Bundles of Joy: Why You Should Consider a Hardware-as-a-Service Model for Your In-Cab Technology

Phones, tablets, wearables - regardless of your preferred personal smart device, you likely manage your hardware and data costs for a single monthly price.  Wouldn’t it be nice if the world of fleet management technology worked the same way?

Fortunately, this concept is gaining traction in the transportation technology space, with solution providers increasingly turning to a “hardware-as-a-service” model to bundle the costs of an in-cab device and associated software into a single monthly price.

The concept of “hardware as a service” is the latest extension of a growing trend of considering everything as a service. You may already be familiar with some of these concepts, including  SaaS (Software as a Service) and PaaS (Platform as a Service) ‒ each of which are cloud computing models used to provide a range of software and other applications.

With this basic understanding in mind, you might be thinking: “why should I consider this concept as part of my technology strategy?” Regardless of what kind or size of fleet you operate, adopting a bundled model for your fleet management solutions can empower you to:

1. Get Rid of Upfront Costs and Streamline the Buying Process

From displays, vehicle gateways and other associated telematics equipment, implementing a new fleet management solution traditionally comes with a lot of upfront capital costs.

Fortunately, fleet management bundles remove all of these burdens by working hardware costs into the single monthly price. For you and your fleet, this means a quicker return on investment (ROI), allowing you to begin realizing the benefits of your new fleet management technology without the need to pay for it all upfront.

Another hassle of the traditional pricing model is potential confusion about ensuring you select the right solutions for your specific business needs. How do you know if you are choosing enough solutions to make a noticeable impact on your fleet’s performance and efficiency? What about choosing too many solutions that don’t necessarily apply to your operational objectives?

Another advantage to the bundled approach is that many fleet management providers structure their solutions into different tiers. By distilling these options into easy to understand bundles, you can be confident in choosing everything you need to maximize your safety and productivity ‒ and nothing that you don’t.

2. Gain Access to the Future of Fleet Management Technology

The benefits of bundled fleet management technology aren’t limited solely to the buying process. They are also readily apparent as platforms (and your business) advance.

Just like the technology in our personal lives, fleet management solutions have evolved rapidly in the last decade. This fast-paced movement can be daunting, particularly when it comes to selecting new hardware. How do you ensure that the solutions you select today won’t be considered outdated or obsolete as newer technologies are introduced?

Fleet management bundles can ease that worry by allowing you to continuously upgrade your equipment as technology advances. This includes giving you the predictability of new equipment each term to ensure you always have the latest solutions in your fleet.

Your business isn’t the same as it was five years ago and your business five years from now will likely be different than it is today. Shouldn’t your fleet management platform keep pace?

3. Set Yourself Up for Continued Success

While choosing the right solutions is an important step, it is not the final one to ensure you make the most of your new fleet management solutions. Implementing new technology can be a big change for all aspects of your business, including your drivers and back office personnel.

It is crucial that your new platform is properly set up to work within your operations, which is why many fleet management bundles include some level of implementation services to help get this new technology properly added to your stack.

This time can be used for items such as setting up integrations to transportation management systems or asset maintenance platforms to optimize workflows and position all parts of your business for continued success. Some bundles may also include tiered support options, so that you can provide your drivers and users with dedicated support as they use these new tools on the job.

Discover How Trimble’s Fleet Management Bundles Can Advance Your Performance

While the concept of “everything as a service” might not be new, applying it to the world of fleet management can help you move your business forward and ensure you have the right mix of technology both today and in the years to come.

At Trimble, we offer a wide range of fleet management bundles, each designed to help fleets like yours reach new levels of efficiency and performance.

Are you ready to experience the power of “hardware as a service” in your business? Find out more about how we can help you take the guesswork out of fleet management and accelerate your technology ROI today.

Trimble Transportation is connecting and scaling the global transportation supply chain to empower all stakeholders ‒ including carriers, shippers and intermediaries ‒ to improve resource utilization and maximize freight coverage at the best possible value. Trimble’s extensive portfolio includes transportation management, navigation and routing, fleet mobility, maintenance and visibility solutions, each enabling customers to enhance collaboration and connectivity throughout the journey. For more information about Trimble Transportation, visit:  transportation.trimble.com.