When Billy Beane became general manager of the Oakland A’s in 1997, one of his first hires wasn’t a former player to help evaluate new players based on their own experience. He hired a statistician. Beane had a theory that the vast amount of statistics the team had hid factors of a successful player that coaches and recruiters were missing. He was right. The data showed that data such as high on-base percentages led to more wins than traditional recruiting stats like batting average. And those players were a lot less expensive.
In other words, Beane used data to find the hidden gems — the places where big wins could be had while still cutting costs and increasing productivity.
Your business doesn’t need to hire a Harvard-trained statistician to find those treasures in your data. A simple GPS device can help you identify ways to grow your business and cut costs.
A Third Eye
One of the most important developments in sports technology is wearable devices that gather minute by minute data and capture the perspective of players and umpires. Teams are able to do everything from detect warning signs of player fatigue to adjusting strike zones based on a particular umpire’s calls.
Combining GPS and dash cam technology gives fleet-based businesses a similar edge. Analyzing data such as time spent on job site, travel times, and idling, can give owners insight into how long certain types of jobs really take, which crews are most efficient, and where fuel savings can be found. That means more accurate estimates to customers. It means finding ways to squeeze more jobs in a day. It means figuring out what the most productive crews are doing right and training the rest to do the same.
Adding video is another way to spot opportunities and also interpret data correctly. Data doesn’t lie but it can be influenced by things you aren’t measuring. Seeing the road, job site, or actions happening inside a vehicle can give a complete picture of what the data is telling you. Harsh braking alerts might be tied to perilous routes or driver distraction. Geofences might show that crews arrived on time, but video shows if they efficiently executed the job.
Data Made Easy
Some GPS customers express hesitation because data is… well, data. Mountains of statistics poured into spreadsheets can be daunting for business owners who are also managing inventory, payroll, billing, new job bids, and more.
The best GPS systems make the data easy to digest and free up time to give that data your full attention. Quick map views organized by geofences ensure that every vehicle and piece of equipment is where it’s supposed to be without time consuming yard checks. After hours alerts eliminate concerns about missing or misused assets. Geofence alerts also streamline arrival and departure times from job sites for accurate billing and payroll.
Which leaves plenty of time to take a look at all that data and put it to use. Uploading your customer database is an easy way to break it down per customer, showing you the most profitable customers and types of jobs so you can target your marketing towards more of that same kind of work. Driver safety reports become the foundation for a fleet safety policy. Unused equipment shows where investments are not paying off and makes decisions about new purchases easier.
Maintaining Performance
When a team invests millions of dollars in a player, it is of utmost importance to keep that player in top physical condition. Your vehicles and equipment are no different. GPS-based maintenance reminders are a fool-proof way to ensure your investments stay in top work conditioning and prevent surprise breakdowns and down time.
Driver safety data and dash cam footage also make sure your crew is staying safe and are a good way to head off liabilities. Just like star players in top physical condition might secretly have bad habits, drivers who have never had an accident or speeding alert might just be really good at texting while driving. Without internal dash cam footage, a manager would never know and never be able to correct the behavior.
Business owners don’t have to rely on gut instinct and what’s worked in the past to be successful. Your fleet is giving you all the clues you need to grow and improve. Like Beane found, it’s just a matter of recognizing the clues. Let Linxup GPS be your statistician and uncover the possibilities.
