November 2002

Ryko International, a leading vehicle wash manufacturer, says it has reduced communications costs between office and mobile technicians significantly by installing Thales Telematics' Orchid fleet management solution.

The Orchid system has enabled Ryko to eliminate around 50 per cent of its outbound office phone calls by using an SMS messaging service instead, reducing communication costs by over £100 a month.

Previously the company had to use phone calls to find out where technicians were, and sometimes they claimed they had not received important messages. The Orchid service is said to have ensured that they really do get important messages, as well as allowing them to acknowledge receipt immediately.

Ryko says it has also benefited from the real-time and historical information the system provides about the whereabouts of its vehicles, while improved fleet visibility has allowed it to give customers better information about estimated arrival times.