Verizon Connect GPS Fleet Tracking Helps Concrete Coring Company Beat Economic Recession

The impact of the economic recession continues to affect businesses throughout the country. Companies continue to look for any way possible to reduce expenditures in order to remain viable. Like many businesses in Dallas, Texas, Concrete Coring Company was feeling the impact of the hard economic times. Competition became intense as work for concrete sawing and drilling services dwindled.

Instead of taking drastic measures that may have hurt the company in the long term, Concrete Coring decided to reduce its costs by installing the Verizon Connect GPS fleet tracking solution on its 12 fleet vehicles.

Hidden Cost Reductions

Julie Hestand, General Manager of Concrete Coring Company, found that Verizon Connect could help her reduce costs by improving efficiencies and accurately tracking the amount of time spent on a job site for proper billing.

With Verizon Connect's Live Map, dispatchers can more effectively route field techs. In addition, dispatchers can use the system to give clients an accurate arrival time without having to distract drivers with a phone call.

"Our dispatch department can easily see where everyone is," said Ms. Hestand. "They can easily schedule in an emergency job and assign it to the closest tech."

While not initially a huge priority for Concrete Coring, the company saw the most savings come from reduced payroll. Verizon Connect's solution includes a variety of management reports, including the Hours Worked Report, to help businesses maintain a tight control on costs. The Hours Worked Report provides information on the actual number of hours a vehicle is in operation with start times, finish times, hours worked, days worked, average daily hours and weekly totals. Using this report, Ms. Hestand stopped significant cost leakage.

"We knew some of our guys were fudging time cards, but not to the high degree that a few were," said Ms. Hestand. "The amount of payroll we have saved using Verizon Connect for one guy would equal half of what we spend per month on the program."

Recovering Stolen Vehicles

Unlike many other truck tracking systems, Verizon Connect uses precise mapping by Google Maps API and provides the minute-by-minute location of every fleet vehicle. This allows the user to know the exact location of every vehicle 24/7. This not only helps improve routing and fleet management, it provides an extra measure of security against vehicle theft.

"One of our trucks was recently stolen and our dispatcher was able to use Verizon Connect to give the police a live report of where the thief was driving," said Ms. Hestand. "Five police agencies became involved as the thief crossed through several suburbs."

"Of course, we got our truck back and the thief was arrested," added Ms. Hestand. "That was one of the biggest benefits of having Verizon Connect!"

Saving Money With Verizon Connect

The Verizon Connect GPS Tracking System also includes a variety of other features to help reduce costs. Speeding alerts notify users when vehicles exceed a preset speed. Maintaining proper speed is essential in reducing fuel usage. Verizon Connect GPS also tracks idling times. When a vehicle excessively idles, it unproductively wastes fuel and time.

Verizon Connect also allows management to track unauthorized vehicle journeys and "scenic" routing. By ensuring drivers use vehicles only for work purposes and take the most direct routes possible, businesses can save significantly on fuel and maintenance costs.

"Sometime you have to spend money to save money," said Ms. Hestand. "We are huge fans of Verizon Connect here!"