Fleet software in the news

JAAMA PUTS SERCO GROUP IN THE FAST LANE TO EFFICIENT FLEET MANAGEMENT WITH SOPHISTICATED ONLINE SOLUTIONS

The introduction of a sophisticated internet-based fleet management system by international service company Serco Group has provided centralised control, flexibility and cross-departmental access to data related to thousands of vehicles and drivers.

The Hampshire-headquartered company, which has hundreds of locations across the UK and a fleet department based in Redcar, has turned to leading fleet software supplier Jaama to provide a comprehensive fleet and driver management solution.

Serco Group introduced Jaama’s Key2 Vehicle Management software as the replacement for a range of ad hoc individual computer systems that managed different aspects of the company’s fleet but did not ‘talk’ to each other and spread sheets.

Implementation began 18 months ago with Serco Group phasing in the introduction of the wide range of Key2 Vehicle Management modules that also include ‘O’ licence management, workshop and parts management and driver licence checking. In addition, Serco Group’s previous specially written fuel management system has been incorporated within the new system.

Serco Group’s work ranges from the management of facilities, projects and IT systems, through to the creation of entirely new businesses. This includes the financing, design and build of new facilities, including hospitals and transport systems, as well as their day-to-day operation. It also runs world-class scientific establishments, provide critical information to manage traffic, maintain buildings, operate railways and detain offenders.

Currently Serco Group has more than 10,000 registered drivers in all categories; company car, ECO car and cash alternative receivers and runs a fleet numbering 2,700 company cars and light commercial vehicles and 400 HGVs. In addition, the company has around 4,000 fuel cards, nine workshop sites operated on behalf of local authorities and around 300 client vehicles, which the company is now responsible for after winning contracts.

Fleet manager Sue Blair, who is responsible for implementing and managing the system, said: “Serco’s own fleet is continuously growing as the business expands through acquisition. In addition, as the company wins new contracts customers’ vehicles that are needed on the contract come under our control.”

With the size of the fleet continuously changing and different company departments - including insurance, taxation and payroll as well as fleet - at a wide range of locations requiring access to vehicle and driver data, software flexibility was the key in choosing a 21st century fleet management.

Mrs Blair said: “We have gradually consolidated management of the Serco fleet into a centralised fleet department. However, to make that truly effective we needed to have a professional fleet management system and the not the disparate arrangements we had in place with different software managing various aspects of the fleet and some data still recorded on spread sheets.”

An analysis of the marketplace led Mrs Blair to Jaama’s Key2 Vehicle Management system. She said: “All data needed to be fully centralised and access to that information needed to be across a number of departments. We also wanted a system that our customers could access and track vehicle-related data.

“Jaama’s system was very flexible and we could personalise aspects of it in tandem with their software developers to meet our own requirements, for example in relation to our established fuel management processes, which see staff reimburse the company at cost price for business-funded fuel used privately.

“The benefit of the system is that we now have all management data in one place and the Key2 Vehicle Management system is easy to administer for our insurance department and payroll clerks who are not fleet professionals.”

Training and support for Serco employees throughout the implementation phase has been significant and Mrs Blair said: “Jaama has been very supportive as new modules have gone live and their trainers are very good.”

She concluded: “Serco’s fleet will undoubtedly expand as the business grows and more contracts are won. That means we will become even more reliant on the system for management reporting. The introduction of Jaama’s Key2 technology has enabled us to overcome the disparate vehicle management that we previously had in place and has improved business efficiency.”

Jaama managing director Jason Francis said: “Serco Group’s Key2 system is one of the most complex that we have ever installed. However, it shows the extent of Jaama’s capability in being able to provide fleet management systems for a company with a small fleet based in just one location to a solution for Serco that wants it fleet technology to fully integrate across departments, be accessible at multiple locations and provide customer access.

“Companies such as Serco that embrace such online solutions will reap numerous benefits that will prove to be extremely cost effective and assist with the implementation of best practice procedures in a multitude of areas.”

PR Contact details:

Ashley Martin
Ashley Martin Communications
Tel: 01733 390691, 07801 434338
Email: ashley.martin32@btopenworld.com

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About Jaama

Jaama is a fleet software and occupational road safety specialist. As a certified Microsoft® development partner, Jaama uses the latest technology to provide customers with greater integration, control and automation. It brings innovative vehicle management software to fleet operators, contract hire and leasing companies. And Jaama is the first to combine fleet management software and risk management services to help customers meet their driver health and safety responsibilities under occupational road safety regulations.

http://www.jaama.co.uk


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