April/May 2007

When vehicle operators cite customer satisfaction as a reason for fitting tracking and telematics systems, there's sometimes more than more good intentions behind it.

One user, Bristol-based transport operator Prompt Transport, can cite an instance where tracking saved one of its customers £2,000.

The incident arose when there was a closure on the M6 motorway, which meant one of its vehicles had to divert to another route, and arrived late at the delivery point.

The third-party company for which Prompt's customer was shipping goods disputed the fact that there had been a closure - a position which could have had financial implications all round. 'They suggested we were at fault because we left late,' says transport manager David Ott.

 

However, happily for Prompt, it was using the Supatrak telematics system from CMS, which can produce a historic 'snail trail' record of past vehicle journeys. 'The facility quickly resolved the issue by indicating where the vehicle was and at what time,' Ott says. 'Producing this simple report diffused the situation and ultimately saved our customer £2,000.'