More than 80 per cent of fleet operators face false customer complaints

London, 11 July 2012
New research from TomTom has revealed 81 per cent of firms operating a vehicle fleet are regularly forced to deal with false or mistaken customer complaints.

Of all complaints faced by fleet operators, 40 per cent of respondents claimed those related to late deliveries or late arrival at a job cropped up most frequently. Invoice queries (31 per cent) and missed appointments (15 per cent) also proved to be common grievances.

Clearly, the efficient handling of customer complaints is a key concern for any business but it is concerning to see such a high proportion of fleet operators are being forced to regularly deal with erroneous disputes said Giles Margerison, Director UK & Ireland TomTom Business Solutions.

In such situations, the onus of proof often falls on the business and the visibility gained from a fleet management system allows companies to check the validity of these claims and provide customers with the necessary evidenc.

Fleet management technology allows firms to prove exactly when their employees arrived and departed a job, automatically generate accurate invoices and better manage workflow and job dispatch

A further 42 per cent of firms have encountered false claims, such as bogus motor insurance claims, against their drivers while out on the road according to the research.

By monitoring driver behaviour and logging specific driving events, such as speeding or harsh steering and braking, fleet management technology can provide crucial evidence in the case of incidents on the road added Giles.

The associated improvements in driving style can help to reduce the number of motoring claims encountered by a fleet operator. In turn, businesses can benefit from an improved risk profile and reduced insurance premiums

An example of how this technology has been applied to benefit customers is TomTom customer Telent Rail. By implementing TomTom's systems, Telent was able to reduce the time taken to allocate jobs by 80 per cent, from 75 minutes to 15 minutes, exceeding strict customer SLAs and boosting customer satisfaction levels.

Click here for advice from TomTom Business Solutions' UK Director Giles Margerison on how fleet management technology can help companies meet customer service level agreements and win new business.