Introducing GPS Tracking to Your Staff


How To Roll Out GPS Monitoring To Your Staff

We have written other articles about how GPS Tracking systems can increase productivity and reduce costs for almost any business with vehicles in the field. The key benefit for the business owner is the added layer of supervision that the system provides, which has been shown to eliminate bad behaviors from the day the system is installed.

While the benefit for the business is clear, getting the field staff on board with the change can be challenging, so it’s important to get your employees’ buy-in before the rollout. How you present the new system to the team will have a real impact on how it’s perceived, and it will also drive how much pushback you get from your staff.  There are many reasons why good employees may embrace the system, but there will inevitably be some that are not going to be happy about the change.

Some drivers will assume fleet monitoring is about distrust, and maybe it is. If you suspect that your team is cutting corners, padding their timesheet, or using your equipment for side jobs, they may understand your motivations, but that doesn’t mean that they will be happy about the change.

Still, there are many reasons that the majority of your honest, hard-working staff may embrace if it’s properly presented. Here are some tips that will give you the best shot at having the new system perceived as a win-win for both the organization and its drivers.

Start on the Right Track

Start with communication. There can be a temptation to implement a fleet monitoring solution without letting the staff know, so you can catch people in those bad behaviors you suspect them of. This is usually a bad idea. Having the field staff learn about the system after it has been installed can instill resentment, and it’s hard for anyone to embrace a change that they had no say or knowledge of until after the fact. You could also be exposing yourself to lawsuits if you track employees without their knowledge. This risk varies from state to state, and in some cases even down to municipal regulations, so it’s best to check with an attorney if you intend to install a tracking solution without notifying the staff.

Trust is a Two Way Street

Issues around trust are the most common objection raised by the staff when fleet monitoring is added to fleet operations, and ignoring this objection is risky. The staff is likely to understand that one of the primary benefits of our service is the additional layer of supervision it provides, replacing blind trust in field staff behavior with verifiable monitoring. GPS monitoring changes behavior because employees know that if they do something they are not supposed to during the day, the boss has the tools to find out. The staff knows this is part of management’s rationale, so keep it real when you communicate the rollout to your staff.

Fuel Them With the Facts

A high-quality fleet monitoring service provides a wide range of benefits that drop directly to the bottom line of an organization’s profitability. How will increased profitability impact your fleet staff? If any portion of those profits will flow through to the rank-and-file employee, you will want to highlight that. If the business has been struggling, the cost savings may prevent a layoff. Business cycles are inevitable, and helping everyone understand that fleet monitoring is part of management’s efforts to keep the business competitive is something your best employees will understand.
And what about that one employee who decides to make a real fuss about not wanting their location tracked during the workday? Well, in a lot of cases, that individual can be the bad apple that got management thinking about GPS tracking in the first place. They may even threaten to quit, which might be a good outcome for everyone involved.

Is GPS Tracking Right For My Business?

GPS Tracking is one approach to adding a layer of supervision to your field operations. If you some help deciding if GPS Tracking technology can help you manage your staff, feel free to schedule a free consultation with me and I’ll be happy to dive deeper into the pros and cons with you.


About Don Sesler

Don Sesler, The Technology Whisperer: As the owner, I have the honor of leading a team of super-smart individuals who share my passion for helping entrepreneurs and business owners not fall victim to complex technology challenges that can kill productivity. We want to tame your technology so that it works for you and not the other way around. What technology problem is making your life more complicated than it should be? Reach out to me and tell me your story.