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KPN and Masternaut have recently announced an agreement to jointly develop and market telematics-enabled fleet management and telematics enabled insurance products for businesses looking to provide a step-change in customer service, employee safety and operational efficiency.

The agreement provides KPN’s M2M (Machine-to-Machine) teams access to Masternaut's leading telematics products and services helping the company accelerate its goal of providing M2M services beyond connectivity to KPN customers.

According to the terms of the agreement, the two companies will market joint products designed to target the fleet market with proven products including driver behaviour management, vehicle telematics to improve efficiency. The agreement also delivers enhanced vehicle expenses management modules, live vehicle tracking as well as products and services that reduce corporate and consumer risk in the insurance market.

The products will be distributed under the KPN brand, powered by the technology provided by European leader Masternaut. Masternaut will provide software services, applications, platforms and technical support, while KPN will contribute with its commercial network, including pre- and post-sales support, consultancy and customer care. Everything deployed over the best in class global networks of KPN.

Jimmy Wind, M2M Director of KPN:

"With this agreement, KPN are demonstrating our response to customers’ needs in the growing M2M market. We can leverage our experience and knowledge of our customers and provide them with telematics-based products and services that solve many of their problems and have the ability to transform their businesses”.

Martin Hiscox, Chief Executive Officer of Masternaut:

"We are delighted that this partnership with KPN allows us both to deliver the most comprehensive service to KPN’s core business market. The combination of KPN’s brand and values with our technology delivers a clear and valuable proposition for both large enterprise and mid-sized companies”.

According to industry analysts Berg Insight, approximately 2.5 million commercial vehicles have telematics deployed. They forecast that the installed base of fleet management systems will reach 5.7 million in Europe by 2016 – with the market in the Netherlands, Belgium currently only 18% penetrated. The agreement provides KPN and Masternaut a twin-market strategy targeting both businesses that have not started on the telematics journey whilst targeting 1st-generation users with new and innovative products delivered in a consultative environment.

 

Gloustershire based Agronomy company Agrii have implemented a real-time transport optimisation and vehicle tracking solution for its agrochemicals division.

The company that is seen as a leader within it's field in the UK has opted to utilise Paragon’s Fleet Controller system and integrate this with a live vehicle tracking feed, provided by 49 TomTom PRO 9150 navigation units, taking advantage of the systems's advanced vehicle routing and scheduling software.  The result is a real time plan versus actual performance information delivered to the Agrii transport and customer service teams, also enabling customers to receive updated ETAs using Fleet Controller’s text messaging facility.

“By integrating Paragon and TomTom technology we are able to plan and manage deliveries of more than 350 orders a day, which given the location and type of customers we serve would be a logistical challenge if we didn’t use this solution,” said Tony Frain, Agrii’s Logistics Manager.

“The software allows us to offer customers the opportunity to place orders up to 10.30 pm and we’ll guarantee delivery if stocks are available by the next working day in three slots: before 9am, before 12pm or next day.”

Paragon also provides timed web-based reporting to Agrii customer services, with scheduled route timings updated every few minutes based on the live tracking information.  This informs the customer service agents of real-time delivery activity and allows them to prepare customers to receive their deliveries. With the nature of their business meaning many deliveries require a forklift to unload the vehicle , this efficiency allows for streamlining the delivery process saving valuable time for both Agrii and their clients alike.

With the TomTom units providing  intelligent navigation and live traffic information to help drivers avoid congestion Agrii are able to make further savings in both time and money and the all-in-one business tool combines navigation and GPS tracking in one single, portable, device is an major benefit.

Other benefits of the system are it's flexibility - Agrii's operation is heavily seasonal so the versatility of the solution means that the company can increase and reduce the size of the hire fleet without the cost of installing and removing hardwired equipment, and also the well documented benefits of monitoring driver behaviour including duty of care obligations. Also drivers can accurately report their working time by entering their ID into the device, tapping the screen to record when they start and finish work which in turn is automatically fed back into Agrii’s payroll system.

Agrii’s Alconbury depot is supplying 6,000 customers who range from small farms to large commercial operations growing products for supermarkets. They are located as far north as the Humber Estuary and south to the Thames Estuary, along the coast of the North Sea in the east and west to the M40 corridor. The drivers deliver the orders direct to the farm’s chemical storage facilities, the locations for which have been located accurately using the GPS vehicle-tracking units.  This ensures that each store is mapped on the system.

“By plotting the X and Y coordinates for the chemical stores our drivers can navigate directly to the site,” added Tony Frain.

“This streamlines the delivery because using a postcode alone would only take them to within a kilometre of the location. If we can get the driver within 10 to 20 metres of the store, it improves our performance and the level of service we offer our customers.”

 

 

The explosion of mobility and connected services means that fully integrated fleet management, route and job allocation is now a compelling option. Sergio Barata, General Manager of EMEA at Telogis explains.

Traditionally fleet management systems, navigation, route optimisation, workforce management and job allocation are different disciplines, provided by a different set of vendors, and used by different functions within the enterprise. Typically these systems didn’t talk to each other, creating silos of data. However, with the current proliferation of remote working, reliable connected services and affordable mobile devices, enterprises are now starting to recognise that the systems should be integrated and, indeed, there is no reason for them not to be integrated.

Maintaining a piecemeal approach to mobile resource management is a huge overhead in terms of both resources and cost, individual solutions lack scalability and at best provide a patchy service in terms of meeting the objectives of the organisation. A lesson that many enterprises are now learning and a situation that many are looking to rectify with a fully integrated location platform approach.

One-stop-shop, global visibility

Recently developed, a platform approach to location intelligence means that one company provides everything to do with managing mobile resources, whether vehicles, equipment or personnel. This supports enterprise-wide strategies for handling mobile IT.  A single platform reduces costs, risk and overhead.  A platform approach can be rolled out across disparate regions, giving international visibility across the entire organisation.

A single platform giving scheduling, route optimisation and fleet management in one place is able to provide a dashboard to cover all, customisable to the individual user so that they see exactly what they need to see in order to do their job most effectively.  With one system, users log in just once to see everything on one screen.

Cloud delivery, faster ROI

Delivery via the Cloud brings a whole host of additional benefits.  Faster return on investment (ROI) is often the initial attraction, but longer term reduction in maintenance overheads, and a total lower cost of ownership, are also significant cost factors.  With no upfront capital costs, cloud solutions eliminate the need to purchase or upgrade servers, operating systems or database versions.  Cloud services minimise costs by leveraging existing IT investments, so expenditure on infrastructure and the staff to maintain it is minimised. Business benefits include access to a global solution, full integration between disciplines enabling better operational planning and execution, and business decisions taken based on fact.

In addition, cloud solutions are continuously updated, so you get the best.  Cloud solutions provide new and valuable capabilities through the lifetime of the service, ensuring that your solution keeps pace with business requirements and changing technology.

Harness technology, empower staff

A cloud delivery model coupled with hardware agnostic solutions, enables organisations to use existing kit, with no need to upgrade or replace devices already installed in vehicles or issued to staff.  When all you require is a web browser, there is no need to standardise on hardware and in many cases enterprises are able to take advantage of the consumerisation of IT and ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) trends.  Subject to some restrictions due to security considerations, staff can use devices of their choice.  This keeps staff happy and can reduce hardware spend.

Improved access and mobility means staff are freed up to concentrate on the next job, rather than spending time going back to base. Workers have constant access to real-time data which support decision making. Supervisors and managers can ensure that the best person in the right location with appropriate skills and equipment, is allocated the job.

One version of the truth

One system, one version of the truth, updated in real time enables enterprises to streamline business operations and drive efficiency.  The ability for multiple people to work on one cloud-based solution helps to drive efficiency with one-time data entry. Managers/supervisors/workers can capture job/work allocation information, using smartphones. Field updates are reflected instantly for all to see allowing users in multiple locations to collaborate.

The real time nature of cloud solutions means that (restricted) access can be given to subcontractors or even third parties, when working in collaboration.

Operational benefits

The case for a platform approach delivered via the Cloud is compelling in terms of ROI on the systems in a replacement/technology refresh situation, however, the operational benefits from such systems are also highly attractive:

Workforce Efficiency – routes are optimised, staff are allocated jobs based on equipment, skills, location, and any other criteria required

Fleet management – vehicles are maintained, service requirements monitor, mileage accounted for, including out of hours usage

Fuel savings - Analysis of information from accounts/fuel receipts, mileage, routes taken, ensures best value

Driver behaviour – in-vehicle telemetry alerts to poor driving behaviour such as harsh breaking/acceleration, sharp cornering, driving without seatbelt etc, enabling training to be given to ensure safety is maintained

Better customer service – knowing the location of staff and resources means information can be given to customers on estimated time of delivery/arrival, helping to improve customer relations

For more information about how your organisation could benefit from a Location Platform approach please visit: www.telogis.co.uk