As a result of this agreement, TomTom Telematics will launch a service that integrates euroShell Cards data into its Webfleet platform, making fuel transactions and fuel management information available for users in one system.
“TomTom Telematics has a strong portfolio and high performance standards to help fleets improve fuel efficiency, which fits well with the expectations of Shell customers,” said Thomas Schmidt, managing director at TomTom Telematics. “Furthermore, the integration of euroShell Cards fuel data within WEBFLEET provides a more complete picture for fleet managers, enabling them to optimise and manage all aspects of fuel efficiency.”
Parminder Kohli, general manager business development at Shell Commercial Fleet, added: “This deal provides customers with a complete solution combining one of the telematics industry’s richest reporting suites with Shell’s fuel card expertise and one of the largest petrol station networks in Europe. Fuel is amongst the biggest cost factors when running a vehicle fleet. However, by providing businesses with driver, vehicle and fuelling data insights, areas for improvement can be more easily identified and acted on, helping these businesses to reduce their costs and carbon footprint.”
Frost & Sullivan research manager, Sathyanarayana Kabirdas, explains why this partnership model will create multiple benefits to the entire telematics network. He says this strategic move will help TomTom Telematics promote their products and services to a comparatively larger addressable market in Europe, while Shell can offer a more competitive and larger product/service portfolio (now including best-in-class telematics) to their customers. TomTom Telematics will leverage 5 million vehicles connected to Shell’s business. Going forward, this partnership will provide the end user with an integrated application interface that would streamline the processing of data from the telematics service provider and the fuel card provider, thereby reducing administration time.
Frost & Sullivan believes that core competencies of Shell and TomTom Telematics will mutually benefit the companies to offer integrated value-added services, helping them move northwards with respect to customer base. The road ahead for 2016 is interesting with this partnership as the combined expertise will create an innovative portfolio for the fleet management solutions market, leveraging the specialist knowledge and capabilities within TomTom Telematics and Shell. Frost & Sullivan expects this partnership model to create multiple benefits to the entire telematics ecosystem. Fuel usage with innovative reporting and connected vehicles with smart guidance will enable more non-exclusive partnerships between universal fuel card vendors like Shell and premium telematics service providers like TomTom Telematics to accelerate the penetration of fleet telematics.
