Buying Based on Functionality vs History

In the transportation technology industry we have been trading bragging rights for years now. One provider does X better than Y and the other bought B & A but what really matters to fleets when making an investment into technology?

We spent the last year or so collecting information from our customers, prospects and even competitors and a few themes emerged. While the ability to solve complex business problems remains top of mind for the fleet operator, it is not always the deciding factor when evaluating one provider over the other. 3 out of 5 prospects we talked with said that relationships and references were deciding factors in why they were leaning our way or another way. 2 out of the 5 stated that most providers “all do the same things” and 4 out of 5 competitors listed “name dropping” and references as a leading sales tactic when soliciting new business.

These findings (amongst others) were telling and influenced us writing this blog post to our audiences with a few pointers and some advice when it comes to attributing weight to decision criteria. So here it goes…

 


 

Not All Features Are Created Equal:

Just because a provider can state that they provide electronic log books does not make them as competent as another provider that provides a comprehensive, integrated hours of service (HOS) solution that happens to include an electronic log book. As an example at Pedigree Technologies we support over 45 HOS exemptions which provide our clients with competitive advantage fueled by more operating hours because we can support various calculations for niche industry applications such as Oil & Gas or North of 60. What’s that you ask? Exactly our point!

 

Tech Over Talk:

We have sat through our fair share of painful sales presentations and it’s one thing to talk about features or functionality but it’s far more powerful to discuss business problems and how the tech will solve them vs listing off a series of cool functionality that may or may not be applicable to the audience. Our team must undergo rigorous industry training to qualify as a sales professional, in fact most of our sales team comes from the transportation industry vs the technology industry. This provides a knowledge base that you can’t teach, but rather have to live. The benefits of industry experience come out in spades when working on solutions.

 

Buying to Catch Up Is Not a Sign of Progress, It’s a Sign of Upcoming Integration Challenges:

We have all seen dozens of transactions in the telematics and fleet technology space over the last decade or so. It is incredibly predictable to identify the path of these consolidating entities over the first few years post combination. As an example: It does not make financial sense for these companies to maintain two technology stacks, so eventually one of them will sunset and many customers will be forced to migrate to either the other platform or a new one all together. Either way the misnomer surrounding buying from one of the consolidators is flawed and almost always results in a shift away from that provider within 3 years. The safest bet is to work with a real tech company that has a fully integrated solution since birth.

 

Bigger Isn’t Always Better:

Have you ever heard the term, “it takes a long time to turn this ship”? That is in relation to the effort and complexity that comes with larger less nimble organization. In fact there are many business books written about this very corporate challenge. Escape Velocity by Geoffrey Moore for one. A good read for innovators and those looking to buy from innovators. It is hard enough to produce leading edge technology and mission critical solutions without having to worry about how it will impact legacy platforms and deployments. You know who we are referring to here. ;)

 


So in summary it is important to evaluate not just the technology, not just the referenceable customers, not only the size of the organization and not only the people, but a combination of all of them. Think about it this way — as a fleet operator, how do you solicit new business and how do you want your target audience to measure your value? What are your competitive strengths? Now that you’ve answered that question — apply the same logic to your vendor and partner selections.

Let’s build something remarkable together — the unofficial member of your fleet operations team!

 

4 New Cab-Mate ELD solutions certified in Canada

Pedigree Technologies Adds 4 New Cab-Mate Solutions to the Certified Canadian ELD Registry

With the addition of four new configurations, we are excited to announce that all of our Cab-Mate solutions are now officially certified for Canadian ELD use!

You can find the official press release and more information below:


Pedigree Technologies Adds 4 New Cab-Mate Platforms[sic] to the Certified Canadian ELD Registry   —  the Most of Any Provider

FARGO, N.D. / PRNEWSWIRE / March 16, 2022

Pedigree Technologies announced that four new Cab-Mate configurations have completed third-party certification for compliant operation against the newly imposed Canadian Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate, effective June 12, 2021. This round of certifications marks the fifth configuration certified by Transport Canada, the most of any provider. Pedigree was also the first US supplier to achieve Canadian certification. “The expanded options for our Canadian operating customers are another example of our team’s dedication to compliance,” said Wade Wilson, CEO of Pedigree Technologies. “We remain focused on continuously outpacing our larger and slower competitors,” he added.

Unlike the self-certification process in the U.S., Canada has opted for governed third-party certification to ensure regulations are properly adhered to. This round of certification brings the addition of the Cab-Mate Open, Cab-Mate Flex, Cab-Mate Connect, and Cab-Mate Elite. These configurations demonstrate Pedigree’s commitment to right-fitting, easy-to-install hardware and software solutions. All Cab-Mate configurations come standard with Cab-Mate ELD software, along with DVIR (Driver Vehicle Inspection Record), Fleet Management, Vehicle Diagnostics & Maintenance, IFTA for fuel tax reporting, and Two-Way Messaging applications.

The service includes connectivity to both Canadian and U.S. wireless networks, eliminating costly roaming fees for fleets operating on either side of the border. In addition to providing more certified Canadian ELD options, Pedigree Technologies also supports the most comprehensive set of Hours of Service (HOS) rules and exemptions in the industry. “These exemptions provide our customers with a robust and fully compliant range of solutions no matter where they operate in North America,” said Joshua DeCock, Vice President of Product Management for Pedigree Technologies.

The Cab-Mate suite[sic] of solutions provide fleet operators with reliable information on the performance and utilization of the vehicles and drivers in asset-intensive industries such as transportation, agriculture, oil and gas, and heavy construction. “Adding these additional configurations to our portfolio of certified options in Canada is another example of the flexibility and premium architecture needed to offer both best-of-breed solutions and to help manage ever-changing regulations,” added DeCock.

 


 

Pedigree Technologies is the leading provider of solutions that enable companies to make better business decisions by providing real-time visibility and management tools via the OneView IoT and telematics platform. The OneView platform is customizable and built for growth with expandable solutions for People (enterprise), Safety (compliance), and Performance (service/supply chain), while improving the ability to dynamically manage people and operating environments. Key solutions include ELDs, asset tracking, fleet management, maintenance, dispatching, IoT sensors, and more. Pedigree provides 24x7x365 domestic customer service and employs more than 90 professionals across the country. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Fargo, North Dakota. For more information, visit PedigreeTechnologies.com.  

Recipient of 2021 CompassIntel IoT Innovator Award for Trucking Fleet Management

Awards list for 2021 CompassIntel IoT Innovator Awards
The 4th Annual 2021 IoT Innovator Award Winners Announced by CompassIntel.com

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS—Oct 19, 2021 — As the market shifts and adjusts, Internet of Things innovation has continued to soar and take advantage of the need for remote operations, automation, and real-time visibility and analytics into operations, infrastructure, and assets. Each fall Compass Intelligence honors and recognizes the best of the best IoT innovative companies, organizations, products, platforms, and solutions. Compass Intelligence recognizes 21 companies in distinct IoT categories specific to industry, in addition to this year’s 5 awards selected solely by Compass Intelligence. Nominations come in from analysts, companies, partners, press relations and corporate communications contacts followed by a voting process completed in early October. The 2021 IoT Innovator award recipients include the following companies and organizations (in order of the award listings): Cognition World, Vigilent, Ericsson, Eseye and Armis, Beep, UST, Peachtree Corners, Georgia, Siemens, National Energy Center, CDW-G and Cradlepoint, EZVIZ, Fleetio, Spireon, Pedigree Technologies, ClearBlade, BMC Software, Sony Semiconductor IL, Eseye and Alcuris, Green Cubes Technology Siemens and University of Birmingham, ORBCOMM, Zebra Technologies, HaulSuite, Precise Software Solutions, Comcast’s MachineQ, and Wiliot.

“It is great to see so much energy, excitement, and real growth in the IoT market due to the changing dynamics in the workforce, with remote operations, and the need to have complete visibility into business operations,” says Stephanie Atkinson, CEO of Compass Intelligence. The IoT Innovator Awards program builds on existing research, market studies, custom advisory, and insight reports made available on CompassIntel.com. “These 26 innovative companies and organizations showcase excellence and innovation with new IoT products/solutions, processes, and methods that support in IoT growth.”

 

The 2021 CompassIntel IoT Innovator Award recipients are as follows:

Utility & Water Metering – CONNECT360 by Cognition World
Facilities/Building Management – Vigilent
Agriculture & Farming – Thunderstruck by Ericsson
IoT Device Security – Eseye and Armis, Agentless Security for IoT and Edge Computing Devices
Driverless Vehicles – Beep
Retail & Customer Experiences – Cold Truth by UST
Smart Roads – Peachtree Corners, Georgia
Intelligent Transportation – Sitraffic portfolio by Siemens
Energy Management – National Energy Center
Public Safety – CDW-G and Cradlepoint
Home Automation – C6W Camera by EZVIZ
Agriculture Fleet Management – Fleetio
Auto Dealership Management – GoldStar Enterprise by Spireon
Trucking Fleet Management – Pedigree Technologies
IoT for Good – ClearBlade
Machine Vision Technologies – BMC Helix by BMC Software
IoT Chipset Technologies – Altair ALT1250 by Sony Semiconductor IL
Medical Devices – Alcuris Memo Digital Telecare Solution Powered by Eseye’s AnyNet+ SIM
Aviation/Airport – Maestro IoT by Green Cubes Technology
Colleges/Universities – Siemens and University of Birmingham
Asset Monitoring – ST 6100 by ORBCOMM

 

Compass Intelligence Selected:

Connected Hospital Leadership – Zebra Technologies
LTL Carrier Innovation – HaulSuite
Supply Chain Food Safety – Precise Software Solutions
Inventory Management & Tracking – Machine Q, a Comcast Company
Radio Frequency Energy Harvesting – IoT Pixels by Wiliot

 

For more information about Compass Intelligence, please visit compassintel.com

About The CompassIntel IoT Innovator Awards

The 4th Annual CompassIntel IoT Innovator Awards honors companies and vendors demonstrating innovation in Internet of Things solutions, products, applications, and technology. Compass Intelligence has been recognizing companies for more than 9 years, after initially launching the A-List in M2M Awards back in 2012. The Innovator award categories run across 21 IoT innovation categories. In addition, Compass Intelligence also recognizes startups, stand-out products, and emerging and established IoT companies annually that have made an impact to the market and demonstrate superior innovation to elevate IoT.

Note: Brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Media Contact:
awards@compassintelligence.com