You are now at that step where you have decided vehicle tracking is a good thing.  Already, you know the benefits the system can offer you.  You know productivity will increase, operational costs will decrease, and your customer service will improve.  The question remaining is how to purchase a vehicle tracking system?  Which system is right for you?  What options exist out there?  As you probably already know there are two different systems out there.  There are lone worker devices and vehicle tracking that is attached to the vehicle.

The first choice is deciding what type of tracking works best for you, and then researching the companies that offer vehicle tracking devices.  You will need to get the right information about the system and the company you are looking at.  It may be a good idea to research two or three companies for the following aspects.  In this way you are able to determine what system has what you need, as well as which one is more cost effective.

  • Research the providers.  How long has the provider been in business?  Does the company have a good reputation for supplying high quality products?  Are they going to help you with the daily running of the system or will you need to?  If you are in charge is the system easy to use and can you keep vehicle downtimes to a minimum for installation and maintenance? 
  • The first area to look at after researching the company is the operational requirements of your business.  What services do you need with your vehicle tracking system?  Do you want alerts, real time data, emergency assistance, access anywhere in the world?  The more features you need with your system the more expensive it may be.
  • This is when you start narrowing down what key features you really want.  Once you know what you would like you have to rate them for most important.  At this time you can begin to look at systems that meet your minimum requirements versus those with everything you want to have.
  • The comparison will tell you which systems are within your budget.  You will need to figure out your budget.  How much does your company have to spend right now?  Can the company afford a better vehicle tracking with more features or are the minimised systems better? 
  • Financial stability is not just about your company.  The supplier of the system has to be stable also.  If you lease the system for 3 to 5 years you want to know the company will last that long.  Even if you buy the system outright you want to make sure if you need assistance or maintenance on the system that the supplier will be there to help.  Ask to do a credit check on the company.

If you do purchase the system upfront with the hardware and software, make sure you are okay with the commitment.  There could be monthly fees for assistance and maintenance in addition to the upfront costs.