, scheduling inspections and vehicle maintenance repairs, you can easily communicate with drivers and technicians in real-time to offer complete visibility of fleet operations.
Electronic documents are instantly and simultaneously available to everyone for compliance and audit guidelines allowing for overall workflow transparency and increased productivity.
Reduced vehicle downtime
With proper paperless systems in place, fleet processes such as vehicle checks, inspections and maintenance schedules can be addressed much quicker. Information regarding a vehicle’s status and any issues can be sent in real-time and immediate action can be taken to initiate resolution.
By digitising these workflows, vehicle maintenance schedules can be addressed quickly, preventing unnecessary downtime and getting your vehicles back on the road.
Enhanced security
Fleets are often required to keep certain certificates and documents for a long period of time. Storing these electronically minimises the risk of these getting lost or damaged as well as the need for physical storage.
It's a known fact that electronic documents are certainly more secure than paper ones. Data can be encrypted using unreadable encryption to prevent it from accessing without your consent in addition to being protected against printing, copying, and sharing.
Having several backups can also ensure that your organisation's vital data is safe, even in the event of something happening to your physical workplace, ensuring your information can be retrieved.
Easy accessibility
The amount of time that is wasted searching for reports can be detrimental to any business.
Fleet management solutions are cloud-based software, making electronic documents instantly and simultaneously accessible to everyone. By going paperless reports can be readily located and accessed. Documents and data can be centrally stored, categorised and easily retrieved by multiple users simultaneously from any location.
Environmentally friendly
Whether your fleet is already taking steps to become more environmentally friendly by operating a greener fleet, introducing the transition from paper to digital not only saves trees but also makes a positive impact on the environment.
To this day, around 45% of the paper in offices ends up in the waste bin or is shredded by the end of the day, wasting valuable time and resources Even smaller businesses can take steps towards being more environmentally responsible by making these changes.
The shift from paper to digital is inevitable, how far you take it, is up to you. Prolius Fleet management software can totally transform and streamline your fleet operations so you can stay ahead of the competition.
Book a demo with us to find out first-hand how you can increase productivity and efficiency for your fleet by going paperless.