Arsenault Associates — which provides Dossier fleet maintenance management software and related technology solutionsare — are offering free, interactive evaluation tools for companies considering fleet maintenance software. The first is a detailed work sheet for calculating return on investment. The second helps would-be buyers evaluate software providers. Both are available at no cost from the Arsenault website at www.arsenault.biz. or by calling 800-525-5256.
“The economic downturn has many fleet-dependent firms looking for the means to control operating costs,” says Charles Arsenault, chief executive officer of the Burlington, N.J.-based company. “Among the more popular technologies being reviewed is fleet maintenance management software. In recent months, we have seen a spike in inquiries from companies anxious to rein in maintenance expenditures.”
Arsenault says that many fleets now in the market for software are first-timers, so his company has developed tools to help them evaluate and decide. The first of those tools, The Maintenance Software ROI Calculator, is formatted as a Microsoft Excel document. According to the company, a fleet manager simply fills in numbers of vehicles according to type, presses enter, and the calculator will return a projected savings over one year for the entire fleet.
“Savings will vary according to the software chosen and the fleet’s commitment to successful implementation,” Arsenault says. “But this calculator provides a good ballpark estimate based on our 30 years of experience.”
The second decision tool helps evaluate software vendors. “We’ve seen fleets make poor decisions by focusing on a program’s functionality and paying only cursory attention to the company that stands behind it,” Arsenault says. “So we developed the Maintenance
Software Decision Matrix.”
Also in the form of an Excel spread sheet, the matrix is designed to offer a series of questions that should be asked about any potential software vendor. Answers to each question are rated from excellent to poor, expressed numerically. At the end of the matrix, each vendor receives an overall score.
“The questions are what make the matrix worthwhile,” Arsenault says. “They are not always obvious questions to ask, especially for people new to the technology market. But the answers can show how well your software will be supported, how good the training will be, and how willing a vendor is to help solve the individual challenges your unique fleet might have. It all relates to how successful your deployment will be, and how well the software will serve your needs over time as well.”
