Juggling multiple technology vendors can add complexity and costs to your business. Plus, if you only have a small team dedicated to vendor relationships, multiple contracts can spread your staff thin and minimize the impact of those partnerships.

A study from Pro Research found that 47% of businesses polled are managing more than 10 vendor relationships. 57% of these businesses said they were spending more time managing these relationships than just two years prior. 

In our latest blog series, we identify what has helped our customers achieve success. One major theme was centered around connecting and simplifying operations with a unified platform. With one unified platform, our customers have been able to streamline processes, create a common language among staff and stakeholders, and eliminate extra expenses. If you're curious how your fleet can benefit from a single unified platform, read on to learn four ways consolidating your telematics tools can help your fleet be more efficient and cost-effective.

1. Streamline data

Multiple technology systems can make it difficult to access information all in one place. And because data can be disconnected across different vendors, it can also be challenging to uncover new insights.

To maximize the power of all of your telematics tools, consider streamlining them within a unified platform that acts as a central hub for your entire organization. For example, with Samsara you can leverage the power of multiple telematics tools in a single dashboard, making it easy for any team—from dispatch to compliance, maintenance, safety, and more—to access key workflows. You can even use turnkey applications from Samsara’s growing App Marketplace or use the open API to integrate custom-built solutions to bring in data that best serves your unique business needs. 

ArcBest, one of the larger for-hire fleets in the United States, uses over 4,000 Samsara Vehicle Gateways and Dash Cams across their fleet. They also rely on custom-built tools, including an application designed to manage Hours of Service (HOS). To improve efficiency and increase the accuracy of their compliance data, ArcBest used Samsara to deploy 32 new API endpoints. By streamlining data from their in-house compliance tool with the Samsara platform, they decreased time spent managing unassigned HOS by 50%.

2. Minimize tools while maximizing functionality

Multiple vendors can mean a lot of toggling back and forth between different tools, depending on the task. This can make things complicated, especially when different tools don’t integrate. Because of this, you might also experience a lapse in functionality. But with Samsara, all your tools are in a unified platform, making it easier to collect, analyze, and act on that information. 

Before ambulance provider SeniorCare EMS partnered with Samsara, they were using one provider for GPS tracking, another to monitor safety with a dash cam system, and a third vendor for wireless data. 

When SeniorCare EMS switched to Samsara, they found they could consolidate all three vendors into one. Additionally, they were able to accomplish more with Samsara than they could with their other vendors. While their previous dash cam provider didn’t have the functionality to remotely upload dash cam footage, Samsara did. With Samsara AI Dash Cams, SeniorCare EMS can access dash cam footage in real time so they can proactively monitor and improve driver safety all with one system.

3. Simplify vendor management and communication

If you’re working with a large number of vendors, you might be managing several different relationships across each provider. This can make it challenging to invest time in growing these partnerships, and create missed opportunities to collaborate. 

That’s why Samsara is focused on developing strong partnerships with their customers. With one dedicated 24/7 support team and a strong feedback loop, customers can rest assured that they will receive timely assistance and even impact the product roadmap with their own suggestions.  <p>

Illinois-based food and beverage distributor KeHE Distributors has found Samsara to be a true partner, not just a vendor. In their time working with Samsara, KeHE has been impressed with the level of customer service they’ve received and the speed at which new features are released. “We’re happy to take the time to submit feedback and ideas because we have seen that it will translate into an update to the product we’ll use,” said Rodney Gamble, KeHE’s Executive Director of Transportation.

4. Reduce costs

Consolidating your telematics tools can also be cost-effective since a complex technology stack can lead to additional vendor and administrative costs. Using fewer vendors or finding a single vendor to cover your needs can ultimately lower prices and improve your bottom line. 

Georgia-based transportation company Wirks Moving & Storage opened for business in 2009 to help make moving as seamless as possible for their customers located across the state—from Powder Springs to Atlanta. In the decade since they started their business, they’ve facilitated over 10,000 moves. In 2018, Wirks Moving & Storage partnered with Samsara to help automate data collection across their fleet. By streamlining their data with Samsara’s unified platform, Wirks Moving & Storage was able to increase their annual revenue by $750,000.

Discover the benefits of vendor consolidation with Samsara

With Samsara, you can consolidate all your telematics tools into a unified platform so you can seamlessly switch between compliance, safety, maintenance, dispatch, and more. Plus, you can surface comprehensive data across all functions of your fleet for complete visibility into your operations. Samsara was also recently recognized by the international business community with accolades from the Stevie Awards for ‘Company of the Year’ and ‘Most Innovative Company of the Year.’

When broad line food distributor Cash-Wa Distributing was looking for a telematics solution, they considered eight different providers before ultimately selecting Samsara. A driving factor in their decision? The fact that Samsara could accomplish what would have otherwise required multiple vendors.

“Samsara provides the whole package—no other company could bring all the pieces we wanted together like this,” said Jim Hoss, Cash-Wa Distributing’s VP of Operations. “If it weren’t for Samsara, I’d probably have at least four vendors to cover all the things it’s doing for us. From GPS and temperature monitoring to driver safety, fuel savings, and Hours of Service, it just works.” 

We invite you to hear directly from our customers

We're excited to share more success stories from our customers over the next few weeks. Subscribe to our new blog series to get tips from the finalists and winners of the 2020 Samsara Top Fleet Awards, delivered right to your inbox.

Plus, we invite you to watch our on-demand webinar: Inside Look: Secrets from Top Fleets. This exclusive webinar gives you direct access to four of our most accomplished customers—ArcBest, GP Transco, Sprint Waste, and Athens-Clarke County—recent winners of the 2020 Top Fleet Awards. During the 90-minute webinar, leaders from these fleets share insider tips for leveraging Samsara to drive next-level efficiency and safety.

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