Radio frequency technology next step for fleet vehicles.
In business you need to be nimble. Yet it can be challenging to stay on top of technology trends.
One advance that should be on your radar if you cater to fleet vehicles is the introduction of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. It is something we expect will be widely adopted in fuelling and carwash applications in the years to come.
A number of industries have been using RFID technology to track and identify everything from vehicles to parcels to cattle. The real selling point of this technology is that unlike barcodes or chips, there is no need to swipe or scan. The signal is automatically picked up using proximity sensors. It doesn’t get any easier.
The system itself is surprisingly simple. A small microchip (no bigger than a grain of rice) is implanted into a special tag. With fleet vehicles, this tag is embedded with vehicle-specific identification information. In most cases the tag is permanently affixed to the windshield of the vehicle.
The tag wirelessly transmits data to a receiving device, which would be part of your payment system.
So what is the draw for fleet operators? RFID tags offer them many advantages:
- The tag is vehicle-specific. It cannot be transferred, which cuts down on abuse (such as filling up a personal vehicle).
- It is incredibly accurate, easy to use and requires no effort on behalf of drivers.
- It saves drivers time, so they can be back on the road quicker.
- It is very accurate, flexible and further simplifies billing and usage tracking.
According to Paul Romaniuk, Car Wash Specialist with Pumps and Pressure (one of CTM’s trusted suppliers of carwash systems), it is in the gas station or car wash operator’s best interests to adopt the technology solutions their customers are using.
“The simpler you make it, the better the customer experience. And the longer it takes to get a customer in and out, the less money you make,” Romaniuk says.
Naturally, it would be unwise to go and invest in an RFID system in anticipation that your customers might implement this in the future. However, it wouldn’t hurt to bring yourself up to speed and explore the logistics of introducing RFID technology if your large fleet customers do move in this direction.
Special thanks to Paul Romaniuk of Pumps and Pressure for providing input on this article.
