Is GPS vehicle tracking the same as ‘Big Brother’?
When people ask me about my business, I say, “My company offers GPS vehicle tracking systems.” Your answer lets me know if you are an employee or a business owner.
The first words out of an employee’s mouth are: “Sounds like ‘Big Brother’ to me.” Oh no, not ‘Big Brother!’ Visions of mind-controlled drones slaving away and speeding away come to mind.
‘Older brother?’ What’s wrong with a company controlling their vehicles? Or make sure your employees do what they are paid to do? Who owns these vehicles, anyway? Does the owner have the right to know how they are used?
Now don’t get me wrong. I believe employees should be trusted and treated like adults. But, if you’ve ever driven a rental vehicle differently than the car you own, then you understand how an employee can mistreat a company vehicle.
Take the speeding employee, for example. Employees who drive too fast waste your gas, wear out your vehicle prematurely, and sooner or later drive up your insurance rates.
A GPS vehicle tracking system can alert you when someone exceeds your preset speed limit. It’s your vehicle, your fuel, and your insurance premium; a tracking system helps you regain control of them.
Who uses your vehicles after hours and on weekends? Is an employee using their vehicle to work under the moonlight? Is he using your gas to move his brother-in-law to a new apartment? You will know if you install a GPS vehicle tracking device in your vehicles.
How are overtime claims verified? Maybe you can verify that the job was done, but when? With a GPS tracking system, you can match a vehicle’s location to the time of day it was there.
Have you ever been tempted to take an extended lunch hour? Think your employees might be tempted, especially if they’re out of sight of the boss? A GPS tracking system records how long each vehicle stays in one place; use it to keep them honest.
Another benefit of GPS vehicle tracking systems: You’ll never have to make a phone call to find out where your employees are again; you can simply look at the map displayed on your computer screen. Plus, its GPS tracking system will remind you when it’s time to rotate your tires, change your oil, or perform other scheduled maintenance. And, many insurance companies offer discounts of up to 30% for vehicles protected with GPS tracking systems.
The employee also benefits when his company vehicle is equipped with a GPS vehicle tracking system.
- Handwritten driver logs are replaced with data from the tracking system.
- Using the information from the gps tracking system, the productivity of each employee can be quantified and compared; an employee’s performance can be measured more objectively.
- Your dispatcher can look at a computer screen and locate all your vehicles immediately.
Customers also benefit from GPS vehicle tracking systems. Businesses can provide accurate arrival or delivery estimates, since the estimate is based on the actual location of the vehicle equipped with the tracking device at the time they call. If a customer asks when your employee arrived or left, prove it to them using data from your tracking system.
Do you still think that GPS tracking systems are ‘Big Brother’ tools? I guess it depends on your point of view.
The concept of ‘Big Brother’ never comes up with business owners. The business owner will say, “How will tracking my vehicles help my business make more money?” They want to know what GPS vehicle tracking can do for them.
Are GPS vehicle tracking systems the ‘Big Brother’? You tell me.