Five Phases to Implementing Forklift Fleet Management

Crown Equipment has been providing forklift and material handling connectivity solutions for over a decade. During that time, we have worked closely with our customers to help them integrate forklift fleet management into their businesses. Through that process, we‘ve learned valuable lessons about technology adoption and implementation in material handling facilities.

Through our experience with customer implementations, Crown has identified five key phases to successfully implementing a fleet and operator management system.

Phase 1: Understanding Goals and Objectives

• Understand your organization’s goals and objectives.
• Identify champion(s) in your organization who can start and lead this initiative.
• Ascertain the technology you currently have in place.
• Establish how success/progress will be measured.
• Evaluate the amount and accuracy of the data you have today.
• Implement a truck replacement strategy.

Phase 2: Consolidating Information

• Capture accurate data with a fleet maintenance management system.
• Establish a level of service guidelines.
• Lock in national pricing and discounts.
• Consolidate maintenance providers.
• Begin asset collection and build a baseline.

Phase 3: Reviewing and Aligning Opportunity

• Conduct business review meetings with vendor(s).
• Pinpoint potential savings that could be gained.
• Take advantage of safety and training opportunities.
• Initiate best practices with a collection of fleet maintenance data.
• Embark on a forklift fleet management system/telematics pilot project.
• Establish specification standardization.

Phase 4: Capitalizing and Implementing Telematics Solution

• Make adjustments to capitalize on opportunities.
• Deploy a forklift fleet management system/telematics.
• Integrate maintenance spend with truck usage.
• Understand the health of the forklift fleet.
• Create a solid foundation and baseline to achieve goals.

Phase 5: Monitoring and Managing Activities

• Connect forklift fleets across the enterprise.
• Utilize lean truck utilization management.
• Implement optimal truck replacement strategy.
• Achieve complete truck health visibility.
• Engage in continuous improvements based on data.
• Utilize fleet management system to realize tangible energy savings.

Regardless of where you are in terms of your journey to greater connectivity in the warehouse, it’s vital to have an established clear path forward. Especially if you are just beginning the journey; it’s helpful to have a starting point. For many organizations, the forklift provides an ideal starting point for connectivity efforts.

For more information on creating a connected facility, download Crown’s e-book Achieving Material Handling Connectivity.