A survey from the RAC this week highlighted the distractions being faced by motorists on our roads – 39% said they were distracted by things like changing CDs, warning lights on the dashboard, fiddling with sat navs and using mobile phones.

This is the latest in a number of surveys that have looked at the distractions drivers have before them.

For companies with a mobile workforce, drivers should be made aware of the dangers of such distractions, but things can be done to help minimise the dangers. Good vehicle tracking – rather than using a basic sat nav system is one way to stay safer. With much of the control coming from head office, together with automatic data collection and reporting, the need to ‘fiddle’ with the sat nav is largely removed.

Not only this, but V-SOL offers a full hands free solution (with total voice control) that can replace a mobile phone, with the benefit that its simple operation means there is no display to distract the driver. It can even answer for you while on the move and also be programmed to only allow outgoing calls when the vehicle is stationery.

Safety is just one of the benefits of effective vehicle tracking – why not find out about some of the others and how they could support your business?

The latest 2p per litre increase in fuel duty by the Government is adding to the burden of many businesses that have a mobile workforce. In addition to working in a challenging economic environment, they now have to cope with further increases in fuel prices – not good news.

But more efficient management of vehicle operations can off-set these rising costs – it’s all about getting the most out of your vehicle tracking.

The latest tracking systems allow companies to monitor fuel usage; control and re-direct vehicles in the field to minimise fuel wastage; plan collections to maximise operational efficiency; and with accurate reporting even challenge issues such as speeding fines – all things that can significantly help with cost control in the current market.

If you already have tracking technology now’s the time to find out how your system can help improve your expenditure. If you’re not tracking your vehicles, take a look at the systems available, but make sure you get the full picture of what control is available and the accuracy of reports delivered – read more about it here.

Intel and Microsoft are preparing for the launch of the latest Windows software – Windows 7, with one of the biggest new features being a touchscreen interface, which is aimed to improve efficiency, performance and usability.

V-SOL’s vehicle tracking system already incorporates a touchscreen interface and we have seen how its simplicity and ease of use has made a very positive impact on the functionality of the system.

With all the benefits that vehicle tracking can offer a company, it is important that the operating system is designed to be as simple as possible in order to make sure that all users feel happy and confident in using it to get the most out of the product.

Whether or not your business will be investing in the new Windows 7 software, the benefits of touchscreen technology are worth exploring, so if you’d like to discuss this in more detail, please get in touch.

Traditionally August is a quiet month – Politicians are on summer recess, schools are on holiday, and many of us in business take a well-earned break.

But in the current climate can we really afford to take our foot off the gas?  While everyone needs time to recharge their batteries, business cannot afford to stand still.

There is no doubt that things are quieter this month – decision makers are away, and it will be September before things start to really move again – but that shouldn’t stop you from planning for the coming months to help put your company in a stronger position.

For starters if you have a mobile workforce take a look at your tracking system and the reporting technology it offers.  This can provide an invaluable insight into the operational performance of your organisation, revealing where savings can be made, how to improve customer service, and details about your workforce.

Speak to your tracking provider for more details, but use any quiet time you have to do some digging into the data – you should be able to get easy to use reports anyway – and you may find new opportunities to improve your performance and save costs come the autumn.

In the current economic climate every business is trying to cut costs and make savings where possible, but with the telematics industry now seeing vehicle tracking available for as little as £0.25 a day, we are in danger of de-valuing the service we offer.

Vehicle tracking can allow companies to make major improvements to their operations, generating substantial cost savings and boosting performance – yet still companies are being led to believe that they can pay less than £2 a week for the service.  At this level the real benefits of the technology won’t ever be seen – no company can get a comprehensive service that will improve their operational performance for this level of investment.

GPS tracking technology is constantly evolving and in order to keep our products up to date with these advancements and maintain the highest levels of service, we must make sure that businesses recognise the true value of what a quality vehicle tracking system can deliver.

These low-pricing structures may be helping companies manage costs in the short term, but they are not sustainable and in the long-term can only lead to a far weakened telematics industry.