As the landscape of fleet expense management and payment systems continues to evolve, a notable portion still remains dependent on manual input from drivers. This is especially true for smaller or older systems that have not integrated advanced technologies. In these cases, drivers are typically responsible for entering in data regarding fuel purchases, maintenance costs, tolls, and other expenses.
While this approach can have its merits, it is not without significant challenges, such as data inaccuracies, potential fraud, and delayed reporting. Moreover, adding the responsibility of manual data entry introduces another layer of potential errors, such as drivers entering PIN numbers or odometer readings incorrectly.
To address these issues, we’re sharing five innovative strategies to keep drivers driving—and out of manual data entry—so you can create happier drivers that are focused on enhancing the customer experience while enhancing your fleet management efficiency.
1. Provide robust controls
Introducing robust spending controls is crucial to keeping drivers focused on the road and away from manual data entry. This approach doesn’t just streamline fleet management—by setting clear limits on allowable expenses and approved locations for spending, businesses can tightly control costs and deter fraud. Fleet managers now have insight and can mitigate instances of ‘friendly fraud,’ a type of fraud that arises from legitimate transactions, such as when employees use fleet cards for unauthorized purchases, like filling their personal vehicle under the guise of a malfunctioning card at the pump.
To combat these challenges, check whether your fleet management system provides an efficient anti-fraud solution that doesn’t require the operational burden of constant monitoring. This is a significant advantage over fleet card programs. Car IQ’s technology, for example, authenticates and verifies each transaction, allowing you to set smart controls so you can rest easy knowing you’re fueling your fleet vehicles and not someone else’s.
2. Provide wide merchant coverage
After introducing robust controls, the next step to keep drivers driving is to provide merchant flexibility. By expanding your reach in merchant acceptance, your fleet can refuel easily and efficiently, no matter where the job takes them. Now, in situations where the cloud isn’t available, Car IQ is accepted at every location that supports Tap to Pay, providing a completely digital and card-free solution with universal coverage.
3. Implement advanced telematics
Incorporating telematics is a crucial component to freeing your drivers from the burden of manual data entry. This cutting-edge technology provides real-time visibility for optimizing fleet utilization, all without requiring drivers to manually track odometer readings or fuel expenses. As a result, fleet managers can easily validate and report on key metrics while optimizing routes, cutting downtime, and ensuring maximum fleet utilization.
4. Replace cards with payments that use real-time vehicle data
The next step to keep drivers focused on the road is layering a payment platform that leverages real-time vehicle data so they can forget about the hassles of PIN numbers, long lines, and uncooperative credit card readers. With telematics-integrated like with Car IQ, drivers can simply pull up to the pump, fuel up, and have their expenses recorded automatically into one single ledger. Meanwhile, fleet managers have a precise record of when, where, and how a vehicle was used, allowing them to easily identify unauthorized usage or charges.
5. Elevate the App Experience
If your drivers use a mobile app as part of the fleet management process, it’s important to ensure that it’s designed with the driver’s needs in mind and not just another distraction. For example, the Car IQ Pay app connects the vehicle to the driver’s mobile wallet, enabling effortless pump unlocking and payment through a simple tap on their mobile device. The app not only helps drivers find fueling stations with optimal pricing but also transforms regular stops into quick pit stops by allowing them to directly navigate within the app.
Drive Your Fleet into the Future
Managing your fleet doesn’t have to be a headache. Our platform streamlines reporting and eradicates the need for time-consuming back-office reconciliation enhancing operational efficiency like never before. By using vehicle data to connect directly to the merchant, Car IQ eliminates the need to give every driver a credit card.
Interested? Let’s start a conversion today.
