WHAT TO ASK WHERE TO GO
Page 33
Page 34
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Choosing the right computer system for your operation is a complicated business. This guide should help you decide what you need, what it will cost, and who can supply it.
10 Many organisations are looking for computer systems to monitor and control the costs and operation of their vehicles and plant. It is difficult for a newcomer to computers to know where to start asking about a transport system. Do you ask a computer expert who knows very little about operating vehicles or does the transport manager or engineer try to learn about computers? Either one is a compromise. Judging by the many stories of computer systems that fail to deliver the goods, the transport specialist would benefit by understanding as much as possible about computers and the systems that are being considered before an order is signed. Some basic ideas should help with this.
LI Think twice before accepting promises or being a guinea pig for a system that has not yet been developed: even a legal contract is of little use if the supplier cannot provide a program as promised. Look for systems that are running in similar operations to yours. Talk to as many users of different systems as possible — you will learn something new every time. Ask basic questions such as "Have there been any problems with the system?" "What happens if there is a problem, especially out of normal working hours?" "Is the firm there to answer the telephone?" You could even phone the firm up early morning, late evening or Saturdays to check. Find out how many customers already have the system. How many staff are employed by the supplier? What is its staff turnover? What developments are being worked on? If in doubt, be very careful before committing yourself to a system unless you can afford to throw it away if it does not work. If you have no doubts, then probably you don't understand enough about what you are looking at.
Set a basic objective and keep reminding yourself of it: Are you trying to save money? Do you want to be able to analyse your existing data more easily? Have you difficulty in obtaining data for analysis in the first place? Have you a basic problem that you want to solve, or are you just
experimenting? Ultimately you need to achieve a result. Even if it is only a small result, it will give everyone the encouragement to take the next step. O Keep it simple. The best solutions are ones that give small results very quickly, rather than promising a lot but never actually delivering.
Consider carefully how much data you want to put into the system and how much time you or your staff have to do it. If data is in the system, it can eventually be analysed in any detail and even summary reports can be investigated by looking at the detail where necessary. It is useful to build up a detailed data-base as early as possible for future analysis of trends, but data which needs excessive time to capture or prepare could be left out depending on whether it is essential for future analysis. A crude estimate in some cases can be acceptable to give a general trend. The main point is that the users of the system know of any limitations inherent in it.
LI Keep all data in one place: Data held in a computer system should be available
in "real time", meaning that the same data is available to every user at the same time.
El The more comprehensive the system, the harder it will be to operate and control: A good system will allow varying degrees of complexity which can be extended as users become familiar with the system.
LI Feed back information regularly to users on system performance: System users are unlikely to worry excessively about the accuracy of data for which they are responsible, unless they see some results from their efforts. Feedback from reports is the final link in the chain to a useful system — there is little point collecting data unless staff see tangible benefit on a regular basis.
LI All systems are a compromise: This is difficult for many people to appreciate. It is recommended that large organisations run seminars or informal discussions, or issue regular newsletters to the appropriate staff so that they can understand the limitations so that their opinions can be considered.
How much do you believe that a system for your operation will cost? Does it depend on the number of vehicles you want to run on the system, or types of vehicles? Do you want to control your own workshop. Including staff and parts? Do you want to use the computer for giving a quotation for moving a load, right through to invoicing? Are you scheduling vehicles for deliveries? Are you willing to take a standard system and accept the compromises that it may require, or do you want your own special requirements incorporated into the system?
Costs do not always increase with the number of vehicles. They depend on many factors, one of which is the support that a company can give once you have bought its system. If you are reasonably serious, forget about running a cheap system. Software can be obtained for under 21,000 plus the cost of a PC to run a fleet of a couple of hundred vehicles, but for that price you are unlikely to get a system that will do what you want. It is unlikely to interface with your accounting system or control workshops, for example. It will not have a sophisticated report generator to enable you to analyse the data in complex ways. Some suppliers, however, enable you to start on such a budget and expand into a more comprehensive system later on without having to start all over again. For instance, Car Fleet Control of Birmingham sells System One for £595 for use on an IBM micro computer which can control up to 100 vehicles. Upgrading to CFC's System 90 costs from £2,875, depending on which modules are required, and enables the same basic vehicle data to be retained. The user will of course already be familiar with the way the programs operate. The Vehicle Information System from London-based Foxgrove will cost you a similar amount and can be upgraded from £3,000 by Trace Systems (UK) of Coventry into as powerful a system as you wish. Allied AIMS sells its basic VCMS-PC software for £1,800. This includes fleet management, vehicle costing and workshop performance, and this can be upgraded later to form a more comprehensive multi-user system.
Realistically, most operators will need to start at around £3,000 for the basic software package. This will give a fleet managment module and extra functions such as simple reports. Multi-user systems and additional modules are available for workshop control, vehicle parts stock control, charging out to internal departments within a company, and so on (see fig 1). Once you start talking to suppliers about letting them modify a system for you, you may see their eyes light up because this is where they can make extra profit. As well as being expensive, customising presents dangers as both customer and supplier need to understand exactly what is required so that the cost quoted reflects the cost of the actual job to the customer's satisfaction. Developing and writing programs takes time and cautionary tales abound of "quick" modifications to programs becoming somewhat drawn out.
If you have many vehicles or want to use the system for more than vehicle control, you will almost certainly need more than one terminal. This is called a multi-user system, where the data can be accessed almost simultaneously by more than one operator. The hardware and software to enable this to be done will cost a little more than a single-user system. The extra screens and keyboards will cost £600 to £1,000 each. The number of screens and therefore users, that can be logged-on to the system depends on the computer equipment configuration, but a micro computer can have many users. On some systems, the computer slows down as more users are logged-on.
Ask to see a demonstration of a system with as many terminals working at the same time as possible, if that is what you believe you require. A good multi-user system should be able to access the same vehicle's data on each of the terminals at the same time.
If you are looking for a large system, the software supplier may recommend a mini-computer which is generally designed to allow for a large number of users without the response becoming too slow. The distinction between micros and minis is getting a little blurred now as some of the more powerful micros have similar features to the smaller minis. You get what you pay for — but it does not always follow that if you pay more you get more. Computers are now so complex and are being developed at such an incredible rate that there is no typical answer to a particular application, but with the relative cost of computer equipment reducing, compared with the software, it does not seem sensible to economise on buying the hardware.
Costs for a large system depend on many factors (see fig 2), and if you are thinking about such a system, it will be essential to specify in detail what done and obtain quotations from as many firms as practicable. It is surprising what wide variations in cost will be given.
WHERE TO LOOK