Re-evaluating your fleet’s mobility strategy is as critical today as it was in the lead-up to the electronic logging device (ELD) rule deadline in December 2019.
Is your mobile technology ready for the future or holding you back? If you have gaps in your mobile strategy or technology, comparing different products, features, and price points is easy. The more difficult challenge is choosing a technology partner.
One option is working with a company specializing in mobile driver fleet apps. Ideally, the smartphone app drivers use on their devices will also run on your in-cab ELD and telematics system, giving drivers a unified interface inside and outside the cab.
Another option is working with companies focused on creating in-cab commercial vehicle ecosystems. This article highlights the critical differences between the two.
The Acquisition Dilemma: When Bigger Isn’t Better
The largest fleet mobility providers are creating in-cab vehicle ecosystems. Most offer a base set of applications that typically include an ELD, telematics, and a video event recorder. The platforms also integrate with third-party applications for expanded options, such as document capture, navigation, driver training, trailer tracking, etc.
Several companies in this space have recently been involved in mergers and acquisitions. More activity could happen with interest rates adjusting and private equity firms looking to exit aging investments. This might sound like business as usual, but it has profound implications for fleet operators relying on their solutions.
When a company is acquired, the best employees often leave. The new ownership spends considerable time reorganizing and restructuring, leading to disrupted service and unclear priorities. New owners rarely have the deep connections or commitment to the existing customer base that made the original company successful, and it can often take years for the organization to stabilize.
The Innovation Slowdown
Perhaps even more concerning is what happens when technology companies position themselves for acquisition. The focus shifts from customer satisfaction and product development to making the books look attractive to potential buyers. Innovation takes a back seat to cost-cutting measures, and investment in new features and improvements dwindles. Customers are often left waiting for technological advancements to meet their strategic needs.
The Power of Focus
Working with a vendor focused solely on developing custom mobile driver apps offers numerous advantages as you gain a dedicated team of specialists rather than a jack-of-all-trades.
A specialized vendor can better understand your unique driver challenges and requirements because that’s all they do. They’re not distracted by developing trailer tracking systems one day and AI-powered camera systems the next.
This laser focus translates to:
1. Deeper Industry Understanding
A specialized vendor, like Eleos, works exclusively with fleets in your industry segment. Our custom mobile app platform has pre-built components and features that customers use to solve similar problems. Individual fleets can tailor the components to meet business and user requirements.
Fleets can use the Eleos platform to give drivers everything they need to do their jobs — no more or less.
2. Reliability Through Independence
Mobile driver apps from a specialized vendor also provide an extra layer of insurance against system outages. Unlike apps tied to specific telematics systems, a custom solution can continue functioning even if other fleet systems fail. This independence means your drivers can still provide shipment updates, capture load documents, and more.
The Real Cost of “Comprehensive” Solutions
Large fleet mobility vendors often tout their comprehensive suite of solutions as a benefit. However, this can lead to several hidden costs:
- Divided Attention. When a vendor tries to be everything to everyone, their resources and focus are divided. This can result in slower response times to critical issues and delayed implementation of necessary features.
- Reduced Specialization. Broad-spectrum solutions often sacrifice depth for breadth. They might offer many features but are not as robust or well-thought-out as those from specialized vendors who deeply understand your needs.
- Integration Challenges. Despite claims of seamless integration between their various products, large vendors’ solutions often suffer from compatibility issues and complex implementation requirements.
Making the Right Choice
In-cab platforms support essential mobile applications like ELDs and video event recorders. However, in-cab mobility vendors focused on creating vehicle ecosystems often leave crucial gaps in fleets’ mobile strategies by not including mobile apps that enable drivers to do their jobs outside the cab.
When evaluating mobile app vendors for your fleet, it’s also important to consider these four key factors:
- Focus and Commitment: Is the app developer’s primary business creating mobile driver apps for fleets? If so, do they offer pre-built components and integrations that lower your costs and shorten deployment time to maximize return on investment?
- Integration Capabilities: Does the vendor excel at integration using standard APIs that ensure future compatibility and scalability? Is the vendor’s app platform hardware agnostic?
- Innovation Track Record: Examine the vendor’s product development and improvement history. Are they consistently introducing meaningful updates based on customer feedback?
- Community Alignment: Choose a vendor that serves fleets similar to yours, allowing you to benefit from shared innovations and best practices.
The Road Ahead
Choosing a reliable, focused technology partner is crucial to meeting your present and future mobility needs. Large in-cab mobility providers focused on vehicle ecosystems may promise comprehensive solutions, but competing priorities often sidetrack projects and leave their customers waiting.
As a developer of mobile driver apps, Eleos offers more than a product and service. With Eleos, you gain a partner invested in your success. Our cloud-based app platform continually grows and adapts to your evolving needs, giving you control over the future of your app. Working with Eleos ensures your mobility strategy stays current and complete, offering drivers a better experience and keeping your business ahead of the competition.
Ready to complete your fleet’s mobility strategy? Contact us today to discover how specialized fleet app solutions can deliver the innovation and reliability your business and its drivers need.
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