Background In December 2017, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) “ELD mandate” went into effect requiring the use of Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) for commercial drivers who must prepare Hours-of-Service (HOS) and Records of Duty Status (RODS) reports. Replacing paper logs, ELDs improve record accuracy and compliance, while also enhancing driver safety.
Challenge
A global, leading provider of GPS asset tracking and monitoring solutions was looking for a way to replicate its success in the oil, gas, and natural energy industries by penetrating new, adjacent markets. With existing products and services focused on worker safety, communication, data collection, and reporting, the organization made the strategic decision to adjust and expand their offerings to service the commercial fleet space and provide government-mandated Electronic Logging Device (ELD) solutions.
The company was able to successfully launch their tablet-based fleet Hours of Service (HOS) application, designed to be compliant with all federal and state regulations in the United States as well as Canadian requirements. However, with the organization’s core competency in software and application development, they did not have the internal experience or resources needed to successfully procure, manage, and integrate the additional, critical components – including network connectivity, devices, and other managed services – that were necessary to deliver comprehensive ELD solutions to their customers.
To fill these gaps and accelerate speed-to-market, the business needed an IoT partner that could not only provide the missing technologies, but also provide the appropriate guidance for sorting through these complex technologies to ensure the optimal mix was selected. enablement resources and materials. Ranging from dedicated, cross-departmental personnel for technical sales assistance to the creation of custom sales collateral for the company’s internal sales teams, KORE was dedicated to supporting the long-term success of the new ELD solution.
Solution
First referred to KORE as a potential network connectivity partner, the organization met with the KORE team to discuss their business challenges and the demands of their new ELD solution. Upon the initial discussion, it quickly became evident that KORE’s capabilities extended far beyond connectivity, and that KORE had the industry and IoT experience, expert resources, as well as the complete set of IoT capabilities required to build a unique solution tailored to meet the company’s needs. KORE was able to deliver turnkey solutions fully customizable to end user specifications, pre-loaded with the company’s HOS application. The KORE solution consisted of:
- Tablet Devices: Understanding that the organizations’ end customers had varied preferences or qualifications, KORE provided several tablet device options from TomTom, Samsung, and Apple, satisfying industrial, ruggedized, Android, and iOS requirements.
- Cellular Connectivity: To satisfy network coverage requirements in North America, KORE provided secure, managed connectivity from AT&T and/or T-Mobile, with more than 14 other carrier options available should the business expand to other global regions.
- Managed Services: Including tablet device staging, kitting, and logistics, Mobile Device Management (MDM), tablet device returns and RMA management, as well as ELD device rentals, KORE provided a suite of customizable, value-added services that made for a smooth, efficient ELD deployment.
Beyond the products and services that KORE supplied, the KORE team equipped the company with extensive sales enablement resources and materials. Ranging from dedicated, cross-departmental personnel for technical sales assistance to the creation of custom sales collateral for the company’s internal sales teams, KORE was dedicated to supporting the long-term success of the new ELD solution.
KORE was able to deliver turnkey solutions fully customizable to end user specifications, pre-loaded with the company’s HOS application.
Results
By partnering with KORE, the organization was empowered to bring their inclusive ELD solution to market quickly and efficiently, enabling them to successfully enter the commercial fleet space and expand their asset tracking and monitoring portfolio. Through seamless integration of KORE’s solution with their HOS application, the organization benefitted from:
Accelerated Speed-to-Market – With only an application, the organization needed to coordinate many additional technologies to create a viable solution for their customers. KORE’s ability to deliver many different products and services – spanning the entire IoT ecosystem – prevented the company from having to manage multiple IoT partnerships for each component or dedicating resources to developing the capabilities internally.
Ease of Implementation – KORE’s ability to preintegrate all of the solution components resulted in an “out-of-the-box” experience for the company’s end users. For fleet managers and operators lacking technical resources, the highly simplified ELD deployment process created significant value. Optimized Resource Allocation – By leveraging KORE’s complete IoT capabilities, the organization did not have to waste time or resources learning, managing, and training on unfamiliar technologies. With KORE available to provide the missing pieces of the puzzle, internal teams were empowered to focus on what matters most to their business.
