Whip Around Review: A Cost-Effective And Comprehensive Fleet Management Solution – Forbes
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Updated: Oct 6, 2022, 12:37am
Whip Around is a cloud-based Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) solution helping those with fleets manage the inspection and maintenance process of the vehicles in the fleet. It’s an Apple- and Android-compatible fleet management software that sends reminders and notifications to managers so that each vehicle meets maintenance schedules while keeping a complete history log with documents stored for easy access.
Whip Around is a DVIR solution founded in 2016 in New Zealand, with offices there and in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s designed to take the excessive paperwork out of managing a fleet of vehicles. It maintains all data on a cloud-based smartphone app and is compatible with both iOS and Android markets.
Once you enter the fleet basics into the system, the app tracks maintenance schedules and manages emergency scenarios. Automatic alerts notify managers, mechanics and drivers of what needs to be done and when. Inspection reports and other documents can be uploaded into the vehicle summary for easy access, keeping all required information in one easy-to-use platform.
Looking at the fleet from a macro perspective, managers are able to use the dashboards to run comprehensive reports to make sure the fleet, as a whole, is on track and in good condition.
There are three tiers of service. The first tier is the Basic or free version, which comes with a seven-day free trial. This tier is good for one vehicle and one driver. It’s a bare-bones version of the app with defect management, DVIR compliance, reminders and document storage. The cheapest paid plan is the Standard, at $5 monthly per vehicle. This adds customized templates and forms, reporting and integrations. The Pro plan is available for $10 per vehicle each month and adds work order management, inventory, preventative maintenance schedules and cost/time tracking.
Whip Around’s goal is to remove the paperwork and spreadsheets needed to manage a fleet. It does this with an intuitive interface that manages inspection, maintenance and driver reporting data. The benefit to a robust fleet management system is a longer vehicle life cycle where vehicles get the maintenance needed regularly and on time.
Managers are also able to see how the fleet is doing, being able to look at the fleet as a whole and make decisions on acquiring new assets. Because tasks can be shared with mechanics, the process becomes automated and easier to manage. Drivers can upload receipts directly into the app to help keep track of expenses incurred by each vehicle in the fleet.
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While there are no set–up costs to start using Whip Around, users with small fleets need to understand that there is a minimum charge each month. While the price might be $5 to $10 per vehicle per month, you must pay at least $70 per month. That includes $50 towards the fleet and a $20 license fee. The license fee must be paid for all fleets and is an added cost each month.
Whip Around is a comprehensive tool that will benefit fleet managers with five or more vehicles to manage. It provides managers with the necessary schedules and alerts to stay on top of assets’ needs while storing all required receipts and documents in one central location. Managers can take a micro or macro-level view of the fleet, isolating the needs of one vehicle or the entire fleet as a whole.
A Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) tool helps fleet managers manage the fleet’s needs. Needs might include mechanical issues, physical damage or maintenance demands. In many cases, the DVIR sends alerts to managers, drivers and mechanics.
Any business that relies on cars, trucks, vans or other vehicles needs fleet management. The management of a fleet requires a business to track everything from maintenance and registration of each vehicle, location, fuel costs, parts (if they handle in-house maintenance) and even management of the drivers of the vehicles.
Fleet management systems ensure that all vehicles in the fleet get the necessary work done to keep them operating optimally. Even a rudimentary fleet management system provides benefits to fleet managers. A DVIR solution automates much of the process, making it easier to manage the fleet.
Automating fleet management can help reduce fuel costs, improve driver safety and minimize vehicle maintenance costs. Additionally, some solutions help to track the fleet in real time and ensure deliveries are delivered on time. Read more about the benefits of fleet management systems.
