Deryk Powell, president of Velociti Inc., points out that, “One reason there are a growing number of aftermarket technologies being deployed by trucking operations today is that on-board communications, telematics, tracking, fuel saving and safety systems and facility-based management solutions, can deliver transformational benefits to transportation organizations. At the same time, leveraging IT solutions to streamline and manage technology deployment projects can lead to cost savings, improved productivity and a faster return on investment.”
He goes on to say, that effective project management employs IT resources that provide total visibility into every element of the deployment and its support, and there are several potential failure points with technology projects that an IT management solution can help avoid.
While a focus on hardware and software is necessary, too little consideration is often given to developing a detailed project plan for managing how that will be shipped, configured, installed and tested.
Technology deployment project management is often approached by naming a point person and using simple spreadsheets to track progress. But those tools can be inadequate for capturing asset and serial numbers, as well as installation and implementation activity.
“IT systems provide a means of communication so everyone involved is informed of schedules and plans, and can access installation guidelines and reference materials, as well as updates when changes occur,” Powell notes. “Additionally, they provide an electronic trail for verification, and a means of inventory management for high value technologies.”
A web-based management portal for managing technology deployment and support services can provide instant access to all aspects of a project. It can track and manage activity for specific products, locations, dates or vehicles and include notes, logs and digital photos, all in real time through live reports and dashboards.
Another consideration for fleets deploying aftermarket technologies is that their return-on-investment is nearly always tied to the project’s completion. In other words, the time needed to deploy a technology has a major effect on the financial results of the investment. With many fleets facing technician shortages, a challenge that is compounded by the need for staff that is trained to maintain and repair more complex vehicle systems, using internal resources for even a simple installation can impact shop productivity.
“Using IT solutions for technology project management can help ensure the success of a deployment,” Powell contends. “Fleets that are already incredibly sophisticated in their use of transportation management tools can use IT resources for technology projects to provide complete transparency, and have a positive effect by generating a much faster return on investment.”
