Indesit teams with Trimble for fleet management and driver safety capability

Trimble has announced that Indesit, the European manufacturer and distributor of major domestic appliances, will implement Trimble's GeoManager Fleet Management and Driver Safety solutions.

Deployed across its UK fleet, the technologies and ongoing support from Trimble will enable Indesit to deliver on its primary objectives of promoting a safe driving culture while improving fuel efficiency and overall Return-on-Investment across the business.

Trimble GeoManager Fleet Management will provide Indesit with real-time visibility into its day-to-day fleet operations, which will support the company in identifying, managing and improving key areas such as fuel efficiency, vehicle utilisation and maintenance planning. In addition, with the availability of real-time status information, communication with customers and drivers about service call timing can be improved.

Trimble Driver Safety has also been installed to enable Indesit to review driving behaviour across its fleet. Improvements in driving style and speed can not only help reduce accidents and vehicle downtime, but they can also lead to further reductions in fuel consumption.

"Previously we did not use technology to help manage our fleet or measure the effectiveness of our drivers," said Alistair Dobson, Service Operations Director at Indesit. "In an initial pilot study with Trimble, improvements in fuel efficiency were realised across the fleet with an increase in miles per gallon of over 18 per cent. This improvement was due to a reduction in vehicle idling and RPM as well as an increase in more efficient driving across the fleet, indicated by improved Driver Safety scores. Going forward, we expect to replicate these results and achieve further benefits through our ongoing relationship with Trimble to effectively manage the UK fleet."

"Ongoing support and post-installation consultation is essential and Trimble will also be offering professional services support," said John Cameron, general manager of Trimble Field Service Management. "We are pleased to be working with Indesit to help improve the driving safety of their employees. With the assistance of a third-party risk management partner, we will work with the drivers to identify methods and techniques to improve their driving style and MPG output while reducing their risk profile."

Indesit will also be incorporating in-vehicle diagnostics across the fleet so real-time data can be drawn directly from the vehicle. Diagnostics information includes fault codes and alerts about engine difficulties before they become a major problem and obtaining real-time data on fuel consumption so exact fuel use can be monitored. This helps to identify where fuel is being wasted on poorly performing vehicles. By efficiently managing its vehicles through vehicle diagnostics, Indesit can better preserve its assets, extend vehicle life and increase productivity through lowering the risk of mechanical failure.