When businesses realise their need to introduce fleet telematics into their operations, cost is often a considerable factor—both in terms of motivation to upgrade in the first place, as well as narrowing their shortlist of possible telematics providers or products.
For some, the temptation to buy online through sites like Amazon and eBay is strong.
And while price is certainly a worthy consideration, it should be far from the be all and end all of your decision-making process. Here’s why.
Support can be a costly exercise
It can be easy to get swept up in the excitement of a brand new system or process, seeing only the potential benefits without accurately acknowledging the inevitable hiccups over time.
‘Hiccups’ might include those times during the first few months when you get stumped and need to contact a Helpdesk for support, or down the line when you are getting better at understanding the software and want to discuss its capabilities in line with your growth and success.
Make sure that the solution you choose places a significant focus on their support offering—being there for you in those critical moments. If not, it may come as a very unpleasant and expensive shock.
At Fleet Complete, we employ a Customer Care Specialist to provide this personal contact point. Think of this role as the gateway to a wealth of resources, knowledge and training, as you need it. Whether you’ve got a specific problem that needs fixing yesterday, or would like to discuss the big picture for your business going forward, this is your go-to support contact available when you need it.
Jason Cornelius, Customer Support Manager, Adelaide Office
You don’t know what you don’t know
Training is invaluable. But its true value is invisible to those who never make use of it.
The common argument goes along the lines of: “anything I don’t know, I can just Google”. In reality, training serves to educate about much more than how to troubleshoot simple problems; it also gives you the insight and broad-ranging comprehension that’s vital to getting the most out of your system.
There may be capabilities you never knew were possible, but after a year or two, you wonder how you ever did efficient business without them.
While Fleet Complete’s user interface is easy-to-use, the software behind it is incredibly sophisticated and can do so much more than just the basics. Thanks to a stepped training program, you’ll learn the foundations first before gradually moving through more advanced functioning. It means that you can start bettering your business operations from day one, and keep refining them as time goes on.
Lack of details beyond the description
If you’ve browsed online telematics products at all, you’ll probably come across a few options that seem competitive on the surface. But without an experienced consultant to run you through the details, you’re taking a huge gamble.
There are often crucial gaps in information when it comes to the precise specifications of the device you are getting, as well as where it was manufactured, the quality, and the vehicles it could be used for. As such, we find that a lot of clients turn to our team after poor online experiences where the result didn’t match the expectation.
You also may be faced with unclear information when it comes to warranty, installation, reporting capabilities—all of which are absolutely crucial factors that should inform your decision.
Next time you’re tempted to go for the quick fix option with a price that seems too good to be true, do yourself a favour and have a chat with a Fleet Complete consultant. They’ll help you to see what the product in question is crucially missing, and help you avoid making an unsound investment that could cost your business in the long run.
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