MDM Software for Transportation and Logistics Industries

Companies in the transportation and logistics industry compete on efficiency: They must deliver goods from point A to point B in the quickest way possible. When organizations fail to meet these promises, their customers and clients will turn to competitors who can.  Technology can be a crucial differentiator in this intensely competitive environment.

Unfortunately, most transportation and logistics companies fall into one of two traps. In the first case, they do not have technology for a use case, often because they are afraid to move away from the status quo. In the second case, they may have eagerly adopted a digital solution, but it is a poor implementation for what they need.

Both of these technology failures can lead to various problems for businesses in transportation and logistics.  

1Common issues with lack of - or poor -  MDM transport solutions

1There is a lack of transparency into driver behavior. 

Without the right technology, companies have little insight into where drivers are and what routes they take. Some drivers may unknowingly take much longer routes. A few others may make side trips unrelated to work. Others may even moonlight using the company vehicle, especially in light of the rise of over-employment. These issues waste not only gasoline but man-hours. Technology should help businesses optimize all driver routes and identify slackers to increase their efficiency. 

2Poorly implemented mobile logistics technology can distract drivers. 

Many companies in transportation and logistics provide drivers with mobile devices, such as tablets or smartphones. These are provided to address a specific business need, such as the ability to communicate on the company Slack or take meetings on Zoom at scheduled stops. These company devices often end up distracting drivers, however. Because they are not locked down to specific apps, drivers inevitably use them for casual use, such as social media or streaming. Technology should enhance, not undermine, driver productivity. 

3Unreliable mobile logistics technology can inconvenience drivers. 

Companies provide technology to drivers with the expectation that it will assist them, but that is only sometimes the case. Take the example of company-issued devices. When their smartphone or tablet is glitching or experiencing some other issue, drivers must get it repaired - they will have to take it somewhere to be evaluated further. This scenario is a negative one: The driver is pulled off-course to service a device that was originally meant to make his work easier in some way.

While these issues may seem disparate, they can all be solved by a single solution: an MDM. One such example is AirDroid Business, a popular MDM for transportation and logistics companies due to its versatility. It can work with any device powered by Android, such as smartphones and tablets.

2Key ways an MDM transport solution can transform a business

How an MDM for transportation companies can provide unprecedented transparency 

For logistics companies that have yet to undergo digital transformation, driver routes are a mystery. They know when drivers leave from an origin and arrive at a destination, but what they do in between is anyone’s guess. 

An MDM eliminates this guesswork. Since the device powered with an MDM is a proxy for the employee, companies always know where they or their vehicle are. The company does not need an employee to monitor this data in real-time. Instead, they can view the path history of every device to gain insights into how route efficiency can be further improved. For instance, the company could provide a toll pass to a driver that must ordinarily take crowded side streets or improve the scheduling of stops overall to minimize crisscrossing across a given area.

Geo-fencing can further aid in this monitoring. A company can set an alert whenever a vehicle enters or leaves a given area. For example, an on-demand delivery company with a service area limited to a particular city may want to set its boundaries as the geofence. 

Drivers who leave this geofence may be attending to personal errands, or there may be a harmless reason, such as that they took a wrong turn. A geofence allows companies to take action in situations that might have gone previously unnoticed. An MDM provides what every logistics business needs: a real-time and historical monitor. 

How MDM transport solutions can help drivers focus 

Put any employee in front of a screen equipped with the internet, and the tendency is the same: They will browse the internet or download entertainment apps to pass the time. 

This tendency is especially dangerous for drivers. Distracted driving - an umbrella term that includes phone usage - causes up to 3,000 deaths per year in the United States. 

Given the strenuous nature of their profession, drivers should also be resting during their downtime rather than endlessly scrolling the internet. Driving tired from a lack of sleep is as dangerous as driving drunk and causes between US$12.5 billion and US$109 billion in damages every year.

An MDM can help here, too. On AirDroid, for example, logistics companies can lock down the company-issued device to only relevant apps, such as those used for navigation or communication. The IT team can also create a whitelist of websites that can be accessed from the device.

Together, these features ensure concentration. Drivers are focused on the road and getting to where they need to be. They also can rest properly during downtime rather than succumb to the temptation of browsing, streaming, or playing. From this vantage, the MDM for transportation acts as a partner, helping drivers be the best they can be.

How an MDM for transportation companies can help drivers save time

The worst case scenario for any driver who relies on a company-issued device is when it breaks down. In this instance, he cannot perform a key function, such as navigating to his destination, communicating with a client, or tracking his progress. 

On top of this inability, the driver will most likely have to take it to an office for repair. Some drivers may have the luxury of field engineers who can come to them in the field, but the result is the same: Driver time is wasted. 

An MDM for transportation and logistics companies offers a better way. As an example, AirDroid offers remote access. With this feature, an IT professional can remotely access the problematic device to troubleshoot and fix it. The IT professional can also issue any commands to the driver via voice or chat if his help is needed.

Remote access can even work with unattended devices, which opens up use cases that may be particularly helpful for drivers. For example, a driver could report a problem with his device, and then have it fixed while he sleeps or leave it in his vehicle for unattended remote access while he sees a client. 

With remote access, drivers can get their devices fixed efficiently so that they get back to where they need to be: on the road, going to your customers and clients.  

3How to use AirDroid Business for your mobile logistics solution

Companies looking for an MDM transport solution can learn more about AirDroid Business on its main product page. There, business leaders can learn about other features of AirDroid Business, industry awards the company has received, and even scan through select reviews.

Most importantly, logistics and transportation businesses can sign up for a free trial or contact sales for a demo. Prices start at US$12 per device per year for Basic, US$21 per device per year for Standard, and US$33 per device per year for Enterprise. 

Apart from accessible pricing, AirDroid Business is a convenient choice for an MDM transport solution because of its user-friendly deployment. Upon signing up, businesses can enroll all their organization’s devices and configure them in bulk, including with all the appropriate permissions. This ease of deployment ensures that logistics businesses realize value immediately from their choice of mobile logistics solution. 

4Choosing the right mobile logistics solution

An MDM for transportation companies is effectively its backbone. IT professionals will use this solution to remotely fix glitching devices, managers will use it to track vehicle locations and route histories, and drivers will interface with the apps and websites it allows.

Given the importance of an MDM, transportation and logistics companies must choose wisely. From this perspective, AirDroid presents a compelling option. Its comprehensive feature suite will help drivers, IT professionals, and company leaders improve every aspect of logistics. Companies embracing this solution will go in the right direction, literally and strategically: forward.  

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