Deloitte Analytics author Ashwin Patil recently talked about the incredible benefits of big data in the automotive sector. His article focused primarily on the applications of big data in auto manufacturing.
“At the same time, big data and analytics today offer previously unthinkable possibilities for tackling these and many other challenges automakers face. Our global team of automotive specialists has authored this collection of articles with the hopes of sharing what possibilities analytics offers your company and what you should consider when considering an analytics-driven initiative,” Patil and his colleague write.
However, there are plenty of other applications of big data after the manufacturing process is finished. Auto transport companies use data analytics in innovative ways as well.
How Data Analytics is Reshaping Auto Transport
When a business is being productive and efficient, there is a high likelihood that they are achieving success. The auto transport industry is becoming more efficient through the use of data and analytics that they are collecting from the physical business and their drivers. Did you know that companies using data are more likely to find hidden savings within the business structure?
Take a phone application that can be used for fleet management. These applications use data to compile information about the vehicle, the driver, and their route. The business manager can be alerted to inefficient habits, like idling or speeding, that can increase fuel consumption. This is one of the reasons we previously talked about the safety benefits of big data for automotive companies.
By nipping the poor driving habits, the business manager is likely to save hundreds in fuel each year. This is one of the reasons that insurance actuaries use big data to underwrite policies. These benefits can be shared with customers, offering lower rates than other companies providing the same services.
Auto transport industry businesses aren’t just using big data applications like this for their fleet drivers, but also incorporating applications in the office. The appeal of a contactless experience by eliminating paperwork is not a new notion within the industry. Some companies had already eliminated paper as a way to “go green” for the environment, which is arguably one of the biggest incentives to invest in more advanced data analytics initiatives. Using cloud-based applications that help keep contracts in digital format for easier access and less time fumbling through filing cabinets looking for specific documents.
If you have ever double booked an appointment time, you know that productivity applications within a business can help streamline efficiency. Data analytics applications are available and in use by auto transport industry businesses that help them keep track of:
- Driver mileage
- Payroll
- Scheduled transports
- Tasks in and out of the office
- Maintenance schedules
- And so much more!
Data and analytics are literally available in the palm of a business owner’s hand, allowing them more time in the field and less time behind a desk.
Maintaining a level of efficiency described above requires owners to be aware of what is going on within their fleet and business. Luckily, using data and analytics has helped the companies within the auto transport industry become more efficient, which has been relayed in their customer service.
When companies are working efficiently, the customer is the one who gains the most from the situation. When a customer wants to have an automobile transported, they do not want to deal with a company that does not use their data and analytics to improve their services.
What would happen if an auto transport company’s owner was not paying attention to fleet data? They dispatch a truck that is thousands of miles overdue for an oil change, only for the engine to quit in the middle of transport. Not only will the company have to pay for a new engine in that truck, but they will have to dispatch another truck (if one is available) to finish the delivery, and it may not be on-time. Late deliveries translate into unhappy customers.
Big Data is the Key to the Future of the Auto Transport Sector
If you own a company, auto transport industry or not, you can learn from data analytics applications like these. The key to being efficient within your business is to pay attention to what the numbers are telling you and taking actions that facilitate improvement.