Integrator GPS Vehicle Tracking Statistics and Success Examined

Published Dec 08, 2017 13:12 PM

GPS vehicle tracking is a growing but somewhat controversial topic. On the plus side, tracking may increases productivity by providing greater real-time information and accountability. On the negative side, tracking may offend or create distrust with employees being tracked.

But how is vehicle tracking used by security integrators? How many use it? How successful has it been? And how many oppose it?

150+ integrators told us whether they use GPS tracking and their reason for or against it. Inside, we report those results, including commentary on what they like and do not about it.

GPS ******** ***

 *********** **** ** *** *********** *** GPS ********:

 

Big ********* ******* *****

*******, *** *** ** *** ******** was ******* ** ****** ** ***** sized ************ *********, ********* ***** ********* having ******** ******** *** ***** ***** service ****.  ***** ***** **** *** or *** ******** ********* ** *** use ********, ** ********** ** *** stressed ******* ******** ***** ********** *** the ******* **** *** ** *** high ** ***** ******.

GPS ******* **********

*** ** *** ******* ******** ***** *** that *** ********* ******* *********** *********** to ******* *****, *** **** ************ companies **** ******* ********* ***** *** to **** ***** ******* ** ******* conditions:

  • "***. ** ***** **** ****. ** are **** ** **** **** **** techs *** ***** **** *** **** are, ****** *** ******* ********, ** we *** ******** **** ***********."
  • "** *** ** ** *********** *** our *********** **** *** ** ***** identify ***** ****** *** ** ** relation ** ******** ******* *****."
  • "** *** ** * **** ** has ****** **** **** ********** *** service *********** ********."
  • "** ***** *********** **** ***** *** service *********** *** *** *** ******* is ** *** ****. "
  • "** **, *** ******* *** ***** that **** ******* ***. ** *** been ***** *** ******* **** *********** and ****** **** ******** ** ***** they ******* ** **."
  • "***, ** ** **** ** **********/********** service ******* ***** **** ******** ** minimize ***** ******** *** ****."
  • "** *** ** ** **** ********* who ** *** ******* ********** *** a ******* ****. ** *** **** inform *** ******** **** *** ********** is (*) ***** **** *** ****** be ***** ** (*) ****** ** time."

Often ** ********** ****

******* ****** ********* ****** ******* ************ mentioned *** **** *** ********* ********** oversight ** ***********, ************ ******** ******, abused ***** *****, *** ********* ** long ******* ******* ******** ****:

  • "***, ** **. **** ********* ***** and **** **** ***********. ***** ** minutes *** ****,*** ***. **********. **************!"
  • "** *** *** ***** *********** *** efficient *** ** *** ****** **** they *** ***** **** ***** ** be. ***** ******."
  • "***** *** ******** ******* ***** *** service ***** ** ***** ******."
  • "** ***** **** *** ***** *********** and *** **** ****** ** ***** across **** *** ***** ** **** don't **** ** ** *****."
  • "***. **** ****. ****** ****** ******* of ******* *********** *** *********** ** bad ****** **** ** **** **** times, ***."
  • "***. ** *** ******* ****** **** for ******* ***** ********** *** **** the ***** ****** ** ** ***** location *** **-**** ***** ******. "

Biggest *********: ******** ******* ********

*******, ******* ********* ********** *** ** *** used ******* ** ******* ******* **** management. **** ********* *** ******** ****** to ****** *** *** ******* ******* of ******** **** *** ******** *** create:

  • "**. ** ***'* **** *** ******* it *****, *** **'* * **** way ** *******."
  • "** ***'* ***** *** **** ***** normal ************* **** *** *** **** it ***** **** *** **** *** culture ** ******* (*** *******, ***-********, etc.)."
  • "**** **** ** * ********** **** (auditing *****, **** ****, *********, ***.) the *** ******** ******* ********* **** people **** *** ****** **** ******."
  • "**, ** ***** *** *********"
  • "** *** ********* **** *** *** techs *** *********** *** *********......*** ******** and **** ********* *** **** ** Service ******* **** *** ******** *******."
  • "*******, ** *** ***** **** **** don't, **** *** ******* *******. ** you ***'* ***** *** ****, **** get **** *** *** *****."

Techs ******, *** ******

*** ***** ********* **** ***** ** that, **** ****, *** ******** ***** applies ** ***** *********** *** ******* staff, *** *** ***** **************** **** sales ** ********. ******* ********* ***** this ***** ******** *********** ******** ** 'techs':

  • "***, *** *** ****** **** ****. Do *** *** **** *** *****, thank ********...:)"
  • "*** ***** *** ***** ** ** and **** ***'* **** ***** **** when ** *** ****."
  • "************ **** **. *********** ******* *****."
  • "***** **** ** **** **** ** where ***** *** *** ******* ******* to ********* **** **** *** ******* late"
  • "* *** ********** *** *** *********** should **** *** ** ***** ** dispatching ******* ** * ****** **** but * ***'* *** *** ******* of ****** *********** *** **"
  • "** *** ******* ****** **** *** service ***** ********** *** **** *** techs ****** ** ** ***** ******** and **-**** ***** ******."

Commonly ****** *****, *** ******* *******

******* *********** **** ** ********* ** that '********' ***** ****** ** *********** and ******* ****** **** ** **** specifically ******* ** ********. ***** *** all ***** ********* ***** ******* ***********, if **** **, *** ******** *** is ***** **** ** *** *** added ******* ** ***** ********* ** the ******** ********** ** ***** ******* they *** *****:

  • "** ** *** *** ** **** it ********* ** ** ** *** cell ****** **/**** ******."
  • "***, ** *** ******* ****** ** manage *******/********** *** **** ** *** where *** ****** *** *******."
  • "* ***** *** ** ******** ** Phones, *** ********."
  • "*** ** **** ******* ***** ******** pushed **** ********** ******** ** ****."

Specific ******* ********

***** *** ************ ***** ** *** survey, * ****** ** ********* ******* up *** ******* ** ******* **** for ***** ********. *** ******* ***********, the ******** ****:

  • "** ***** ** **** ******* **** plugged **** *** ********** ***** *** had *********** ********. *** ******* ******** takes ********* ** *** ***** ******. We *** * ******* *******-******."
  • "** **************** ** ****** *******/********** *** **** to *** ***** *** ****** *** located"
  • "****************, * **** *** **** ********** to ******* *** ******* ** ********* the ****** *********"
  • "** ******** ****************** ** ****** **** ****. "
  • "**'** ******* ** ******** **** ************* ************ **** **** **** *********"
  • "** **********"
Comments (3)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Dec 08, 2017
  • "No, we trust our employees"

We used to trust our employees too. Unfortunately when we implemented GPS not for "Big Brother" purposes but to help increase productivity by dispatching faster. We found that our employees were idling on average 45 min per day. While this isn't necessarily dishonest it consumes a huge amount of fuel every year spread across the fleet. Many of our techs take their trucks home. We found that they would often use their trucks for picking up supplies at home deport for personal projects around the house. While wouldn't be a big deal in some areas of the country, where we are it's over an hour round trip. In fuel alone, we were spending over $1,000 each year in idling and personal trips per truck! Once we discovered this and explained to the techs how much it was costing the company they were understanding. If they need the truck for personal use we asked them to record the miles and pay for the fuel. Our most recent hire has been with us 5 years, some of our techs have been with us 15-30 years. We trust them and they trust us. However sometimes employees don't realize when they're doing something that costs the company credibility and money.

We also had an incident the other day where someone called and tried to blame our tech for driving like a crazy man and too fast down the highway. We get these calls all the time, sometimes they're truthful sometimes they're, GPS provides a way for us to verify a complaint. No need to write up an employee if they weren't speeding. 

(5)
MM
Michael Miller
Dec 08, 2017

We use the Verizon's Fleet Manager not the version that runs on the phones.  I find this very helpful to make sure the vehicles are serviced and inspected properly.  It plugs into the OBD2 port so we can track the mileage and automatically notify people when they need to get the trucks serviced and inspected. 

(2)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Dec 20, 2017

Big brother is watching.  This is just the beginning WAIT TILL INSURANCE COMPNIES CUT RATE IN RESPONSE.