How to choose fleet maintenance software

Keeping a fleet of construction vehicles or other heavy equipment up and running at their best can be a huge challenge. If your fleet has grown from just a few vehicles to dozens or more, it's time to look at purchasing fleet maintenance software.

There are several benefits to fleet maintenance software:

• Save money. By staying on top of all preventative maintenance (PM) activities, you'll reduce costly downtime and extend the lifespan of your vehicles.
• Improve workflow. Fleet maintenance systems often include integrated work order or trouble ticket features to track the status of each problem or repair request.
• Increase understanding. In-depth reporting features let you get a snapshot of your fleet's overall health, how much vehicles cost to operate, and what's due for replacement.

The upside is there – if you get the right software for your needs. Whether it's referred to as commercial maintenance management software (CMMS), enterprise asset management (EAM), or preventative maintenance (PM) software, fleet maintenance software helps keep your vehicles on the road.

One distinction to be aware of is between maintenance software and fleet tracking software. Fleet tracking software uses GPS to monitor and record the travels of your vehicles and improve usage – but it doesn't handle maintenance scheduling. If you need tracking, we can help you find GPS fleet tracking vendors in your area.

Evaluating fleet maintenance software
It's easy to get overwhelmed by extensive feature lists and flashy demos. Before you start talking to providers, make sure you have a solid idea of what's most important to you:

• The right-sized package. One of the first points you should discuss with potential vendors is the size of your current fleet and your plans for expansion. If you're managing 40 or 50 vehicles, don't waste your money on an enterprise-grade system designed to support fleets of thousands of vehicles and dozens or hundreds of technicians.
• Ease of use. The best way to compare fleet maintenance software on ease of use is to try it yourself. Go through all the basic steps required to enter a ticket, create reports, and add new equipment – are the steps intuitive? Is help available?
• Reporting. There are two considerations here: first, make sure the standard reports provide all the basic information you need. Then find out how easy it is to customize the reports to your liking.
• ASP or in-house. Smaller companies, or those with few in-house IT resources, may be better off choosing an application service provider (ASP) that takes care of running the servers and software. Running the software in-house can provide lower TCO but requires more from your IT staff.

Choosing a fleet maintenance software dealer
Make sure you spend some time evaluating the software publisher or dealer in addition to the software itself. You'll want to choose a company that will be around for years to come to support the software and continue to upgrade it – so look for a dealer with longevity and a proven commitment to the fleet management business.

The best way to make sure you work with a high-quality vendor it to use BuyerZone's free request for quotes service. You just provide some basic information on your needs, and we'll connect you with up to six specially-selected vendors that can provide the best system for you.  Try it today!