Money is tight for small businesses and large fleets alike. Labor is one of the costliest expenses the average business has. When you believe your fleet drivers may be “going fishing” or taking care of other personal business on the company dime, it’s important to act definitively to end that behavior quickly.

Below are a few steps you can take within your organization to effectively end drivers napping, going fishing, or taking care of other personal errands on your clock and in your vehicles.

Establish Policies Discouraging this Behavior

If you haven’t spelled this out in employee handbooks before, now is the time to address the matter. Create clear and concise policies about drivers taking care of personal business during work hours (and in work vehicles) and establish a clear series of consequences for drivers caught breaking the rules.

While you might not find the first offense actionable, subsequent offenses need escalating responses and employees need to know what those consequences may be. Spell it out for them.

Then you must educate employees about the new policies, and consequences, you’ve put into place. It’s not enough to simply include them in the handbook. Most employees don’t read them anyway. Though it still needs to be there if it now company policy.

Finally, make sure employees sign off acknowledging that they understand the new policies and will abide by them. Also, include the consequences of failure to comply in the documents employees sign related to the matter.

Install GPS Fleet Tracking on All Fleet Vehicles

Drivers know that out of sight often means out of mind. This means that when you’re not following up directly, or along for the ride, you have little knowledge of what’s going on.

GPS fleet tracking allows you to monitor driver behaviors and routes as if you were in the vehicle with them. You can do the following:

• Elect to receive notifications instantly via email or text message when drivers deviate from their routes.
• Print daily reports concerning how much time each driver spends at each location. Identify which drivers are getting the job done and which drivers may be dragging their feet.
• See which drivers are heading for favorite fishing holes and how much time they’re spending there.
• Identify after-hours use of company vehicles and equipment.

Employees taking advantage of operating out of immediate oversight could be costing your fleet operation plenty. The actions mentioned above can help you identify offenders and take appropriate action.

If you’re suspecting that your employees may be “fishing” on the job, consider LiveViewGPS fleet tracking solutions. Call us now at 1-888-544-0494 for a free demo. Ask us about our Drive Trac Employee Tracker App as well.

GPS tracking is changing how the world works in many ways. While many people understand the benefits GPS tracking has to offer trucking fleets that travel across the country and on various routes through major cities, what you may not realize is that it can help busy golf course managers provide better service to their patrons and track their equipment more effortlessly.

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Commercial mowers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some landscaping business owners invest in several different varieties of commercial mowers to meet the wide range of needs your customers have. You may have a stable of commercial mowers that includes:

• Commercial walk-behind mowers.
• Front mowers and wide area-mowers.
• Zero-turn mowers.
• Stand-on mowers.

Even among these different styles of mowers, there are differences in deck size, horsepower, quality, blade speeds, and brand that all factor into even greater varieties in price. No matter what you paid for your commercial mowers, it is important to protect that investment in numerous ways.

GPS equipment tracking is the perfect tool to help you do just that – in numerous ways. These are just a few of the top ways you can use GPS tracking to protect your investment in your mowers and the best interests of your business.

Reduce Insurance Costs

Insurance companies like it when consumers do their part to reduce risks. GPS tracking allows you to track your mowers, if they are stolen, in real time ensuring their prompt recovery and providing evidence in court to prosecute the thieves.

Track Route Progress

GPS tracking is a highly useful tool for your business that does double duty by offering protection from theft of your equipment. Once you assign routes for the day, you can track the progress by using the GPS on your mowers and other equipment. Not only will you have a good idea of how fast your crews are working, but also gain valuable insight on the feasibility of tackling new clients or taking on more work.

Provide Proof of Performance

In today’s age of contentious billing practices, GPS provides invaluable data that tells customers that your equipment was taken to their property, but also helps to determine the amount of time (and use) equipment had on their property. This is irrefutable evidence when it comes to billing and can help to generate goodwill with your customers.

Encourage Employees to Stay On Task and On Target

Employees often find it tempting to stray and take unscheduled breaks or take care of personal business while working on your clock and using up your fuel. GPS tracking for your mowers and equipment effectively ends all this. Using GPS can effectively reduce the following:

• Fuel costs.
• Labor costs.
• Off book use of your equipment.

If you aren’t using GPS tracking for your mowers today, the big question is what’s kept you away so long and when shall you begin?  Call us at 1-888-544-0494 here at LiveViewGPS to learn more.