During the current pandemic, being able to function and communicate in the digital world took on a whole new level of importance for the road transport industry, and Aquarius IT recently conducted research with its ClockWatcher Elite customers to understand if, and how, the software’s suite of digital fleet management solutions had helped them control and monitor their compliance requirements over the last nine months.
The survey revealed that more than two-thirds of operators agreed that working digitally (vs. paper) had helped them manage their compliance responsibilities more easily during the pandemic, with more than half highlighting that ClockWatcher is helping to manage infringement signings more efficiently.
Respondents also cited that being able to manage Walkaround Checks, Defect Reporting and Time & Attendance digitally also helped, as compared to traditional paper systems.
Mark Johnston, Aquarius IT’s Customer Service Director, said: “Our 20-years plus proposition of offering operators an integrated end-to-end paperless solution for managing, with ease and without administrative-burden, all areas of compliance relating to vehicles and drivers, has taken on even more prevalence through the pandemic – as the survey shows.”
“Generally, too, the survey confirms that managing driver compliance is the number one reason for operators turning to digital. However, it also shows there is still a 50:50 split for using digital versus paper when managing responsibilities around vehicle maintenance and inspection. It is evident that electronic solutions are the preferred choice, and the way forward in this new digital working world we find ourselves in. This provides us at Aquarius IT an opportunity to focus our efforts on making sure operators are maximising the facilities of the software they are using on a daily basis.”
“It gives us the opportunity, for example, with our new Asset Maintenance portal, which uniquely integrates with ClockWatcher’s tacho analysis system and driver defect App, to be able to take the lead and provide operators with an all-encompassing, integrated solution, so they can fully benefit from using digital solutions for managing both driver and vehicle compliance on one platform,” confirmed Mark.
One ClockWatcher Elite customer in particular who used the software’s full range of digital management solutions through the pandemic is Ashley Holland, FreshLinc’s Commercial Manager.
He said: “Our logistics operation during the first lockdown to supply temperature controlled fresh, chilled and horticultural products, was gigantic, but with ClockWatcher Elite we had the technology in place to ensure compliance and communication efficiencies across the organisation. This was especially important as many of the office staff were working from home – from the commercial to the logistics and accounts teams, and we needed to make sure no ‘paperwork’ got lost in the manic-ness of the moment.”
“By managing everything digitally through ClockWatcher Elite – from infringement signings, accident reporting, walkaround checks, defect reporting, clandestine checks, drivers’ manifests and timesheets for payroll – means our operations team are able to control and monitor the whole group’s compliance requirements remotely. For example, ClockWatcher Elite is proving crucial in terms of managing time and attendance for driving force of 800+ drivers. There is no paperwork to lose, because all driver and vehicle information is seamlessly processed digitally and available for our managers and accounts team to action at the touch of a button,” confirmed Ashley.
The Aquarius IT team will be hosting a free new webinar with Commercial Motor on Wednesday 9th December to discuss this subject of ‘Electronic Paperless Solutions’ further – and the guest speaker is Ashley who will be sharing his own experience of using digital generally and through the pandemic. Register to attend here
