Let’s be honest. The level of inherent risk involved means that you need to do your due diligence before sending a fleet of vehicles out there. Should disaster strike on the road or elsewhere during a job, it’s your business and your reputation that is bound to suffer. This is precisely why pre-trip vehicle inspections are such an essential part of your day-to-day operation.
While it may be tempting to forgo this process in favor of simply boosting productivity, to do so just may make all the difference if something does go wrong out there. Still on the fence? Let’s introduce our secret weapon: fleet vehicle inspection software. There’s no better way to take your business into the modern age than to install a faster, more accessible way of delivering inspection reports.
Sure, pre-trip vehicle inspections may cut into your time and seemingly have an adverse effect on your business’s efficiency. However, maybe you’ve just been approaching this necessary part of your workflow the wrong way. After all, embarking on a constant search for improvement opportunities is a sure way to maximize your long-term chances of success.
In the case of how you manage your fleet, working smarter — and not harder, as the adage goes — can begin with streamlining your inspection process. Fleet vehicle inspection software is the easiest way to transform your business, lending a new level of performance that will undoubtedly result in better service and smoother operations across the board. Without further delay, let’s discuss exactly how Whip Around’s fleet vehicle inspection software can help.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE STATUS QUO
A pre-trip inspection is customary for anyone holding a commercial driver’s license. So we shouldn’t need to stress the level of detail that normally goes into the process. With all the safety steps and routine maintenance involved, performing such an inspection before each and every trip can become tedious for even the most seasoned driver.
Yet, the potential for something to go wrong exponentially increases whenever a given vehicle is put to work for long stretches of time or racks up a high level of mileage. So, in actuality, pre-trip inspections actually become more important over time, and this growing necessity only underscores the big-picture value in eliminating the headaches that so often accompany the tried-and-true way of conducting vehicle inspections.
The likelihood of a driver deciding to overlook or just skip an inspection for the sake of time is just not worth the possibility of an accident or other mishap.
But the reality is that the time it takes to thoroughly inspect a vehicle, fill out an inspection form and effectively communicate the results to a manager can have a profound effect on a driver’s ability to perform the job to the best of their ability. In the end, this leaves businesses like yours with one simple but critical question to face.
Forgo the pre-trip vehicle inspection — a highly dangerous move we strongly advise against — or find a new way of reaching the same thorough results as in the current process. Using vehicle inspection software certainly falls in the latter (and far safer) category, giving your business the opportunity to catch up with the changing times and ensure that the vehicle in question is ready for another day out on the road.
The only issue you may initially face is figuring out how your new software system functions. Thankfully, even this isn’t a problem with the right vehicle inspection tool at your disposal.
INTRODUCING VEHICLE INSPECTION SOFTWARE
So you’ve decided that a change is most definitely in order. But what exactly is vehicle inspection software, and how steep is the learning curve to implement it? Before we get to that second part, let’s address the first one. Fleet vehicle inspection software provides fleet managers and drivers with the cloud-based tool they need to complete and submit fully customizable inspection forms from anywhere and at anytime.
Fully digital daily vehicle inspection reports mean that you’re able to go paperless and stay more organized than ever. As it currently stands, drivers need to keep blank copies of standard inspection forms on hand at all times, and even then, they still have to be troubled with filling out each one every day, ensuring that they filled them out satisfactorily.
Moreover, they then need to keep track of these hard copies and remember to bring them back to the office when they return to check in with you, their manager.
Fleet vehicle inspection software removes the guesswork in filling out hard copies of those pesky inspection forms, saving both time and money as a result. It’s simply an easier way of doing things, and the fact that inspection forms can be customized so that only active fields are included only makes the process that much quicker.
Now it’s done in one fell swoop, as drivers are able to complete and submit streamlined forms in a fraction of the time. So your fleet will be more focused on the task at hand and less bogged down by the tedium of administrative requirements. The ability to keep your team’s attention on its performance is itself a major distinguishing factor, speaking volumes about the impact vehicle inspection software can have on your business.
With any routine task, simplicity is essential, and fleet vehicles inspection software like Whip Around centers entirely on its easy-to-use interface.
FORM A SMOOTHER PICTURE
Vehicle inspections aren’t only a wise business practice but one that is actually required by law. The Department of Transportation dictates that commercial vehicles complete a form each day. This requirement acts as a safety precaution on behalf of the driver and all others on the road, but in the event that accident or some other unfortunate circumstance befalls the vehicle, it also acts as evidence that your vehicle was inspected and in top condition beforehand, minimizing liability.
We’ve already discussed how fleet vehicle inspection software takes those tired old inspection forms and goes digital with them. However, more than merely creating an alternative to the usual mountains of paperwork, this new process instantaneously saves progress on each report. So no data is ever lost, and there’s no chance of a completed form becoming lost in the shuffle or getting misfiled back at your home office.
If the unthinkable does occur, your company and your driver will be able to access the inspection form for that day in a matter of moments. Thanks to the cloud-based system, you will be able to bid farewell to the paperwork you once dreaded having to file in the first place. Even better, you’ll be demonstrating to your clients, your drivers and your industry that you are able and eager to remain in compliance with your vehicle inspections.
As technology continues to play an ever-larger role in our everyday lives and companies are falling victim to hacks and scams seemingly at every turn, creating a sense of transparency and maintaining a detailed record of your business activity is becoming less of a luxury and more of an exercise in common sense. Implementing digital vehicle inspection reports into your operation is, in the end, an easy way to accomplish just that.
THE MAGIC OF MOBILITY
The internet is truly an amazing thing. Thanks to the worldwide web and the network it provides, we live in a decidedly global world. Anyone can work from any organization across the planet from any other place without any detriment or disadvantage to his or her work. All they need is a solid internet connection or phone signal through which data can be transmitted, and any member of your team can engage with you at a moment’s notice.
No longer do workers have to be limited by their location, and fewer industries need this flexibility as much as yours does. Your drivers are already on the road and constantly moving from place to place. Just filling out an inspection form seems like more trouble than it’s worth, but now Whip Around’s fleet vehicle inspection software streamlines that process and removes the trouble of having to manually turn in the inspection forms after the fact.
Instead, drivers can perform inspections, reports maintenance issues and make repairs with no issue whatsoever. Through the magic of these new digital forms, you can stay 100% in the know about what your drivers are up to and be able to review the updated file on each vehicle right away. For all the reasons we’ve outlined above and so much more, this system creates an autonomous relationship for each of your drivers, empowering them to take action when needed and allowing them to take ownership on what needs to be done.
Too often, employees are hesitant to take accountability for fear that something will blow up in their faces or that a misunderstanding will emerge down the chain of command. However, in this case, drivers can take pride in their work with full knowledge that their actions are making an immediate difference in the day-to-day performance of their duties.
A ROAD PAVED WITH BENEFITS
As if we haven’t touted the benefits of fleet vehicle inspection software enough, let’s take another moment or two to summarize the many ways in which a system like ours can transform your process.
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Save time: You’ll be able to trim away countless hours shuffling through needless paperwork, from completing overlong, over-complicated forms to filing them back in the office. Such an activity can really drag down your productivity. It is time for an upgrade.
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Liberate your location: It’s not exactly telecommuting — a trend that more and more companies are exploring each year — but for your fleet of vehicles, being able to complete, submit and update your digital inspection forms in the cloud is the closest you will experience to it.
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Speed it up: You and your drivers already have to face the doldrums of being on the road and the intense pressure of dealing with traffic, road construction and any of a million potential delays. But time remains, as always, of the essence. Now, with fleet vehicle inspection software, you can streamline your process so that you can move on to the next step.
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Enhance performance: When you are able to expedite your business processes, you’re not only afforded with a tremendous time savings, but you have the opportunity to reach new service levels that you never would have been able to achieve. Step up your performance now, and your company will be poised for more success going forward.
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Collect that data: Because the digital inspection forms house all the necessary data in one unified server in the cloud, you’ll be able to analyze data like never before. Create customized reports, and you never know what you’ll learn or what new opportunity for improvement you’ll uncover.
A COMPETITIVE EDGE
In today’s marketplace, you’ll need every advantage you can get. Don’t waste another moment clinging to antiquated business practices when your competitors are embracing a more streamlined approach. Vehicle inspection software can present you with the opportunity you need to keep your vehicles out in the field without sacrificing your managerial control or risking the safety of your drivers and the stability of your business.
This system will work wonders on your productivity, drastically cutting down on inspection times and keeping your drivers busier than ever before. In fact, you’ll probably wish that you had implemented fleet vehicle inspection software long ago, but don’t get too caught up in what might have been. Rather, focus on just how much better your business can be with this newfound resource in your corner.
The benefits we’ve discussed above should offer a compelling argument for why it’s worthwhile to consider introducing such a system into your existing business processes. Many options are already out there vying for your patronage, but with design and functionality specifically built with companies like yours in mind, we’re confident that Whip Around can not only meet your needs but exceed your expectations as well.
Time and again, our clients are wowed by the many ways in which fleet vehicle inspection software can revolutionize their previous process. Don’t struggle with your inspections when an easier way is just a few moments away. If you’re interested in learning more about how Whip Around works, check out our website for details on how you can get started now!
