Fleet Domain, part of the Argility Technology Group, has announced best practices aimed at reducing fleet management costs and delivering a successful fleet management programme.

“Cost savings are fundamental to successful fleet management. They impact bottom line, operational efficiency and the ability to remain competitive in the market,” says Johan van Niekerk, Fleet Solutions Consultant, Fleet Domain. “Implementing strategies to control costs while maintaining high-quality services and safety standards is essential for any business that relies on a fleet of vehicles. Fleet cost savings are driven by having enforceable fleet policies in place that govern corporate safety, health and risk issues. Fleet costs are recognised to be managed and reduced by following internationally accepted principles that cover:

Van Niekerk confirms that without having all three of these pillars in place, a company will be unable to manage safety, risk mitigation and operational fleet costs. “All the above are geared to focus on reducing and improving the cents per kilometre (cpk) cost of a fleet.”

Fleet Domain recommends the following best practices:

Operations

Cost management is all important

"FleetDomain's Online Fleet Management Information System (FMIS) produces comprehensive centralised information reports. These encompass all facets of fleet management, spanning vehicle selection, acquisition, procurement, delivery and termination, as well as tracking integration, accident records and fines. Succinctly put, our FMIS provides the market with cost-effective, innovative and dependable fleet management," Van Niekerk concludes.

For further information, click here to be redirected to the FleetDomain website.

Source: ITWeb | Security Solutions

FleetDomain, part of the Argility Technology Group (ATG), reveals significant growth of the business during the past two years. The company is performing fleet management, maintenance, administration and monitoring of driver behaviour of 25 149 vehicles as at the end of December 2022.

“Over the past four years, FleetDomain has been growing by an approximate 5 000 to 6 000 assets a year,” says Jai Kalyan, Managing Director at Fleet Domain. “This figure reflects both organic growth of current accounts and new business. However, 2022 saw 80% of our growth being new business. Last year we also signed a high-profile corporate enterprise with over 5 000 assets – an exciting addition to our client profile.”

Kalyan attributes the growth and success to various factors including the fact that the FleetDomain software has been designed and managed by a team of fleet professionals with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. This wealth of knowledge and expertise has allowed us to create solutions that are tailored to the unique needs of fleet managers and operators.

“To ensure that our solutions remain current and effective, we keep a close eye on industry trends and legislation. This allows us to adapt our offerings to changing market conditions, providing our customers with the most relevant and up-to-date tools and features. With our deep understanding of the fleet industry and commitment to staying ahead of the curve, customers understand that our proven software solutions have been designed to help them achieve their business goals and stay ahead of the competition."

Kalyan notes market research estimates that the fleet management market will be worth USD 52.50 billion by 2030 at CAGR 10.6%. “So, from a global perspective, this is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and an exciting sector in which to be a dominant SA player. One of the current global trends is around IOT solutions using AI and machine learning to effect predictive maintenance on fleet vehicles. This enables companies to be aware and plan for necessary vehicle maintenance before they break down.”

Kalyan confirms FleetDomain’s order book for 2023 is looking very promising with proposals already being submitted for a total of approximately 8 000 further vehicles.

"Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in interest in fleet management solutions. Industry experts have reported that unmanaged fleets can result in costs that are 10%-15% higher than those with a robust fleet management system in place. As a result, fleet managers are now recognising the immense value that a fleet management system can offer to their businesses. By leveraging a fleet management system that can assist in reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO), companies can significantly improve their return on investment (ROI),” adds Kalyan.

He highlights that FleetDomain understands the importance of effective fleet management in today's market. “Our solutions are designed to address the unique challenges facing fleet managers and operators, helping them to optimise their operations through the implementation of solutions aimed at driving success. Whether companies are looking to reduce costs, improve safety or enhance efficiency, our team of experts is here to provide tailored solutions that meet the market needs and exceed expectations,” concludes Kalyan.

Source: IT Web


The Argility Technology Group

The Argility Technology Group is part of the Data and Technology cluster arm of global enterprise, Smollan.

Argility is a leading innovator and implementer of software and data analytics solutions for retailers and brands. Our unsurpassed experience combined with a depth of proprietary software and skills enables us to address the multitude of challenges facing businesses in today’s era of digital transformation.

Our origins trace back over forty years as a major software developer in the retail sector. Decades of long, prosperous customer relationships bear testament to our customer-centric culture, exceptional service, and innovative thinking. From single systems to the digital transformation of an entire organisation - we have the solutions, skills, and experience.

We solve complex business problems by supplying and supporting various customised software solutions including Data Science (Artificial Intelligence); Retail Management Systems; ERP; Warehouse; Fleet; IoT; Proximity Management and more. We strive to be more than a technology/solutions provider by partnering with our customers to become an extension of their business resources.

The Argility Technology Group is comprised of: ArgilityCquential SolutionsFleet DomainSkydata Communications and strategic partner, Ashanti AI. All are foremost technology developers and suppliers of enterprise software solutions for the retail, supply chain and fleet industries as well as a comprehensive IoT framework that enables enterprises around the world, to integrate, manage and optimise their growing IoT ecosystems.

Afrirent has been relying on FleetDomain – part of the Argility Technology Group (ATG) – software for some years, to help it deliver outstanding service to a growing number of clients. Afrirent is a 100% female black-owned fleet management company, servicing clients in the public and private sectors. Afrirent covers assets ranging from cars to heavy construction vehicles. Information is the lifeblood of Afrirent’s business and ATG’s FleetDomain software has become an integral part of its value proposition, says Sivile Mbekeni, Senior Contract Manager, Afrirent.

“For our clients, their fleet represents a major investment and is a key part of their business – they want to be sure it is being properly managed to maximise uptime, and that operating costs are kept under a tight rein,” Mbekeni says. “To do this, we collect an enormous amount of data, and FleetDomain provides the powerful analytics to process all that data accurately and then present it in a way that makes it easy for our clients to make the right business decisions.”

FleetDomain is an end-to-end fleet management system offered as a cloud-based service to clients like Afrirent on a subscription model. Its range of functionality covers the full life cycle of fleet management, including rentals, driver management, maintenance, licensing, fines and accident/incident management, stock and workshop plus compliance management. FleetDomain also integrates with Afritracker, Afrirent’s vehicle tracking, monitoring and recovery system, to provide real-time information on vehicles.

Jai Kalyan, Managing Director at FleetDomain, says for a growing fleet-management company like Afrirent, manual processing of information on thousands of vehicles is simply not viable.

“When you have a few hundred vehicles to manage for clients, it’s possible to get the job done using manual systems and spreadsheets, but when you get into the thousands it’s just not practical – and your information will certainly be full of errors,” says Kalyan. “For Afrirent, automating the whole information life cycle has been a huge benefit, reducing management time and improving data quality. Once the information is in our system, we can present it in any way that suits Afrirent’s clients via a customised, mobile-friendly dashboard that supports decision-making.

“We have more than 30 years’ experience in fleet management, and that intellectual capital has been built into the FleetDomain software – a massive benefit for users,” notes Kalyan.

Afrirent has a broad portfolio customer base that ranges from multinational corporate enterprises to local public sector entities. For example, Argility has worked alongside Afrirent to develop a customised dashboard for one of its biggest clients, the City of Johannesburg. The dashboard allows managers to receive reports that cover key variables important to the City’s massive fleet of vehicles operated by several entities, including City Power and Johannesburg Water.

The business intelligence provided by FleetDomain is used by Afrirent’s account managers to reduce client operating costs, simplify administration and reduce the risks inherent in running a fleet of vehicles.

In addition, FleetDomain has developed a mobile app that streamlines the onboarding of new vehicles into a fleet. Using the app, an employee can scan the vehicle’s licence disk, which the app then uses to draw down details of the vehicle. This eliminates the need for manual (and error-prone) data capture and can save enormous amounts of time for the owners of large fleets.

“Using information from FleetDomain, we can help our clients manage their fleets much more effectively, maximising uptime and reducing costs without creating a huge administrative burden,” adds Mbekeni. “Afrirent’s tremendous growth has been based on our innovative use of technology to deliver excellent service and build strong client relationships, and ATG’s FleetDomain continues to play a key role in our strategy,” he concludes.

Source: IT Web | Hi-tech Security Solutions


The Argility Technology Group

The Argility Technology Group is part of the Data and Technology cluster arm of global enterprise, Smollan.

Argility is a leading innovator and implementer of software and data analytics solutions for retailers and brands. Our unsurpassed experience combined with a depth of proprietary software and skills enables us to address the multitude of challenges facing businesses in today’s era of digital transformation.

Our origins trace back over forty years as a major software developer in the retail sector. Decades of long, prosperous customer relationships bear testament to our customer-centric culture, exceptional service, and innovative thinking. From single systems to the digital transformation of an entire organisation - we have the solutions, skills, and experience.

We solve complex business problems by supplying and supporting various customised software solutions including Data Science (Artificial Intelligence); Retail Management Systems; ERP; Warehouse; Fleet; IoT; Proximity Management and more. We strive to be more than a technology/solutions provider by partnering with our customers to become an extension of their business resources.

The Argility Technology Group is comprised of: Argility; Cquential Solutions; Fleet Domain; Skydata Communications and strategic partner, Ashanti AI. All are foremost technology developers and suppliers of enterprise software solutions for the retail, supply chain and fleet industries as well as a comprehensive IoT framework that enables enterprises around the world, to integrate, manage and optimise their growing IoT ecosystems.


Afrirent Fleet Management

Afrirent Fleet Management provides services related to the management and maintenance of fleets of vehicles for businesses or organizations. These services include purchasing or leasing vehicles, scheduling maintenance and repairs, managing fuel usage, monitoring vehicle usage and driver behaviour, and providing technology solutions for tracking and optimizing fleet operations.

Afrirent Fleet Management is a subsidiary of Afrirent Holdings. Other entities in the stable include Indalo Hotels and Leisure which owns Skukuza Golf Club, The Fountains Hotel in Cape Town and three new hotels under construction; Afrirent Logistics, which has contracts to transport coal, cement, soya and a variety of other commodities throughout South Africa. Other entities are Afrirent Energy (fibre and cable projects), Afrirent Auto (Trailer Repair and Refurbishment), Indalo Investments (Private Equity, Property Investments and Retail Development).

Determination of the precise total cost of ownership (TCO) related to operating fleets has always been difficult. According to Johan van Niekerk, Fleet Solutions Consultant at FleetDomain – an Argility Technology Group company, this is due to various issues including lack of information due to not capturing a holistic view of all vehicle expenses from a central source.

“As South Africa moved out of the full impact of the pandemic, significant cost increases were experienced with regards to vehicle ownership – regardless of whether they related to individual citizens or businesses managing fleets. Inflation of vehicle purchase prices, maintenance, tyres and fuel over the past three years have combined to contribute to a staggering 20% to 30% cost increase for an average passenger and light commercial vehicle,” says Van Niekerk.

According to Van Niekerk, the only way to tackle this spiralling TCO escalation is to implement a fleet management information system (FMIS) as supplied and supported by FleetDomain. “To improve the costs and risks associated with fleet operations, businesses must take an all-inclusive management approach and ensure they have the information necessary regarding accidents, fines, management and personnel.”

Van Niekerk reveals some cost comparison models in the attached table:

Total cost of ownership (TCO) increases following COVID-19

Comparing a selection of vehicles purchased in 2019 and 2022

“Examination of the numbers in the attached table shows that expenses must be managed, controlled and reduced in line with, or below, inflation. Unmanaged vehicle expenses can end up incurring 10% to 23% greater costs than necessary. This can be explained when one considers that fixed costs are managed by accounts, and variable costs are managed, in most instances, by fleet operations. The latter can either capture all expenses, or they can implement the use of a maintenance or fuel card. In some instances, maintenance, tyres and fuel are all managed on one card,” he explains.

Van Niekerk says companies often add a GPS/tracking device to enable them to locate assets and monitor driver behaviour. By scrutinising GPS/tracking kilometre usage and comparing it with card kilometre usage, the actual usage per month can be determined.

“It is important to understand that a GPS/tracking device is not a fleet management system. Change in driver behaviour and meaningful savings will not be achieved without relevant information regarding speeding, harsh braking, acceleration, excessive idling and all the other actions performed by drivers that cause increased maintenance, tyre and excessive fuel usage. All of the foregoing can only be achieved with an FMIS.”

Van Niekerk says in post-COVID South Africa, vehicle price increases of between 27% and 32% – dependent on models and country of origin – have contributed significantly to TCO. “However, resale values of some models improved due to the shortage of new vehicles. Maintenance and tyre replacement come in at 17% to 21% of TCO, with the actual percentage increase being manufacturer/supplier dependent. Fuel has been identified as the most changed value, having been measured as a percentage of the overall at 96% to 145% (depending on mileage and application) in the TCO stakes.”

FleetDomain’s FMIS can integrate with finance institutions, maintenance, tyre, fuel and GPS/tracking service providers placing all costs on one platform. “The FleetDomain online FMIS can assist companies to receive and analyse all vehicle-related expenses and in turn aid informed decision-making regarding model selection, driver behaviour, safety and risk management,” he concludes.


Source: IT Web

Since 2020, Smollan, a global sales and marketing services company, has been using FleetDomain, an Argility Technology Group company, to manage its fleet of around 2 000 vehicles in South Africa. By integrating its software with Smollan’s accounting systems and banking partners, FleetDomain has enabled Smollan to contain costs and manage its fleet much more effectively, says Milana Pretorius, Finance Executive Operations, Smollan.

“With FleetDomain’s help, we have been able to automate many manual and time-consuming processes. Information is available quickly and continuously, in turn enabling our managers to make evidence-based decisions to reduce costs and achieve enhanced fleet management,” she says. “Gone are the days when the fleet information was only updated monthly.”

Jai Kalyan, MD, FleetDomain, says the integration presented significant challenges because Smollan’s cost centres were so complex. “We tailored our FleetDomain fleet management solution extensively in order to meet Smollan's requirements – now the group benefits from end-to-end business processes,” he says. “We’re constantly working with the Smollan team to improve the software to deliver further value.”

FleetDomain is web-based, providing Fleet team managers with visibility over their entire operations, enabling them to identify bottlenecks and other potential improvements. Because the process is automated, it is not only more rapid and frequent but also more accurate – manual inputting typically introduces error.

Another major benefit of FleetDomain is the graphical display of information and customised dashboards, ensuring that data is presented in the most user-friendly way to managers.

Near-real-time and easy-to-read information also makes it easier to detect fraud early on.

The information generated by the FleetDomain software is also used to monitor individual vehicles to maximise their useful life and enhance reliability. A comprehensive vehicle replacement programme is now in place.

In the 18 months since the implementation was completed, Smollan has been able to reduce its fleet costs and now has automated updates ensuring current information is available.

“The high performance of our fleet is paramount as we service our large range of retail clients,” says Pretorius. “FleetDomain has become an essential partner, enabling us to access high-quality business intelligence in near real-time, thus enabling consistent improvement in costs and efficiencies.”


Source: IT Web | African Retail

The Argility Technology Group (ATG) has announced an exciting business development as it becomes part of a global enterprise – the Smollan Group – an intelligent commerce solutions business, driving sustainable growth and operational excellence. Smollan has acquired ATG from Capital Eye Investments – a private equity and venture capital company that invests in technology-driven businesses with a particular focus on emerging markets.

Smollan has a 90-year history of partnering with brands to create and execute insight-led solutions to deliver growth, wider distribution and operational efficiency.

ATG’s origins trace back to a 35-year plus history as a leading software developer and supplier to the retail and supply chain sectors.

James Collett, Smollan Chief Data Officer, emphasises the importance of the strategic acquisition.

"ATG joining the Smollan Group is a significant step forward in our strategy to expand our technology and data offering within retail and supply chain. We are extremely excited about the synergies which exist between the businesses, and as a leading global commerce solution company, we will be looking to grow the ATG footprint internationally. An aligned and strong culture is always foundational to creating a successful partnership, and in ATG and its people, we believe that we have found just that. We look forward to welcoming ATG into the Smollan family,” says Collett.

Marko Salic, ATG CEO, notes this is one of the most important events in the history of Argility.

“ATG is immensely excited about this new phase in the history of the group. Over the past five years, we have made notable strategic investments in the acquisition of companies that have served to augment our goal of partnering with retail and supply chain organisations to help them digitise and transition into industry 4.0. The purchase of ATG by Smollan represents a substantial investment in our business and an expanded pathway to global markets. The synergies between Argility’s vision and mission with that of Smollan made this a very appealing move for us and a good cultural fit for our group. Combining these strengths will serve to enhance ATG’s portfolio, and expand our solutions and service delivery for current and future customers,” says Salic.

The Smollan acquisition of ATG has been ratified by all regulatory bodies and is effective immediately.


The Argility Technology Group

The Argility Technology Group is a leading innovator and implementer of digital commerce and supply chain software solutions in Africa. Our vast experience combined with a depth of proprietary software and skills enables us to address the multitude of challenges facing businesses in today’s era of digital transformation.

We solve complex business problems by supplying and supporting various customised software solutions such as: Point of Sale; ERP; Warehouse, Fleet, IoT and Proximity Management; Data Science (Artificial Intelligence) solutions and more. We strive to become a technology partner and an extension of our customers’ businesses and not just another solutions provider.

The group’s origins trace back over thirty years as a leading software supplier to the retail sector. Decades of long, prosperous customer relationships bear testament to our customer-centric culture, exceptional service, and innovative thinking. From single systems to the digital transformation of an entire organisation - we have the solutions, skills, and experience.

The Argility Technology Group is comprised of: Argility; Cquential Solutions, Fleet Domain; SkyData Communications, and strategic partners, Ashanti AI. All are foremost technology developers and suppliers of enterprise software solutions for the Retail, Supply Chain, Fleet industries as well as a comprehensive IoT framework that enables local enterprises to integrate, manage and optimise their growing IoT ecosystems.

For further information: www.argility.com

Smollan

Founded in 1931, Smollan is a global commerce business, delivering growth for retailers and brand owners across five continents. We partner with brands to create and execute insight-led solutions to deliver growth, wider distribution, and operational efficiencies.

Internationally recognised for our exceptional human platform of over 80 000 people and our sophisticated systems, we drive sales and create brilliant shopper experiences for some of the world’s most loved brands. We work at the pivot point where retailers, brands and shoppers intersect.

Contact us at www.smollan.com


Source: IT Web

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