Fleet Domain’s online Fleet Management Information System (FMIS) is reducing operating costs and improving safety for leading South African logistics firms. Jai Kalyan, Managing Director, FleetDomain, a subsidiary of the Argility Technology Group, says Fleet Domain’s FMIS offers an impressive value proposition to the market due to the affordable pricing. Moreover, local customers are reporting rapid ROI on the system.

“When fleets are managed more effectively, the risk is reduced and operational savings as high as 15% can be achieved,” said Kalyan.
“This is significant when you consider that a fleet of 100 passenger vehicles, LDVs and panel vans can cost around R24 million a year to operate.” Benefits achieved by effectively managing the fleet and influencing driver behaviour can be as high as a 28% increase in driver compliance and 50% decrease in accidents; while savings possible by better management of delivery routes, reduced speeding and harsh braking can be as high as 30% on accidents and 15% on fines and downtime.

Fleet Domain Fleet Management Information System

The comprehensive Fleet Domain FMIS system enables fleet owners to efficiently manage operations, multiple service providers, drivers and vehicles through a single integrated platform, thereby reducing operating costs and improving safety. Featuring a full suite of integrated modules, FMIS delivers all the information needed, in a self-service, easy-to-use and seamless environment.

The system simplifies fleet administration, mitigating fraud risk and helping fleet owners make informed decisions about the running of the fleet, with modules including driving licences and PrDPs, vehicle licences, COFs and permits, fuel management, maintenance management – including servicing; repairs and warranties; fines management compliant with the new AARTO legislation; accidents; trip logging; inspections; acquisitions; disposals and reporting.

The solution also consolidates and enhances information from existing services and solutions such as fuel cards, tracking devices and onboard computers, and automatically flags exceptions according to parameters set by the fleet owner. The constantly updated manufacturer information on vehicle specifications and costs, together with per vehicle reporting on consumption, workshop maintenance history and total cost of ownership, is a strong drawcard for fleet owners and dealerships. This allows for manufacturer comparison and informed decision making on purchasing and selling for the fleet, thereby maximising fleet cost efficiencies.

Ongoing Product Enhancements

Kalyan notes that product enhancements are ongoing with the goal of simplifying fleet management processes.
“Our most recent updates include the use of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and scanning modules, which have streamlined and expedited driver take-on by using technology to scan in drivers’ licences, ID documents and vehicle registration discs,” said Kalyan.

“Another recent addition is that of an Inspection Sheet with related photographic evidence and comments allowing for tracking and resolution of fleet maintenance actions. “Additional to its multiple features, FleetDomain meets the needs of local fleet owners by offering one of the most unique, flexible and powerful security systems available today, with the advantage of no capital outlay. Users simply need an internet connection, and a login name and password to run the application.”

SourceIntelligent CIO

We get to know Tanya Long, the Chief Operating Officer at Argility, to see what makes her tick…

What would you describe as your most memorable achievement?

While there are many projects that stand out for me as having a positive impact, I would say my most memorable achievement is the leadership roles to which I have been appointed to in my career. When I commenced working in the technology world, there were very few women in management roles. In my youth I was driven towards success and thought that I had to show up and compete with my male colleagues in their ‘game’ to get a seat at the table. I wore pin striped suits and tried to do things better on what was considered the norm for a tech leader. This honestly caused stress, as being something that you are not takes excess energy. There came a point in time, where close to burnout, I realised that regardless of the levels of success, if you compromise yourself trying to be something that you’re not, then the journey is meaningless. I re-evaluated my life, owned my femininity, and decided to become a leader who brings all of these strengths to the role – even if they were not outlined in the traditional job description – and structured my work to have time for my family and passions. I much prefer the leader that I am today and I’m sure my colleagues also do, by being true to myself, showing vulnerability and compassion and knowing that just because you’re wearing a floral dress doesn’t signify that you don’t expect results.

What first made you think of a career in technology?

My father. He knew a guy, who knew a guy who was doing ‘great’ things in computers. So I did what any teenage girl would do, I rebelled and went backpacking. During this time I did temp work overseas, and got thrown a job where I had to work on a Wang PC. It frustrated me so much, that I signed up for a course to master it and loved it, that as soon as I arrived home I sent myself on a programming and networking course. Needless to say, there were many Christmas lunches that contained a few ‘I told you so’s’.

What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position?

I am for servant leadership and a coaching or motivational management style. Ultimately as a manager and leader it is about people and how passionate, engaged and effective they are. If you believe in peoples’ greatness, empower them to be the best versions of themselves possible and hold them to that capability – you can truly call yourself a leader.

What do you think is the current hot technology talking point?

In our world it is customer experience, Internet of Things (IoT) and data science. The technology world is so competitive that a successful organisation needs to focus on bringing extra value to the customer, to simplify their lives. There is a lot of talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT but also a slight hesitancy to embrace these innovations which I believe is purely due to not knowing where and how to start, and whom to partner with.

How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office?

I call them my 2 W’s. Walking my hounds and writing are my best stress busters. A couple of years ago after reading Julia Cameron’s The Artists Way, I started writing morning pages first thing, a gratitude diary at night and then a weekly blog, which have been useful tools to help make sense of things.

If you could go back and change one career decision what would it be?

To not hold on so long to something that’s not working. Over the years, there have been some stressful situations where I thought, ‘If I just tried this, or tried that’, I could solve this. The result is that I held onto certain things too long. I worked in a role that despite the challenges sapped my energy and for a few years made me completely unhappy. Eventually I had the courage to resign and in spite of the initial fear, I have never looked back. These days it is not that I give up; I have just learned to respect myself enough to know when to walk away.

What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry?

Cloud tools and architecture; advanced analytics, inclusive of Machine Learning and data science, and IoT. The ultimate goal is, of course, the digitisation of the value chains and providing a personalised customer experience with frictionless service.

What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Africa?

There is no doubt that solutions implemented in Africa have to understand the challenges, which are often not solved with international products. Solution design and hardware needs to be able to manage unreliable infrastructure in connectivity and power and must meet the needs of the customer segment that one is targeting.

What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months?

I have been on a whirlwind of change since moving from Human Capital Executive to Chief Operating Officer of Argility, a few months ago. The benefit is being able to bring all sections of the business together to drive strategy and execution. Having oversight of sales and marketing now, together with culture, engagement and operations, has allowed me to impact from beginning to end. Going forward I’m thrilled to be able to begin with the end in mind and track it through the full loop.

What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain C-level position in your industry?

Surround yourself with exceptional people who challenge you, if you’re the smartest person in the room then be worried. Be teachable and continuously push yourself to learn and take on new things. Set WIGs (Wildly Important Goals) weekly, monthly, yearly – for the right reasons.Be 100% committed to achieving them. Do the work; there are no traffic jams on the extra mile. Make sure you live in integrity and show the way. Never expect anyone to do something that you are not prepared to do yourself. And lastly have courage, take on things that scare you and if you fall down, own it, dust yourself off quickly, learn the lesson and keep moving forward.

FleetDomain, proudly part of the Argility Technology Group

Source: Intelligent CIO

The Argility Technology Group has announced the launch of its latest product innovation, MultiTRAX, a delivery management mobile app that enables businesses to schedule deliveries and manage administration, while at the same time providing their customers with real-time tracking capabilities.

Marko Salic, CEO of the Argility Technology Group, notes one of the most exciting aspects of the launch of this product is that the concept was developed in-house through the group’s Shark Tank initiative.

“We launched the Shark Tank initiative in 2016 as a vehicle to encourage staff to participate and contribute their ideas for new product development. We set up an adjudication panel that comprised senior executives from both Argility and a leading SA retail corporation. The winning team received a monetary reward, but even more exciting is the fact that they saw their idea come alive as a fully developed marketable product,” says Salic.

MultiTRAX provides real-time delivery management information such as the current location of drivers, the routes followed, and a holistic view of the progress of all deliveries. “Customers are provided with real-time information, including estimated arrival time, current location of a delivery and more.”

Salic adds this innovative product delivers benefits to businesses and their customers. “From the business perspective, the app provides easy access to delivery documents, immediate delivery confirmation and the ability to schedule routes. The businesses’ customers enjoy a unique connected and reliable delivery experience and are able to track the location and progress of their delivery at any time in the entire process. A customer-centric business culture that leads to consistently positive customer experiences should be a core focus of any organisation. It translates into competitive advantage in a crowded marketplace.”

He confirms the product is already generating market interest with planned deployments in major South African brand organisations.

Tanya Long, Argility Chief Operating Officer, says 2019 will see the technology innovator taking its Shark Tank initiative to another level. “Not only will it be about promoting staff to develop innovative ideas, but will also aim to encourage them to define what return on investment the concept may hold for customers. In today’s fast moving world, it is vital to build entrepreneurial skills and business acumen within organisations and we are striving to ensure that our teams are not only technical experts, but are also able to quantify and design bottom-line, value-adding solutions that give our customers the edge in their respective industries,” says Long.

Source: IT Web

Argility Technology Group (ATG)

Enterprise retail software solutions company, Argility, has formed the Argility Technology Group and announced the acquisition Cquential Solutions and Fleet Domain, from Capital Eye Investments.

According to Argility CEO, Marko Salic, reveals the acquisitions form part of the execution of a broader strategy aimed at building an innovative technology group with specialised experience and expertise across multiple industry verticals.

“These markets are comprised of the expansive retail sector which is inclusive of digital transformation; omni-channel; prescriptive analytics; customer experience, and more. They also include warehousing, supply chain and fleet management,” says Salic. “One of the most important outcomes is the combination of expertise within these businesses and consequently the associated extended value proposition this will bring to our customers.

In terms of operating structures – Salic confirms he will head up the new group in the capacity of chief executive officer whilst continuing as CEO of Argility. “Each business in the newly formed group will retain its individual brand and identity, with the existing management structures remaining intact. Therefore, Steve Mallaby will continue as CEO of Cquential but has also been appointed COO of the group and Colin Steyn will remain CEO of Fleet Domain.”

Positioning as leader in disruptive software technologies

Salic says the vision behind the formation of the new group is to position it as a leader in disruptive software technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT) and blockchain. “In line with this, we are already engaged in plans to increase our investment in the development of game-changing solutions in these areas. Embedding these new technologies into our current offerings will enable us to diversify, target new markets, and significantly enhance our existing solutions portfolio.”

For more information contact Sales on 011 712 1300, email info@argility.com or visit the ATG website.

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