Fleet managers have access to more information than ever before, but collecting data is only valuable when it helps an organisation make better decisions.
For DingGo Co-Founder and Chief DingGo, Shaun Janks, one of the most useful questions a fleet manager can ask is not simply “What is our performance?” but “How does our performance compare?”
DingGo’s digital accident management platform captures information across the vehicle repair process, allowing fleets to examine metrics including repair costs, downtime, incident trends, repairer performance and driver behaviour.
But Janks said the real value comes when those numbers are used to create benchmarks.
“We started transforming more than just the data, but the ‘so what’ with the data,” Janks said.
“How does my fleet compare to other fleets? How do my drivers compare? How do my vehicle damages compare? Is there anywhere we need to improve?”
It is a shift from reporting what happened to using information to determine what should happen next.
Establishing a baseline
Before benchmarking can begin, fleets need to understand their current position.
Janks said DingGo had encountered organisations that did not have a complete picture of their total accident and repair expenditure because information was spread across insurers, repairers, replacement vehicles and other parts of the process.
For those organisations, establishing a baseline becomes the first step. From there, managers can measure whether changes are improving outcomes.
“By having those benchmarks and using the data to give those benchmarks, we could actually give tangible insights to fleets for where they need to improve,” Janks said.
That might mean reducing costs, improving driver safety or shortening the amount of time vehicles spend off the road. It can also challenge assumptions that have developed over many years.
When a good supplier relationship still needs to be measured
Janks gave the example of fleets with longstanding repairer relationships.
A fleet may have used the same repairers for years, be happy with their workmanship and believe the prices being charged are competitive. But without testing the market, there may be no evidence to support that assumption.
“We’ve always used repairer A and B. We’ve had great relations with them. They do great work for us. Why would we go elsewhere?” Janks said, describing a common conversation.
The answer isn’t necessarily to abandon existing suppliers. Instead, DingGo can use its digital platform to introduce other repairers into the allocation process, allowing the fleet to compare prices and performance.
Janks said the results could be significant.
“In many cases, it wasn’t uncommon to see a 20% reduction in repair costs almost instantly from just creating a bit of competitive tension,” he said.
Importantly, he said this wasn’t about automatically replacing trusted suppliers.
“It was just about holding them accountable to say, we now know what things cost,” Janks said. “We love you. We love your work. You just need to now keep with the times of pricing and costing.”
For fleet managers, the example highlights an important part of continuous improvement: established practices should still be measured.
Data encourages better questions
Janks said some of the strongest results come from fleet managers who actively use the information available and continually ask new questions.
“I love the fleet managers that jump on the tools,” he said.
DingGo develops its software in-house, which means feedback from customers can also influence new functionality.
A fleet manager might identify a new metric they want to track or ask for greater visibility of supplier performance.
Janks said engaged customers have asked questions including which insurers approve claims faster, while others focus heavily on reducing vehicle downtime.
“The more they use the data, the more they push us, and then the better their performances get,” he said. “We see a lot of improvements across the board — reduction in incidents, reduction in repair costs.”
That curiosity is an important characteristic of mature fleet management.
Instead of assuming a process is performing well because it has always been done a particular way, data gives managers an opportunity to test it.
Recognising continuous improvement
DingGo is a sponsor of the Fleet News Group Awards, and the themes raised by Janks closely reflect the behaviours the awards program aims to recognise.
Fleet excellence does not necessarily come from one major project or technology implementation.
It can come from establishing a baseline, measuring performance, comparing results, challenging existing practices and then repeating the process.
Janks said DingGo has the opportunity to see fleet managers using technology and information to continually push their organisations forward.
“They’re pushing our software to its limits, and they’re pushing their businesses to limits of excellence,” he said.
For other fleet managers, benchmarking provides an opportunity to do the same. The important question may no longer be simply whether your fleet is improving. It is whether you know how you compare with the best.
