So, you’ve decided you’re ready for a fleet management system, but where do you start in choosing a provider? While you’ll have plenty of general transportation management systems (TMS) to choose from, it’s essential to choose the one that best fits your business and industry needs.
TMS serves a lot of markets, and all of them operate differently. Generic TMS solutions offer basic, general-purpose features and training assistance that appeal to the masses of businesses and industries. When it comes to managing your fleet, you shouldn’t settle for a one-size-fits-all solution that isn’t specific to the oil and gas industry.Industry-specific platforms are far more likely to deliver the results your business needs to scale and grow. These solutions will give you all the benefits, features, technology (and more) of a general TMS — but specifically customized and tailored for your industry.
Why Industry-Specific TMS Matters
Supply the Exact Product Features Your Business Needs
Generic TMS solutions will never fully satisfy your oil and gas business needs. Your team will find themselves wishing they had a solution that specifically addresses pump control automation or fuel safety paperwork workflows. A fleet management system built specifically for your oil and gas business will offer features designed to manage every aspect of your day-to-day operations.
Provide Expert Training and Support
Most TMS solutions will provide initial training and additional support. However, an industry-specific solution will be able to provide training and support specific to your fleet operations. Your team’s training will be far more effective, empowering your team to hit the ground running.
Offer Cross-Platform Integration and Functionality
A fleet management system for oil and gas businesses should be able to integrate with other industry tools and web apps. This system should have integrations built into its original functionality and DNA, so it’s already prepared to incorporate with any existing solutions. An interconnected app ecosystem empowers your team to streamline operations, get a better overall picture of performance, and, ultimately, make better business decisions.
Choosing an Industry-Specific TMS Solution Provider
Once you realize that your business needs an industry-specific platform, you have to choose a solution provider. Here are a few ways to narrow down your search. Your due diligence should include:
Ensure the Solution Meets All Your Needs
Your business needs an end-to-end solution for the entire fleet management lifecycle. In other words, your fleet management solution must offer technologies that can be used individually and can integrate with your other technologies or offers a solution designed to work together as an entire platform. For example, you may want a provider who offers trucking dispatching software as well as a mobile logistics solution. You can choose to use one platform, but if you decide to use multiple solutions, they should integrate seamlessly.
See What Customers Have to Say
As with any big technology decision, your team needs to hear what the fleet management provider’s current customers have to say. Check out each provider’s website for customer testimonials and case studies. Providers should be happy to offer your team additional customer success information so you can make the right decision.
Identify Who Built (or Advised the Provider on) Platform Features
In many cases, TMS solutions are built by engineers who have no industry knowledge. The ideal fleet management system for oil and gas providers will have been informed by oil and gas experts. That’s how your team will know that the products were truly built for brands like yours. Ask providers who they consulted with while building their platforms. They should be able to provide a list of reputable industry experts.
Conclusion: Finding Success with an Industry-Specific TMS Platform
A TMS solution for oil and gas businesses will supply your team with the features it needs, provide better support, and offer cross-platform functionality. As long as you choose an industry-specific TMS platform that was built for the oil and gas industry, you are setting yourself and your business up for success.
Interested in seeing what an industry-specific TMS platform can do for your business? Let’s schedule a demo.