The Wrong Way

Two big mistakes are made during implementation. First, the “aha”- mindset of supervisor or manager will create an immediate barrier to success. Installing GPS gear from a point of mistrust, such as trying to catch an individual doing something wrong, will derail the project in no time. The primary concern of any driver is the “big brother” approach, in which they believe, or are made to believe, that they are being spied upon. When a particular parameter is violated, such as excessive idling, there is no value in informing a driver that they are in trouble for doing so.

This figure is an actual screenshot of two vehicles out in a farm area. The supervisor who discovered this situation reported that the trucks were together for over 45 minutes. They then proceeded around the corner and were stationary together for an additional 45 minutes. Were they doing something wrong? Based on this information, it is certainly possible. But it is also possible that there is a fiber run along this area, out of the way of heavy traffic, and they were doing some splicing. The information is not sufficient to make an informed decision. It does create an opportunity to have a great conversation with techs about where they should be and when, and how to best use their time. That simple conversation will ensure that if there was a misuse of company work time, it would not happen again. That is what coaching is all about. Second, and more importantly, installing the technology and not using it to evaluate, set goals and track progress will cause it to stagnate. Simple tactics are necessary to get the most out of it. It is not a panacea that will solve problems by itself. Left unattended, it will surely create new ones. An effort to improve operations and a focused understanding of what results will be achieved are imperative to collecting data and presenting it in a manner that will create action.