Quick ROI on field service software for Zayo Group

Zayo Group manages more than 350 vehicles in the field with mobile workers spread across the US and Canada. As Zayo Group provides vital communications infrastructure services, it is imperative they effectively manage their field workers.

Zayo knew they needed a mobile telematics solution that could help manage their field workers, vehicles and equipment. They also needed to lower operating costs and streamline its operations while also improving driver safety, engagement and customer service.

Doug Kraus, director of operations, Zayo Group, explains why they chose Verizon Connect.

"Verizon Connect really gave us the ability to start small and build through its various modules. The Verizon Connect people are second-to-none. They've made it really easy to roll this out and become part of our working tools."

Simple, no-fuss deployment

As Verizon Connect offers direct integration with GM's built-in OnStar hardware, it was easy for Zayo to get up and running.

Kraus explains that "The relationship between Verizon Connect and GM, and the idea that over time, everything is just going to run off of OnStar seamlessly and we won't have to buy another GPS unit to plug into the port every time we buy a new vehicle - we just push a button and it works. That's huge."

We've reduced the resolution time from five hours to an hour. Doug Kraus, director of operations, Zayo Group

Great results, sooner than expected

Zayo knew the Verizon Connect platform would save them money but they had no idea how much, how soon.

"In the first full month of implementing, our fuel costs went down 11 percent. We weren't expecting that kind of ROI that quick. We thought it might take some time," says Kraus. "That's $100,000 to $120,000 a year."

Kraus also explained that it wasn't just fuel where savings were being realized.

"We were able to recover a stolen vehicle in Arizona, and also give the police the information they needed to try and track down who stole it. It saves insurance costs because we were going to have to get a new vehicle - they pay whatever the depreciated value was. Then we have to buy another $25,000 truck. There's probably $12,000 in our pocket right there. [We also] saved [our fleet coordinator] six hours of paperwork."

Smarter dispatch means more productive personnel

With real-time location and status information on all field workers, Zayo is able to make smarter decisions on whom to deploy where, and when.

"If we have a network issue in Manhattan, we can look and see we have 15 techs in New York. [In the past] the network control center would call their go-to guy, but he could be out in New Jersey. Now they can look at the map and say "oh man, I've got a guy a block away - I'm going to pull him off his install job and have him take care of the issue,'' says Kraus. "We've reduced the resolution time from five hours to an hour."

Working faster without compromising safety

Just because Zayo now has the tools to help field workers get more done in the day, it doesn't mean they're now taking shortcuts on safety. In fact, the Verizon Connect platform has transformed their driver safety program into a positive training tool that emphasizes rewarding good driving, and that's helped result in a noticeable drop in [dangerous] incidents-per-mile.

Kraus emphasizes that "we really want to reward people for doing the right things, instead of punishing them for doing the wrong things. [Verizon Connect] Coach is going to let us see who our really good drivers are. If a driver scores number one, that's going to help their bonus."