Does Your In-Fleet Technology Meet These Four Factors of Success?

Four critical considerations for choosing the mobile printer that’s right for your fleet

It seems like route distribution is an industry that will never slow down. The demand for fast fulfillment continues to rise while external factors like supply chain holdups, rising gas prices, and driver shortages show no sign of improvement.

Right now, it’s critical that drivers have everything they need to be productive and deliver a great experience. A great place to start? Choosing a fast, rugged printer that allows for up-to-the-minute inventory management and in-cab generation of mission critical documents. Here are four things to consider when picking the right mobile solution for your drivers:

1. Don’t waste valuable time on complicated technology

   In an industry where speed is the name of the game, implementing a new, complex system isn’t the best use of your time. A mobile printing solution that is easy-to-learn for drivers and other staff can reduce the amount of training that your staff needs (great in a time of high turnover) while increasing the capabilities of your company.

   Choose printers with simple connectivity like Bluetooth^® or Wi-Fi^® that allow drivers to connect to a variety of devices so they can begin printing quickly and easily. That, plus integration with your software, means your drivers can hit the road confidently.

   Once you’ve identified the mobile printer that best fits your fleet’s needs, establish a rollout plan. Check in with drivers to ensure customer satisfaction is being met and address any challenges.

2. Choose technology that will improve the driver and customer experience alike

   Many fleets utilize fleet management systems to provide a new level of automation and visibility into driver analytics and performance. But this technology won’t improve the customer experience if it’s paired with outdated accounting methods. Handwritten proof-of-delivery receipts and other delivery documents are a common practice for fleets. However, these handwritten receipts are time-consuming, prone to illegibility, and outdated. This manual method may leave a bad impression with customers and lead to a frustrating experience for drivers.

3. Empower your drivers to leave the lasting mark of a professional

   Show the best side of your brand by generating quick, accurate and legible receipts, printed invoices and other delivery documentation at every stop. To do this, rely on a mobile printer that can be utilized across your fleets and produce high-quality, accurate printed receipts. Consider the RuggedJet series. These 1-inch to 4-inch printers are created to fit the high-volume needs of a driver — and withstand a rough in-cab environment.

4. Choose durable technology that’s ready to ride

   The road is rugged. Your mobile solutions need to be, too. Extreme durability, high print quality and simple connectivity are critical for your mobile printing technology. When reviewing printer options, look for hardware that can withstand drops, sudden stops, and whatever the weather may bring.

   Then, keep things moving by choosing a printer that’s ready for your custom integrations and workflows. For example, we can work with fleets to design a custom web portal where you can re-order paper, parts or components whenever you need them.

See what the right technology can do

We believe the right technology can help companies reach new heights. That’s why mobile printers like the RuggedJet series are simple to implement across operations and integrate with existing systems. You don’t have to take our word for it — see for yourself how a major tank carrier in North America put Brother mobile printers into action and realized better driver and customer satisfaction.