Hey Tonicha! Congratulations on starting your new role.
I started working here in April 2021, so more than a year ago now!
It looked like a role I could see myself doing and I could see a lot of opportunity for progression within the company. Simplytrak had so many factors that I love about it and I could see myself fitting in really well.
More responsibility and being even busier! I love constantly having something on the go, and working with new people in the team. As much as I do work with everybody, there are some people I currently work closer with than others, so it will be great to work closer with other members of the team.
The new role I’m going into as Account Manager will be a lot more client based, so working purely with clients rather than our engineers like I do now. I’ll be going out on the road and meeting with them, sorting out all of their accounts. Currently I’m booking in their jobs and getting everything organised day to day, rather than general client management.
Definitely the team I work with, we all get on so well so it’s a privilege to work with them all. Also building relationships with clients and engineers, you don’t feel like you’re working, it’s like you’re chatting with friends all day. I also love how busy I am, I thrive being constantly on the go and there’s always something to do, always something to improve or help people with.
Definitely the team, everyone is willing to help. We always have a laugh and a joke too! As much as you can be hard at work, it’s easy just to have a little catch up and chat. If your workload is hectic everyone is willing to jump in and help. Also, just the company in general – there are loads of benefits to working here like the share option scheme and company days out.
Time management – using your diary to the fullest! I never really used to use a diary, but now using it to book everything in or setting myself blocks out to work on certain things ensures I can prioritise certain tasks. Being a lot more client focused too, I would say that’s definitely a skill to have, to approach people in difficult situations.
We’ve expanded massively since I joined in April 2021. We have a lot more clients now and in terms of products we’re a lot more established. We’re also attending a lot more events such as the British-Irish Airports Expo coming up on 22-23rd June!
Everyone in our team inspires me. There’s so many different aspects of everyone that inspire me, so I couldn’t really choose a specific person.
We have lots of things in store so keep your eyes peeled!
Thanks Tonicha, we can’t wait to see what’s coming up!
Hey Eamonn, you’ve nearly been with Simplytrak for ten years! Let’s have a chat about your career progression…
I started working here in November 2012.
It was actually recommended to me when the company offices first opened here in the East Riding. I called Andrew Johnson, the founder, got an interview the next day and started the job the day after! I haven’t looked back since.
I’m a Technical Operations Manager. My team and I make sure everything runs smoothly from the first contact with our clients, to installation of software and hardware through to the maintenance of trackers and other telematics solutions.
I started here as IT Tech Support, mainly focusing on customer service. I grew to know the products more and moved to Product Development where I stayed for a few years and was then promoted to Operations Manager.
It’s got to be the team work we have. We bounce off each other really well, we work hard and all chip in with each other – but we enjoy it at the same time. It’s driven by Ian Wood, our Managing Director. He promotes a really great working environment and always makes the working day fun.
It’s definitely the best company I’ve worked for. It was a smaller company when I started and even through the immense growth we’ve still got that family feel.
It’s really grown. We’ve put a lot of processes in place since I first started. Compared to ten years ago everything has moved onto digital. Being involved with that has been something I’ve really enjoyed. The number of products and solutions we offer has grown as well.
I would say our founders Andrew and Alison Johnson. The way they have grown Simplytrak and its sister companies is really inspiring.
It’s great, we all work really well together. We work hard and the days are crazy busy, but we always finish the day happy and knowing we have had a great day with everybody in the office.
We have been working on our product innovation SimplySecure for the past year or so. We were approached by the world’s largest courier company to help them find a solution to make their deliveries more secure.They found that their delivery vans and goods were particularly at peril at the point of delivery. With SimplySecure we developed a solution that gets rid of opportunist vehicle theft altogether. Simplytrak has always been a pioneer in security solutions. For instance, we’ve developed remote immobilisation as a solution for our clients. It enables them to shut off their vehicles remotely in the case of theft or unauthorised use. Our camera telematics solutions are exciting as well as they are ever evolving. Our clients are able to integrate cameras and analytics with their fleet tracking allowing them to record events such as collisions for evidence, risk management and security.
Do it, because it’s fun! The working atmosphere Ian promotes is amazing. We work hard and we enjoy doing it. We also socialise and meet a lot outside of work as well, my work mates are also my mates. I would advise anybody to give Simplytrak a go.
Thanks Eamonn, you are an asset to the Simplytrak team!
Founded in 2005, Yorkshire-based Simplytrak’s fleet management and connected services solutions have been used to optimise the operations of many customers globally.
Founder and director Andrew Johnson and managing director Ian Wood spoke to Natalie Middleton from Fleet World magazine about its continually evolving solutions and latest innovations to support fleets.
Operating from a small village in East Yorkshire and serving clients globally, this telematics company has been creating intelligent and innovative solutions for fleet managers for almost 20 years now. In the UK alone, clients include Ticketmaster, Wickes, Amazon Delivery Service Partner ATA Couriers and Practical Car and Van Hire, as well as regional Yorkshire organisations, such as Hull City Council.
During Simplytrak’s time in business, the face of the fleet sector has changed dramatically; from the types of vehicles run through to the operational nature of fleets, particularly driven by the pandemic.
A pioneer in providing safety solutions with remote immobilisation-based technologies and camera telematics to increase vehicle and driver security, Simplytrak’s latest innovation has been designed in partnership with the world’s largest courier operator.
Intended to put an end to opportunist and organised vehicle theft, the company recently launched its latest innovation, SimplySecure. Developed by a team of vehicle security and telematics experts on the back of the success of Simplytrak’s remote immobilisation solution, SimplySecure not only ‘auto-immobilises’ a driver’s vehicle but also educates the driver to remove the keys from the ignition every single time, eliminating the risk of theft and avoiding negated insurance claims.
“Artificial Intelligence and Machine-to-Machine Learning have been such buzzwords in our industry for some time now. With SimplySecure, we are implementing these concepts in one solution,” explains Ian Wood, who joined the company in 2015 as business development manager and became managing director in 2019. “Our team has developed a system that talks to the vehicle, enabling it to make its own decision as to whether the vehicle is immobilised.”
Explaining the background to the solution, Wood continues: “We were approached by one of the largest courier companies in the world, which was expanding rapidly – not least due to the first Covid-19 lockdown. They were looking at securing their vehicles when delivering parcels. We were asked to build on our existing security system specialising in the remote immobilisation of vehicles. Now we’ve gone down the route of talking to the vehicle’s own OEM system and integrating it with our tracking systems – using the machine’s artificial intelligence. Not only is SimplySecure a security and driver training device, it can provide all the other features a tracking system does such as monitoring fuel spend and mileage as well as geo-fencing.”
Wood says being a driver training tool makes SimplySecure relevant for fleet managers across industries by enabling them to create accurate risk profiles; both for entire fleets as well as individual drivers.
“In our client’s case, vehicles are generally stolen because drivers have a certain length of time to drop parcels off and they leave the engines running and the keys in the ignition. What our system does is, as soon as the driver opens the door, it immobilises the vehicle, whether or not the keys are left in the ignition or not to secure it. The driver then has to contact the head office to reset the vehicle.”
It’s a rapidly expanding area too, as the pandemic puts the focus on home shopping and an increased need for home deliveries.
Another area of specialism is van operators with mixed fleets, where relying on the data from the OEM’s own connected system becomes more complicated as operators have to integrate vehicles from different makes.
Andrew Johnson, who founded Simplytrak almost 20 years ago, says: “Most companies out there will have mixed fleets. And don’t want six different monitoring systems to monitor them. What they need is one system that monitors everything, so this is another area where we excel in.”
A further development that the company is working on will bring a solution to the fast-growing number of van fleets turning to electric vehicles.
Johnson outlines: “As electric vehicles come into the mainstream and companies start including them on their fleets, the drivers are going to need to take them home and charge them overnight.
“Now obviously they’re going to have to refund the electricity used at home, so our system will monitor how much electricity has been put into the vehicle so that companies can reimburse the drivers correctly.
Regardless of what fleet managers are looking for, from basic tracking to cameras, immobilisation, and security, Simplytrak says one of its main USPs is that it can offer it all.
The business has a dedicated team of software and hardware integrators that address the requirements of more niche and specialist customers, creating bespoke solutions.
Ian Wood explains: “The good thing with Simplytrak is that we can build around our bespoke system, from a standard tracking system to a complete system built around a fleet’s needs.
“For many fleets, if they want a Direct Vision Standard (DVS) system for instance, they’ll go to a certain company to supply that. If they want a camera solution, they’ll go to another company. The same for a security solution.
“Simplytrak can offer all of that from one platform. For instance, one of our largest clients has an immobilisation solution for driver ID; meaning before a driver can start the vehicle, they have to tap a dedicated key fob, which means that drivers can be restricted to which vehicles they can or cannot drive. They also receive remote tachograph information and have a full 360-degree camera solution to meet the requirements of London’s DVS.”
Johnson adds: “Thanks to our built-in system, all our solutions are connected. If a fleet has our camera solutions, they can access the data and footage through our platform. Regardless of what a fleet adds to our system, it all goes through that one single platform. So, you can now see what the driver is seeing from dashboard data to what the driver is actually seeing through the windscreen and to the rear.”
You can read the Fleet World article here.
Every year, our group of companies Forward & Thinking, Simplytrak and Wold Outdoor, known as SAAS Global, come together and choose a charity to support with fundraising and activities for twelve months. This year, after a team vote, we decided to support Andy’s Man Club.
Andy’s Man Club was founded after Andrew Roberts sadly took his own life aged 23 in early 2016. After looking deeper into into male suicide and men’s mental health, his mum Elaine Roberts and brother in law Luke Ambler discovered that male suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50, and founded the charity in Andrew’s name.
Their aim is to reduce the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and create an environment where they can get together and discuss their mental health without fear of judgement. The groups are volunteer-led, with the vast majority of group facilitators having first interacted with Andy’s Man Club when they came through the door as a service user. Six years later, the club now has almost 100 clubs across the UK!
“I voted for Andy’s Man Club because I think it’s so important to break the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and encourage men to talk openly about their feelings”, says Patrick Hewitt, Business Development Manager, Simplytrak.
Paul Longley from Andy’s Man Club in Hull joined us in our office for an insightful talk about the incredible work that the charity does. Paul spoke about his own experience with the charity, discussing how attending the club helped him with his own personal struggles.
“Listening to Paul’s own experience and how Andy’s Man Club supported him, really shows how important it is for initiatives like this to exist,” says Georgia Hall, Designer, SAAS Global.
“Paul’s talk was great, it was interesting to hear about how the club was formed. I will definitely be spreading the word about Andy’s Man Club and the amazing work they do to save lives every day. I’m really happy we voted for them to be our chosen charity of the year,” Chloe Cordell, Media Assistant, Forward & Thinking.
Paul Longley spoke about how the money donated to the charity is used:
“All the money raised for Andy’s Man Club goes towards opening new clubs in different towns and cities, meaning every donation helps to save a life. Supporting us is not just about raising money, spreading awareness is the most important. Awareness of our clubs shows anybody out there struggling that there is somebody to help.”
Paul spoke about the club’s initial six questions that they ask the group at the beginning of a session:
The first four questions are always the same and questions five and six are always different. For the last two questions, the club like to focus on something positive, such as, “What positive thing are you going to do for someone else or for yourself this week?”. This approach ensures that group members feel positive about their time at the club, and gives them something to look forward to.
Along with the in-person clubs, Andy’s Man Club also offers online support. This is to ensure that anybody struggling with their mental health has access to help, not only those who are able to attend a club.
To learn more about the amazing charity, or to join one of their groups visit https://andysmanclub.co.uk/
We’ve got lots of fundraising activities planned for this year, keep up to date on our social media pages to see what we’re getting up to!
I’ve had around 30 years of experience in the commercial vehicle industry with a focus on selling specialist equipment for fleets such as cameras, sensors and weighing systems.
After meeting with Ian and Darren I knew that I wanted to work at Simplytrak as it seemed like a really great company. Simplytrak was founded almost twenty years ago and it keeps evolving its solutions. I’m really excited to be here and to get started!
Simple fact is to get out there and shout about our amazing solutions! Let me use this opportunity to shout about our latest innovation, SimplySecure – we’ve only gone and developed a solution to make opportunist vehicle theft a thing of the past! Simplytrak developed this solution with the largest courier company in the world, to help them secure their vans and goods as well as to train their delivery drivers to keep their vehicles as safe as possible.
Vehicle theft is a big one. Over the last few years van theft has risen by around 45% in the UK. With our solution SimplySecure, we can bring that figure down.
SimplySecure adds massive benefits to a fleet of vehicles. Especially delivery drivers. They’re out of the van, leaving the engine running and door open at times just to get their parcels delivered as quickly as possible. I know Amazon have had instances where vans have been stolen, losing thousands of pounds. SimplySecure will take that away completely.
Protect the goods inside, protect the driver, protect the assets and the van itself.
Simplytrak is a great company to work for, everyone is really nice and friendly and very helpful. There is a very relaxed, fun atmosphere in the office when you’re working. It’s just a really good company – nice, warm and engaging.
I’m really looking forward to getting out, speaking to people and protecting vehicles with our amazing solutions!
Thank you Sean! We can’t wait to see what you’ve got in store for us…
Hi, yes. I’m Patrick Hewitt. Simplytrak’s Business Development Manager. I’ve been with the Simplytrak team since April 2021.
So, tell us! How was your first ever Fleet Summit? Was it as expected?
It was actually better than expected! I had interesting conversations with everybody that visited the stand. You’re able to meet with direct potential customers – who want to do business with you, they’re looking for the solutions Simplytrak have. It was interesting.
The event was also really organised. The team did an amazing job ensuring both exhibitors and those visiting the stand were kept safe. So, well done to those guys!
Not necessarily. The world is continually evolving and therefore the telematics industry needs to too. The brilliant thing about Simplytrak is that we’re always two steps ahead. Always. Hence SimplySecure.
Sure! SimplySecure has been designed with the world’s largest courier operator. It’s the solution the courier industry has been searching for. Designed to prevent vehicle theft, SimplySecure stops the driver ever leaving the keys in the ignition. Whenever the driver’s door is opened with the keys in the ignition, the horn will sound, hazard lights will flash, and the vehicle is instantly immobilised. The vehicle cannot be stolen.
It’s something I would recommend to anybody in the courier industry.
I had some really, really good conversations. G45 was particularly interesting. What they were looking for was completely niche. But something Simplytrak can nevertheless deliver. Quite honestly, all the conversations were interesting. I spoke to the likes of John Lewis, East Riding Council, Chichester District Council, Amey…the list goes on.
All were looking for a range of different solutions and features, but I found one of the biggest and unique selling points that Simplytrak were able to offer was our driver training feature on the Simplytrak Scorecard. We were able to show them how to save on their fuel consumption, create safer and better driving environments for their drivers etc. They all seemed to be very interested.
Trust in Simplytrak! Our solutions come with standard features that are anything but standard. We aren’t here just to track your assets. By partnering with Simplytrak, you’re protecting your future.
Interested in learning more about Simplytrak’s solutions? Download our July 2021 eBook here: