The Truth About Business Intelligence: Why Industry-Leading Fleets are Outsourcing Data Management | Utilimarc Fleet FYIs

Gretchen Reese (00:00):

Before we get into today's episode of the Fleet FYIs podcast, I wanted to take a moment to recognize the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, and say that here at Utilimarc, we stand with the people of Ukraine and the resistance against violence. We are behind you 100 percent. This kind of aggression has no place in the world today, and with the members of our Dove team over in Poland, we recognize that these are scary and uncertain times for everyone, and we wanted to express our full support of not only them, but everyone affected by this horrible tragedy. Our hearts and our minds are with you, and we are hoping for peace and resolution as soon as possible. 

(01:03):

Hey there, welcome to the Fleet FYIs podcast, the weekly podcast by Utilimarc that reveals how you can make the most of your data for smarter fleet management. My name is Gretchen, and every week you'll hear from me or some of the industry's finest in candid conversations that will not only shed some light on over two decades worth of fleet data insights, but also some of the industry's hottest talking points and key metric analysis that aim to help you better understand your fleet from every angle. But before we begin, if this is the first time you've heard our show, thanks for stopping by. I'm so glad you decided to come along for the ride with us, but I've got a quick favor to ask you. Once you finish today's episode, if you could take a few minutes to leave us a review on your favorite podcasting platform, we would really appreciate it. Give us a rating, five stars I hope, or tell us what you liked, or leave us a comment or a question about what you've heard in today's episode. If we haven't yet covered a topic that you're interested in hearing more about, let us know. We would be happy to go over it in detail in a later show. 

(02:13):

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Fleet FYIs podcast. Today we are tackling one of my favorite topics, and no, it is not another episode solely based on a well balanced and multi-faceted sustainability strategy, although if you have been listening to this show for a while, you will know that that is one of my favorite topics to talk about. Instead, we are talking about the topic that is a very close second, actually, to a well balanced multi-faceted sustainability strategy, and that is business intelligence, and today we're taking a pretty deep dive. 

(02:48):

I've brought a special guest on the show today to chat through the truth about business intelligence, and why exactly industry-leading fleets are making investment into BI a top priority in the coming few years. You may recognize him from earlier shows from Fleet FYIs, yes, that's right, Michael Carr is back once again. Let's get started. 

(03:34):

So, Michael, to get started, let's break down business intelligence here, and more so, what does it mean to you? 

Michael Carr (03:41):

That's a great question, and it's a super, uh, like, hot button topic, I'd say, um, but it's still s- sort of an obscure name, describing what, in my brain, is really, like, both technical and procedural infrastructure, um, that it's, it's function is to collect, store, and analyze data. Um, and that data's produced by the organization, uh, and operations, and usually this data's originating from multiple systems, um, and truly next level analysis is where the data from the separate systems is combined for m- multidimensional results. Um, but really, when it boils down to it, business intelligence is the positioning of data in a way that it can be informative and actionable, um, for an organization as they go about doing what organizations do. 

Gretchen Reese (04:34):

Okay. And, why would- why would fleets be wanting to implement this today? Like, what are some of the benefits of including business intelligence in a fleet management strategy? 

Michael Carr (04:44):

Uh, it's a great question, um, and it really boils down to saving time, saving money, and future proofing for, uh, what's ahead. What we're seeing right now is the amount of data that's currently in fleet is, is becoming too much to handle as is. You have data coming from an FMIS system, you have fuel card data, you have telematics data, you might be tracking drive cam data, uh, we have data coming from ERP systems, uh, and looking ahead to the future, there are new systems being added to fleet. EV charging infrastructure data is going to be huge for fleets. Understanding data coming from the OEMs themselves is going to be critical for fleets to be able to leverage. 

(05:27):

Um, investing in business intelligence enables fleets to be able to take that future head on, um, and really incorporate that data when it's- a- as soon as its available, and really figure out the best way to leverage it as soon as they have it available f- to leverage. Um, so, to really take advantage of your data, you, you need business intelligence going forward. Um, trying to wrestle all of your data from all of these different systems manually is not only time consuming, it's, it's incredibly, um, painful. Uh, it's, it's not a, a fun process of pulling that data into spreadsheets and, and sorting it yourself. Um, a business- an effective business intelligence tool will position your data in the spot where you don't have to touch it at all, you just are able to take action on your data, and that's really the goal. 

Gretchen Reese (06:15):

That's fascinating. So, when you're talking about, you know, scaling for sustainability solutions, like electric vehicle analytics, or any type of initiative that fleets are incorporating. Is that something that business intelligence could help them stay on top of as well? 

Michael Carr (06:31):

Absolutely, um, and, and those questions are extremely hot right now. Um, understanding the total cost of ownership of an EV is, is going to be critical for fleets going forward. Um, our, our clients are early adopters, in a lot of ways, for this new technology, and we're working with tons to really understand what the impact on the bottom line is of adding a thousand new EVs to fleet. Um, and those are, those are really important questions to be asking now, and they're really important to be leveraging your data to answer, um, because if you're not leveraging your data, you're missing an opportunity. I'd, I'd say unleveraged data's a missed opportunity, because, um, it's, it's there, it's ready to inform decisions, and with an effective business intelligence tool, um, that's what you'd be able to do. 

(07:17):

So, to answer your question around sustainability, uh, we're working with folks on measuring greenhouse gas emissions, understanding ideal candidates for replacement based on those sustainability goals, um, understanding EV infrastructure placement, where should you put your chargers? These are questions that data can help answer. 

Gretchen Reese (07:36):

And, so then, why do you think it is then that a lot of people, either, like you said, they have unleveraged data, but why do you think people don't take advantage of that? Or maybe it's that they don't know how to.

Michael Carr (07:48):

You know, I, it's, it's a really busy time in fleet today for a lot of different reasons, and, um, n- not only in fleet, but in the world. I, I think that i- there's, there's priorities in place, um, and, and rightfully so, um, and sometimes trying to run a report every day, or every week, and that takes you two hours of your morning, um, just isn't a- an effective way to use your time. Um, and, and so, Utilimarc, we- I, I know for a fact that we were able to drive a lot of value through automation, um, and it's, it's something that is important now, and will be ever more important going forward, is, is taking advantage of that data being collected, um, so that you can be better off, and that, uh, there's less surprises. I, I, I hear a lot that it's a dynamic time in fleet today, there's a lot of new, new folks, new, uh, goals, um, and data is that common denominator that can really drive change in the organization, and that you can be confident in your organization using that data. 

Gretchen Reese (08:50):

Mm-hmm (affirmative). 

Michael Carr (08:51):

Does that answer your question? I'm sorry. 

Gretchen Reese (08:52):

Absolutely. Um, and kind of bridging off of that too, so, it's one thing to have data, it's another thing to have it organized, another one to have it visually able to tell a story. How does data quality fit into the equation of being able to make the most of it? 

Michael Carr (09:09):

That's a really good question. Um, we work with a lot of folks, uh, in, in order to establish confidence in a system, you need to have quality data. A great way to- and, and vice versa, a great way to lose confidence in a system that you've invested in is to see the data coming out of that system not accurate. Um, a- we have a team of data scientists here who work incredibly hard on the back end work needed in order to ingest data, and in turn, turn it into reporting that you can be confident in. Um, it's, it's a great way to lose confidence in a system, but also, it's, it's not a, a permanent problem. Data quality is something that, with the right tool and team, can be solved and can be enhanced, um, and, and it only gets better, uh, when you're layering that on top of other data system, like the combination of telematics and FMIS systems. It inherently creates a system of checks and balances, where all of a sudden, upon data ingestion, you're figuring out and identifying areas of improvement and opportunity through process, um, and that's key in, in y- in leveraging data through workflow. Um, it's one thing to have a report compiled, it's another thing to see that report positively impact your fleet operations. 

Gretchen Reese (10:22):

And, what does data quality mean to you? If you had to define the term abruptly as you're sitting here today. 

Michael Carr (10:30):

Uh, it- accuracy.

Gretchen Reese (10:31):

(laughs)

Michael Carr (10:32):

I, I think it's, um, I think everyone [inaudible 00:10:34] really understands, uh, it's w- w- when you're re- when you're consuming a report and, and something is just clearly not correct, but it's just because these legacy systems, I- they're trying their best, um, but it really, the key is having a tech stack and a team that are able to really drive the value from that data, and en- enhance it through process. Um, and it's an amazing, it's an amazing coordinated process between us and our, and our folks here, um, where we're able to identify things that don't look quite right, um, and when we implement a fix, we all of a sudden see next week's report looking a lot more accurate, and in turn, a lot more actionable. 

Gretchen Reese (11:14):

Sure. And, I want to pivot back to sustainability really quickly, because it's one of the main themes of Fleet FYIs this year. I mean, everyone listening to the show now could probably tell you that 10 times over, um, but like you mentioned, we're seeing a lot of organizations pilot of pivot to public sustainability strategies, greenhouse gas reporting being one of them. Now, with a lot of organizations that are making this shift, like you said, you mentioned greenhouse gas reporting, but how else is business intelligence helping here? How is it helping them scale these strategies to a larger, more actionable level? 

Michael Carr (11:47):

Sure. Um, it's, it, it really is fascinating for a lot of, uh, different reasons. Um, if, if we go look at what's published in regards to the OEM estimates for these EV assets, um, a lot of 'em are based on one person in the cab, no payload, uh, perfect conditions on a flat road. Uh, what we're seeing is leveraging data will tell a much more accurate story around what you should expect when buying EVs and adding them to fleets. Um, and not only things like greenhouse gas emissions, which is something that can be done today and trended forward as more EVs and more sustainability, um, commitments are adapted, uh, but also things like technician, sta- staffing productivity metrics, understanding what sort of, um, man hours you're gonna need to take care of an EV, versus an internal combustion engine. Uh, there's, there's intricacies to a lot of this that data can help solve. 

(12:41):

Um, another thing is life cycling. Uh, we, we anticipate, we're- we are suspecting that these EVs should last longer than in a tr- a traditional internal combustion engine, however we're- we want to see data tell that story, um, and we really wanna understand, based on every single fleet that we work with's use cases, operations, location is huge, what does EV mean, and, and where can it be best suited in fleet operations? 

Gretchen Reese (13:09):

I agree. You know, I think, I think this whole sustainability movement's gonna be interesting, Michael, honestly, because I was actually speaking to a couple of folks earlier this week that said that they feel business intelligence and actually the representation of data too, it's not just about greenhouse gas reporting, but it's ensuring that they're not just moving their emissions elsewhere, like, for example, to charging equipment or other aspects of their organization. You know, they're being able to measure not just that they're eliminating it, but where they're moving it to, if that's the case, and how they can eliminate those. 

(13:40):

And I think it'll be really interesting to see how much this type of technology can help fleets in the future, don't you think? 

Michael Carr (13:48):

Absolutely. Um, the- and really, our goal is to be able to tell that story with data, um, and it- like you said, greenhouse gas emissions, understanding the impact, seeing it in the data is huge, but- and maybe your goal is to really reduce idle hours, we can show you that as well, but that's a really good way to reduce your emissions and be more sustainable with a, a largely internal combustion engine fleet. Um, and, and there's other areas as well. Maybe you're transitioning to alternative fuels. Uh, leveraging data to track progress is incredibly important. Um, it's one thing to make that commitment, and, um, assume, hope you're, you're on the right track there, but when you have data showing you your progress towards goals, um, showing you the areas where there's er- where there's opportunity to improve, uh, towards that goal, um, that's, that's really where data becomes a, a huge asset for this organization, especially in, in such a dynamic time in fleets. 

(14:42):

Um, there's a whole lot of new stuff being added to fleet, and what we're hearing and what we're seeing is data, when put in the spot to be effective and actionable, is incredibly beneficial f- across the organization, and, and this impacts, um, folks in the fleet department, but also externally. These sustainability offices need this data. Um, this is incredibly important to folks internal and external. We have municipalities who really want to deliver this data to constituents, um, and it, it's incredibly core to have actionable data that tells the story. 

Gretchen Reese (15:18):

I think so too. And, I know you may be a little biased, you know, myself as well, because we work for a business intelligence company, but...

Michael Carr (15:18):

(laughs)

Gretchen Reese (15:25):

Do you think that fleets today will be as successful in the future if they don't have a BI platform and a team that works on said BI platform in their corner? 

Michael Carr (15:34):

Uh, you know, it's har- 

Gretchen Reese (15:34):

(laughs)

Michael Carr (15:36):

I, I, I don't wanna speculate here or there. Um, what I will say is Utilimarc is, is taking that data wrestling off of fleets plates today, um, and I think that's a huge value add. Uh, there's- the, the manual nature of this repetitive reporting is, is incredibly difficult for a fleet manager who really wants to take care of their fleet, versus wrestle their data. Um, so, I, I think that having a BI tool, um, will save time, will save money, and really future-proof for what's ahead. Um, when you've got a, a team of fleet analysts and data scientists and a tech stack that Utilimarc has, you can take on a new data system implementation lickety-split. Um, we'll keep those KPIs constant, and, and that's just huge, um, for a fleet organization that's, that's going through a ton of change already as it is. 

Gretchen Reese (16:26):

Mm-hmm (affirmative). And I think especially as you start to transition and also translate those KPIs and key metrics to, um, you know, more sustainable technologies, like moving your cost per mile to cost per kilowatt hour and being able to translate those metrics that way too.  

Michael Carr (16:42):

You're, you're completely right. Um, there's, there's a lot of not only new assets, but new metrics that need to be understood, um, and it's one thing to see your fuel cost go down, but it's really important to recognize, well, I should probably make sure what my charging cost is, because I've added a significant portion of EVs.

(16:59):

Um, and, and again, this is where data can really enable folks, um, and without having to wrestle it into that spot so you can finally get to that result, um, it's, it's so core to be able to l- just see your data, understand, and take action, without all of that leg work and wrestling that goes on, um, in the middle. 

Gretchen Reese (17:18):

Mm-hmm (affirmative). And, I know we've talked a lot about business intelligence today, Michael, but is there anything else that you'd like to add surrounding the technology, or how vehicles can use it to better their organization's streamline operations? You know the drill. 

Michael Carr (17:32):

Yeah. You know, if, if you search business intelligence on Google, there's a bajillion articles written, um...

Gretchen Reese (17:32):

(laughs)

Michael Carr (17:40):

[crosstalk 00:17:40] there's off the shelf tools out there today, like Power BI, Tableau, you name it. Um, I think that a really important aspect of how Utilimarc is delivering value is we have a team. It's the team, the team, the team. Um, we have the fleet ana- Fleet domain expertise is so core. Um, being able to understand fleet paying points without being educated and onboarded and trained is the difference between a data analyst and a Utilimarc fleet data analyst. Um, we're able to drive that change, we're able to work alongside our folks, we're able to come with ideas and collaborate, um, and I think that's an incredibly powerful, um, aspect of Utilimarc BI and who we are, uh, is, is the team that supports this platform, that cleans, that standardizes, that unifies that data, um, and then builds it into those custom, hyper custom metrics and dashboards that are delivered right to your inbox, it's, it's something that, um, without the team, Utilimarc BI wouldn't be the same, um, and I, I think it's really important to emphasize that. 

Gretchen Reese (18:40):

Absolutely. I agree. Now, Michael, how do you think people can best get in touch after this show? Because I have a feeling there's gonna be a couple folks listening today that might have some questions for you. 

Michael Carr (18:51):

Um, I, I am on LinkedIn. Uh, you could probably- I, I mean, the- probably the easiest way, I, I don't wanna make you type down an email, but you could just Google, uh, Utilimarc and, and find us on the internet and click a demo, and I would happily hop on a call and show you what I'm talking about. 

Gretchen Reese (19:07):

All righty. Well, thanks Michael for jumping on the show today. I really appreciate it, and it was fun talking to you. 

Michael Carr (19:13):

Absolutely, Gretchen. You do great work. 

Gretchen Reese (19:39):

I think what Michael was saying about business intelligence was spot on. It's not just about the technology itself. In fact, it's rather about the team and the deep domain expertise behind the technology that makes the biggest difference. Like Michael said, you can get in touch with him on LinkedIn, of if you'd like to head over to Utilimarc's website, which is Utilimarc dot com. U-T-I-L-I-M-A-R-C dot com. He would be more than happy to answer any questions you have, big or small. But anyways, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Will adapting business intelligence be something we see more fleets down the line start to prioritize, do you think? Are we starting to see it now? Let me know what you think. Send me an email, tag me on LinkedIn, or use the hashtag Utilimarc fleet FYIs, send a carrier pigeon if you like, (laughs) you know the drill by now. But until next time, that is all from me. Ciao. 

(20:39):

Hey there, I think is the time that I should cue the virtual high five, because you've just finished listening to another episode of the Fleet FYIs podcast. If you're already wanting more content, head over to Utilimarc dot com, which is Utilimarc with a C, U-T-I-L-I-M-A-R-C dot com for this episode's show notes and extra insights coming straight from our analyst to you. That's all from me this week, so until next time, I'll catch you later.