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Here are 5 steps every successful business should take to improve the customer experience

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1.  Make a Positive First Impression:  First impressions are lasting impressions. If your business makes a positive first impression on a customer, they are more likely to give repeat business and refer you to colleagues and friends.
2.  Provide Quick Response Times:  Customers don’t like to be kept waiting. It’s important that your employees arrive on schedule and complete jobs in a timely manner.
3. Carry Out Your Promise:  If you provide your customer with an ETA, make sure it’s accurate. Not only that, but make sure the job you said you would do, gets done. It’s better to under promise and over deliver.
4. Do it Right the First Time:  Carelessness and mistakes can really hurt your business. Make sure the job is done right the first time, so you can avoid
customer complaints and lost business.
5.  Listen to Your Customers:  Your customers want to feel appreciated. It’s important to engage with and listen to your customers. You can even
create a loyalty program where you provide customers with special offers
or discounts. This will show that you value your customers.
Boston Global Tracking helps businesses deliver better customer service through tele-matics.  For more information go to www.BostonGlobalTracking.com

 

 

Protecting Your Fleet And Equipment From Theft

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One of the best chances you have of recovering your stolen vehicle or equipment is if it is fitted with a GPS tracker

If  your vehicle is stolen it can be much more than just a simple inconvenience; it can have much bigger implications. Firstly, the cost of replacing your truck or van is something everyone could do without. Even if you are covered for theft under your  insurance, you will still have to fork out the excess. Your  insurance premiums are also likely to go up once you make a claim for a stolen vehicle. The loss of your vehicle can also lead to you to miss important jobs or cost extra amounts of money in rentals!

Tens of thousands of businesses have vehicles and equipment stolen every year and the sad truth is, if your vehicle is stolen you are very unlikely to ever see it again. Thieves are constantly looking for new and more inventive ways to steal your vehicle and equipment with one of the most recent being breaking into a place of business specifically to get the keys to your your vehicles and equipment.

Vehicle GPS trackers

One of the best chances you have of recovering your stolen vehicle is if it is fitted with a GPS tracker. Vehicle GPS trackers transmit up to the minute location data allowing your vehicle to be tracked if it is stolen. This information can allow the police to track down your vehicle in the hope of returning it to you, the rightful owner.

There are many different types of vehicle GPS trackers available on the market, many of which can be installed discreetly and remain covert in the hope that they would go unnoticed by a car thief. You can even get GPS trackers that are so slim they can be fitted to sit behind the number plate. The more covert a GPS tracker, the less likely it is to be spotted and removed from the vehicle, rendering its tracking data useless.

You can purchase vehicle GPS trackers which can either be wired to your car’s power supply.  Even if a wired GPS tracker is disconnected from the power supply, by a thief who wrongly assumes this will turn it off, a good GPS tracker will also have backup lithium batteries to ensure it still emits tracking data.

Tracking your stolen vehicle

Many vehicle GPS trackers can be linked to an app so you can see in real time the exact location of your vehicle. This can be vital for the police to recover your stolen vehicle and make the difference between getting your vehicle back and never seeing it again. GPS tracker apps also store tracking information so that if your GPS tracker is discovered and removed, you will still be able to see the last known location of your vehicle which can give police a head start in tracking it down.

If your vehicle is stolen in the middle of the night you may not realize it has been taken until hours later. This gives the thief plenty of time to get as far away as possible, making them much harder to find. One big benefit of having a GPS tracker on your vehicle is that you can set it up to alert you should your vehicle leave a pre-set designated area. For example, you may set a geo-fence around your property using your tracking app and if your vehicle is moved out of that area then you will be notified immediately. The quicker you know a crime has been committed then the quicker action can be taken and the more likely it is that your vehicle will be recovered

GPS TRACKERS are priceless when it comes to recovering a stolen vehicle. Whether it is your personal car or for your fleet of company vans, GPS trackers can drastically increase your chances of getting a stolen vehicle recovered.  Special trackers are available for heavy duty equipment and trailers.  These trackers have long life batteries and are weatherproof.

Additional advantages to a high quality tracking system are: alerts to poor driving behavior, maintenance alerts, and IFTA reporting (mileage by state).

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GPS Tracking Can Help Lower Insurance Costs

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There are many cost saving benefits to having a GPS fleet tracking solution. While you can save substantially by cutting down on wasted fuel and labor, you can also reduce the amount of money your company is spending on insurance premiums.

Many insurance companies recognize that when a company installs a GPS fleet tracking system, it means that they are serious about reducing risk. After implementing GPS fleet tracking software you are able to keep a close eye on driver behavior, locate stolen vehicles, and ensure that your trucks are safe by staying on top of regular maintenance.

 

Insurance Discount

Insurance companies are committed to good driving behavior and ensuring safety on the road. Implementing GPS fleet tracking will show them that you are committed as well. Most insurance carriers will recognize companies who apply a GPS fleet tracking solution to their fleet and will give them up to a 15%  insurance discount.

Simply install a GPS fleet tracking device with a sufficient number of your vehicles, and start saving on your premiums. You can find a range of potential discounts from insurance providers such as Liberty Mutual, Travelers, Zurich North America and The Hartford.

 

How GPS Fleet Tracking Helps

The application of a GPS fleet tracking system will result in a significant decrease of hazardous driving behaviors. GPS fleet tracking provides you with instantaneous alerts to your cell phone and email that will notify you when one of your drivers is speeding or driving erratically. This will help you to stay on top of unsafe driving habits and to cut down the number of accidents and citations your fleet encounters.

With real-time tracking, you no longer have to wonder where your vehicles are. If one of your vehicles becomes lost or is stolen, GPS  fleet tracking gives you immediate insight into your vehicles location. Retrieving your stolen vehicles quickly gives you a better probability to also recover expensive assets that you may have on-board the vehicle.

GPS fleet tracking will also help you to keep an eye on when your vehicles having upcoming or overdue maintenance requirements. These friendly reminders will tell you or your drivers when a vehicle is ready for an oil change or tire rotation, to help prevent any dangerous situations on the roadway.

Call Boston Global Tracking to get more information on how you can start tracking your fleet today.

Making a Case for Asset Tracking

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You just went out and made a huge investment: brand new trailer and Bobcat.  Now imagine finding out your Bobcat and its trailer has gone missing. It was there on Friday now its gone on Monday. This equipment is worth well over $100,000 altogether, causing instant panic.  This is where asset tracking comes into play.  By tracking you significantly increase your chances of recovering your stolen assets instead of having to replace them.  No downtime, no insurance hassles.  Another huge factor is unauthorized use of equipment.  With asset tracking owners can now monitor equipment and be notified if it is being used without authorization.

Asset tracking is one of the additional features that a full featured GPS tracking company can provide for your business.  When choosing a company make sure that you have the ability not only to track your vehicles but assets as well.  The ability to expand, easily create reports and local service are factors to consider.  Not all companies are the same.  Choose one with good history and a local presence to provide your service.

For more information about asset tracking and all types of tracking needs contact Boston Global Tracking, www.bostonglobaltracking.com 508-341-5115.  Ask for Robert

 

5 trends that are sparking a renewed interest in GPS for commercial vehicles.

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How a GPS Tracking System Overcomes Common Challenge.

More and more companies are turning to GPS for commercial vehicles. They need to know exactly where their fleet is at any moment of the day. But what is driving their decision to implement a commercial GPS tracking system? We have identified 5 trends.

#1 – The Need to Prolong the Life of Vehicles and Equipment.

What is one of the most expensive aspects of your business? Your fleet of vehicles and equipment. Which means, as a business owner, you want to get the most out of each piece of equipment before replacing. Vehicle tracking systems are one way to do that. With these installed, you receive real-time data on things like usage hours, driving habits and more. You can better manage your vehicle and equipment life cycle to determine whether it’s time to invest in new ones.  The ability to create maintenance reports and reminders enhance the system.

#2 – The Need to Improve Worker Safety

Another one of your biggest assets is your people. The company must ensure that employees are operating equipment and vehicles properly at all times. With a GPS tracking system, you can monitor for things like excessive speeding and reckless operating habits. You can then act on these insights to prevent any harm to your people. Or to your expensive equipment. Additionally, many companies have an emergency button installed which enables instant location information when an issue arises.

#3 – The Upcoming ELD Mandate and IFTA Reporting

Beginning on 12/18/17, a new electronic logging device mandate takes effect. Companies will be required by law to log driving time and hours of service (HOS) electronically. Many companies are trying to stay ahead of the curve, and install the electronic logs, or Elogs as they’re often called, sooner rather than later.  The benefit of these systems includes a lower crash rate, and less time and manpower spent completing paperwork.  Electronically recording mileage by state saves time and money for IFTA reporting, no waiting for drivers logs or inaccuracies.

#4 – The Need for Better Theft Protection

Unfortunately, your equipment is a target for theft. In a recent Dewalt study, over 50% of those surveyed responded that they have experienced equipment theft in the last 12 months. Asset tracking can prevent this. Tracking devices can be installed on both non-motorized and motorized equipment. They then send out specific signals on specific frequencies. Non-motorized units usually send a signal at least one time per day. If you notice something wrong, this frequency can be increased to better serve your current situation. Motorized equipment send signals every 30 seconds, allowing for real-time location information.

#5 – The Need to Cut Costs to Save Money

As a business owner, you’re always trying to save money and cut costs. GPS for commercial vehicles can do exactly that. First, it allows you to reduce fuel usage. By understanding things like acceleration, harsh braking, idling and routes better you can increase your fleet’s fuel efficiency. Additionally, many times it will lead to lower insurance rates due to a decrease in accidents and the additional theft protection provided by asset tracking.

Ultimately, commercial vehicle GPS will help maintain your vehicles and equipment safely and efficiently. It arms you with the data and insights you need to optimize usage – there’s no need to ask, you know. If you’d like to learn more, consider signing up for a demo of Boston Global Tracking. Let us show you how to take your fleet to the next level.

2016 Section 179 Expiring Soon – Act Now to Save!

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As the year is quickly coming to an end it is time to think about how your taxes will be affected for the year.  One thing many businesses consider is purchasing new equipment.

If you are considering acquiring equipment in the near future or are a supplier looking to save your customers money, Section 179 impacts you!

As part of the IRS Tax Code, Section 179 allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of certain assets financed or leased and put into service during the tax year. Accelerating depreciation rather than spreading the deduction over the item’s useful life provides a larger tax deduction come tax time. With a $500,000 maximum deduction available, you could keep a lot more money in your pocket.

Additionally, since Section 179 covers new and used equipment or software, you can get the equipment you need now, take the full tax benefit now, and spread your expense over a multi-year financing term, thus significantly reducing your true cost of ownership.

Equipment could be things like new vans or trucks, tools, heavy duty equipment and even a GPS tracking system to help manage your business.

It is important to contact your tax advisor before making a purchase to make sure you qualify and what impact a substantial purchase would have on your taxes.

For more details go to the following website:

http://www.section179.org/

 

Why GPS Tracking Is Not Just For Location Anymore.

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Everyone knows that GPS tracking is beneficial to locate vehicles but today’s tracking is much more.  A good tracking system should include additional items at no extra cost.

  1. Easy to Use Interface: How easy is it to use.  Cumbersome interfaces and difficulty finding the information you need can be frustrating drawbacks to inferior or cheaper systems.
  2. Reliability: Is the system reliable?  Using the best available components makes for a better system.
  3. Maintenance: Set up alerts for maintenance reminders such as oil changes, tire rotations etc..
  4. Location Alerts: The ability to alert the user when a vehicle leaves or enters a per-designated area.
  5. Speed Alerts: Alert user on speeding and other types irresponsible driving.
  6. Reports: Easy to configure reports and save as PDF or excel spreadsheets.  Reports should be able to be sent automatically on a pre-determined date; daily, weekly or monthly.
  7. Closest Vehicle: For multiple vehicles the ability to locate a vehicle closest to an address.  Great for businesses that do emergency calls.
  8. Smart Phone App: Most systems that work well on a laptop or computer do not translate well to smart phones or tablets. A system that has an app designed to work on a smartphone or tablet is a great advantage.
  9. Mileage Report: Reporting for IFTA or tax purposes.

Additional items that should be available at an extra cost could include:

  1. Garmin integration: the ability for managers to communicate and set routes to drivers navigation device.
  2. PTO: For those using PTO’s the ability to monitor use.
  3. Asset Tracking: tracking motorized as well as non-motorized assets.  These typically would be at a lower cost.

When reviewing options it is always important to review what you are getting and what you are paying.

“Price without quality is never a bargain”

For more information on GPS Tracking and the benefits available go to: www.bostonglobaltracking.com

Boston Global Tracking is a local American owned business with a national presence serving any business with vehicles on the road. Fleets From 1 to 1,000’s.

oston Global Tracking Announces New Mobile Apps Available For Apple and Android Devices

Boston Global Tracking Announces New Mobile Apps Available For Apple and Android Devices

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Boston Global Tracking has now available mobile apps for all of our customers at no additional charge.  Our IT team has spent over 6 months creating an app that will deliver the information you need most for your phone or tablet.

Please email me a request to activate this new feature on your account.  robert@bostonglobaltracking.com Instructions on use and how to download the application will follow.  Again, there is no charge for this new feature but you do need to send me a request for activation

EPA information on Idling

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Below is information on Idling from the EPA website:

Idling

 

Photo of a truck

 

 

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SmartWay Transport

 

The SmartWay Transport Partnership is a voluntary collaboration between EPA and the freight industry to conserve fuel, reduce emissions, and improve transportation supply chain efficiency. SmartWay “makes the business case” for how companies shipping products, and the carriers that move those products, can improve their environmental profile while saving money and time.

 

Companies join the SmartWay Transport Partnership for a 3 year period, and begin by analyzing the efficiency of their operations using SmartWay software. EPA helps partners set individualized goals and select the right strategies to achieve them. Fleets choose from a wide variety of strategies to minimize idle time, reduce rolling resistance, improve aerodynamics, refine logistics and train drivers. Shippers participate by increasing the proportion of their product carried by the most efficient SmartWay carrier partners, choosing the most efficient modes, and improving freight logistics. Partners benchmark their operations, track their savings, and report yearly to EPA. Partners’ SmartWay scores can qualify them to use the logo and receive other forms of recognition, including awards.

 

SmartWay partners now number close to 3000, including most of the biggest trucking companies and most visible shippers.  But SmartWay is not only for huge companies—many smaller carriers and regionally-known shippers participate.  SmartWay fact sheets and case studies showcase successful fuel-saving strategies.  EPA is working with other countries to develop compatible freight efficiency programs that will enable international shippers to streamline their entire supply chain.  SmartWay also specs fuel-efficient truck and trailer models, verifies fuel-saving technology, and sets up financing programs.

 

EPA New England is active in SmartWay, supporting existing partners, signing on new partners, and promoting efficient freight technologies, strategies and infrastructure.  Four NE-based SmartWay partners have received regional Environmental Merit Awards.  For more information, see the SmartWay website or contact Abby Swaine (swaine.abby@epa.gov or 617-918-1841) at EPA New England.

 

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Idling Enforcement

 

All six New England states have anti-idling regulations. The Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island regulations are part of state implementation plans. State regulations that are part of state implementation plans are federally enforceable. This means that EPA, as well as the State, has the authority to enforce these laws. EPA has taken enforcement action against fleets in Connecticut, Massachusetts and RI for alleged violations of the anti-idling regulations in those states. The press page of this site contains specific information about these actions.

 

For additional information go to the EPA website:

http://www.epa.gov/region1/eco/diesel/idling.html#idling

Robert Drucker, owner of Boston Global Tracking, writes and shares information of interest to fleet owners.  Contact Robert at 508 341 5115 or robert@BostonGlobalTracking.com

 

Overcoming Resistance to New Policies and Technology.

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Anytime managers or owners implement new policies there is bound to be resistance from some employees.  This is no more evident when a company implements GPS tracking and telematics to their fleet.  Learning how to implement vehicle monitoring systems in a positive way can help managers avoid pushback from drivers.

Known Benefits of Telematics Push Fleet Managers to Implement Systems

It’s the benefits of telematics and GPS technology that often pushes fleet managers to add systems in spite of resistance. Outside of the obvious benefit of GPS technology, one of the most important benefits is monitoring driver behavior. Not only does this improve fuel efficiency, but it also provides proof against false claims made against drivers involved in crashes.

Strategies to Reduce Resistance

Fleet managers are quick to see the benefits of telematics, but drivers don’t always respond positively to these systems. In one study published  , nearly 43 percent of fleet managers surveyed stated they had a “significant amount” of resistance when implementing telematics systems into their fleets, with another 35.7 percent reporting at least a “little” resistance. In other words, the majority of fleets surveyed had resistance of some sort.

So what can a fleet manager do to implement this valuable system without this resistance? While avoiding all resistance may not be possible, it can be limited with the right approach when implementing telematics, electronic tracking technology, or other vehicle monitoring systems.

Having a policy that clearly states the purpose and use of the system or technology as well as driver responsibility can help communicate the company’s expectations better. The company/agency should have each potential driver acknowledge that they have no expectation of privacy regarding the information gathered through the use of this technology.  The City of Napa circulates a policy to all their potential drivers to inform them of the purpose and use of the technology. The policy also addresses tampering with the hardware.

Using the system as a positive as well as a negative can also help. Using the system to reward drivers who had the least number of offenses, and posting the weekly driver report in a common area, helps create a positive peer pressure about driver safety and fuel efficiency. This created changes without much intervention from management.

Today’s drivers have a lot to keep track of, and any tool that helps them do so more safely is welcome once it is understood.  Once drivers realize that the systems are going to improve overall safety, while also potentially earning them rewards for positive behaviors, they are often more willing to embrace telematics.

In the end, the approach needs to be one of coaching, not reprimanding. While there is often some driver turnover when implementing a system, the end result, which is more efficient and attentive drivers, creates a positive environment for all members of the fleet.

 

Robert Drucker, Owner of Boston Global Tracking, often writes about issues facing owners and managers with fleets of vehicles.  His expertise is highly regarded in the industry and provides his insight and knowledge to help business owners better manage their fleet.