API means Application Protocol Interface. AN API connected different software together such as telematic systems and software. An example of this might be Microsoft Dynamics, working as a job management system, and WEBFLEET. Microsoft Dynamics can dynamically schedule your workload and feed it through an API to WEBFLEET and directly to the driver/vehicle. There are several software systems that can perform this functionality but the key point is that an API can connect any software systems.
Keeping in mind the point above, almost all software now comes with an API. This means the software you use to run your business can now be enhanced to communicate with telematics software. When this happens with WEBFLEET the key outcomes are:
Pushing Data
This means that you can take all of the key data associated with any orders and push it to the telematics platform. This might be data such as:
Pulling Data
As telematics data can go in two ways through the API you might also wish to pull some data to monitor performance. This might be for different purposes such as jobs completed on time or delivery performance metrics. As insurance is also playing such a key part in telematics now the data that can be pulled might be:
We live in times of severe driver shortages. Organisations with multiple people in Traffic offices might be better to use these employees as drivers by automating software systems. Only recently UK Government Ministers were urging the Haulage sector to automate as a workaround to the driver shortage. This is where using an API comes into play.
There is generally a cost for a software specialist to connect systems. However this is small in comparison to the labour savings that can be achieved. Traffic Offices with four people might easily become an office with a team of two. This might make available two additional people for driving.
Some potential outcomes to using an API in the future could be:
More and more organisations are using technology to automate and streamline their business. Is your business in danger of being left behind? Speak to us to find out what might be available to your business.