Small fleet, big results: how Richelieu Hardware improved deliveries with Geotab

At Richelieu Hardware, a hardware distributor in Ottawa, Ontario, just two vehicles, a five-ton truck and an 18-wheeler, carried the company's entire delivery operation. But small fleet management didn't mean simple operation.

Customers kept calling to ask the same question: where's my delivery, and when will it arrive? Chenier didn't have a good answer. His drivers, without GPS, sometimes got lost on the way. And from his desk, he had no visibility about where a truck was, how long it had been stopped, or why a delivery was running late. 

Every one of those blind spots chipped away at the level of service Chenier wanted Richelieu Hardware to be known for, and capped how many deliveries the company could realistically take on in a day.

Improving customer service with Geotab

Chenier decided the fix wasn't a bigger fleet, it was better visibility into the one he had. 

Richelieu Hardware installed Geotab telematics, with the rollout handled by a local Geotab partner. The install itself, Chenier says, was smooth, and on the rare occasion something needed troubleshooting, it was sorted out within a day or two.

For his drivers, not much changed day to day, they simply had GPS guidance built into the vehicle now, along with a way to communicate directly through the device. But for Chenier, everything changed. He could finally see where every truck was, in real time, at any moment.

key results for small fleet management

With better small fleet management, the operation achieved results that exceeded initial expectations:

• More deliveries: with real stop-time data in hand, Richelieu could fit in more deliveries per day
• Real-time driver tracking: no more guessing where a truck was or why it hadn't checked in
• Lower fuel and maintenance costs: better routing meant drivers got to the right place the first time
• Confident substitute drivers: when someone filled in for a driver on vacation, built-in GPS meant they never had to learn a new route on the fly
• Faster response between stops: custom zoning for each customer sharpened how quickly Richelieu could move from one location to the next
• Safer driving: speed warnings made drivers more conscious of their driving, something customers noticed too
• A tax season surprise: automatic International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) calculation, a feature Chenier wasn't even looking for, turned out to be one of the most useful

"Not only are we able to track drivers at all times, but with improved stop-time information, we also are able to increase our amount of deliveries." — Benoit Chenier, Fleet Manager

What four years with Geotab looks like

Installing telematics was the way Richelieu Hardware could achieve the level of customer service it wanted to provide. After four years with the system, Chenier says his customers are more satisfied with prompt deliveries. Not only is he able to track drivers at all times, but with improved stop-time information, he is also able to increase the company’s number of deliveries.

Additionally, with the ability to direct drivers to the right place the first time, the company has saved on fuel and fleet maintenance management costs.

Geotab also benefited Richelieu in unexpected ways, Chenier points out. Certain features such as the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) calculation, speed warnings and customer zoning were additional bonuses that he wasn’t anticipating, but have helped the company interact with clients better. By creating zones for each customer, Richelieu is able to quicken its response time from one place to another. Vehicle speed warnings also make drivers more aware of their driving, and customers appreciate that awareness.
 

Chenier explains how simple it has been working with Geotab. With a smooth installation process and a local company who handles troubleshooting, he says problems are handled within a day or two, making issues easy to solve.

As for driver usage of the devices, Chenier says that the only difference for them is that now they have GPS fleet management to help guide them. And being able to communicate through the devices is extremely helpful as well. He notes that Geotab gets the job done, provides peace of mind and overall savings that will benefit the company.

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