As a Customer Success Manager at Samsara, I get to help some of the largest fleets in the country. I’ve seen firsthand how our customers succeed, no matter their individual industry, goals, or challenges. When I onboard new customers, I’m often asked: what makes Samsara customers successful? More than anything, I believe it’s our partnership.

We are the technology experts, but our customers are the industry experts. That’s why we’ve carefully listened to our customers over the years. We’ve tracked their experiences to ensure that we not only support them, but provide the technology, innovation, and ongoing partnership they need to achieve even greater success. And after partnering with more than 15,000 customers, we’ve identified a few common themes we see across their journey to success:

1. They start off strong: A smooth rollout is the foundation for long-term success, and you'll need a team behind you from day one. <a href="#section-1">Onboarding and support</a> from our in-house team provides implementation, training, and support services tailored to your needs.

2. They run a tight ship: With <a href="#section-2">one unified platform</a> for telematics, compliance, safety, and more, we help successful fleets connect and simplify their operations—making it possible to consolidate vendors, streamline siloed data, and go paperless.

3. They leverage every bit of what they have: <a href="#section-3">Improved efficiency</a> is more important now than ever. With reports and alerts that surface real-time, actionable insights, our customers are able to uncover inefficiencies and do more with less.

4. They deliver a stellar experience to their customers: In the Amazon era, <a href="#section-4">quality and retention</a> are key to any fleet’s long-term success. We help successful fleets retain existing customers and secure new business with granular visibility into their day-to-day operations, along with tools to keep customers informed.

5. They take safety very seriously: Protecting drivers and reducing accidents is a top priority for most fleets today. Our most successful customers leverage Samsara to build a <a href="#section-5">preventative safety</a> program that delivers lasting value—no additional vendors needed.

6. They are always ahead of the curve: As your business evolves, we evolve with you. With an ongoing customer feedback loop that drives <a href="#section-6">continuous innovation</a>, Samsara can help you be prepared for today, tomorrow, and 10 years from now.

When we say we’re with you for the road ahead, this is what we mean. Keep reading to see how a few of our customers have experienced each stage of this journey—or check out our interactive online guide, Samsara: Your Partner for the Road Ahead, for more information on how we can partner with you.

<div id="section-1">1. Onboarding and support</div>

Having supported dozens of Samsara implementations, I know that successfully rolling out a new solution isn't just about the technology; it’s about the people. When you choose Samsara, you get more than a vendor. You get the service and support of a partner. Because our products are designed, built, tested, shipped, and supported in-house, I get the privilege of offering our customers more than what they're used to from reseller models. From day one, my peers and I on the Customer Success team are committed to ensuring a smooth experience with implementation and training. And if you ever need support, our locally-based Samsara product experts are available 24/7 to answer your questions.

Customer spotlight: Sprint Waste Services. Sprint Waste is a waste transportation and container rental company that supports the industrial and construction industries throughout Houston and the Gulf Coast. With the support of our team, they were able to deploy Samsara Vehicle Gateways and Dash Cams across roughly 400 vehicles and train more than 350 staff members—all in just 60 days. “In addition to our drivers, we had to train dispatchers at all 14 of our locations, our safety managers, and the mechanics at the shops,” said President Dave Nelson. “Our Samsara sales rep and customer engagement manager helped set us up for success,” added Vice President of Collections Chris Russ, who managed the implementation.

Learn more about Samsara's implementation, training, and support services→ 

<div id="section-2">2. One unified platform</div>

I often find that before implementing Samsara, our customers have a complex and disconnected tech stack. They’re looking for a way to access information in one place—and that’s why they choose Samsara. With one unified platform, our customers can consolidate separate vendors for telematics, compliance, and safety. Plus, Samsara’s open API allows for flexibility and customization. Our customers can connect Samsara to the critical business systems that are already part of their day-to-day operations—including TMSs, ERPs, fuel cards, and OEMs—minimizing backend overhead, administrative costs, and partial data.

Customer spotlight: ArcBest. ArcBest is the 14th largest for-hire fleet in the United States, employing more than 7,000 drivers. With more than 4,000 Samsara Vehicle Gateways and Dash Cams, ArcBest uses our unified platform to automate repetitive tasks, improve data accuracy, and ultimately reduce the complexity of their operations. Last year, ArcBest deployed 32 new API endpoints with Samsara—leveraging Samsara’s platform to develop a more connected operation between their internal systems. By integrating Samsara with their in-house compliance tool, they decreased time spent managing unassigned HOS by a whopping 50%.

Learn more about the benefits of a unified platform →

<div id="section-3">3. Improved efficiency</div>

Businesses that succeed through uncertain times are the ones that know how to do more with less. Every day, I see how Samsara’s reports and real-time alerts help our customers do just that—whether via better visibility into inefficient driving, unsafe DVIRs, unassigned HOS, and so much more. With more complete data (across all aspects of their fleet) and better analytical tools, our customers tell us they are able to connect the dots, proactively solve inefficiencies, and optimize for the long term. The impact of increased efficiency on our customers’ bottom lines is huge, especially since these savings compound over time.

Customer spotlight: Athens-Clarke County. Athens-Clarke County’s Solid Waste Division provides waste collection, recycling, composting, and tree trimming services to more than 125,000 residents across 117 square miles. The community has high expectations of their public servants, and Athens-Clarke County has made great strides to efficiently serve the public by transforming their collections operations with Samsara. Last year, they saved more than 12,400 pieces of paper, improved billing accuracy, and reduced staff hours by using the Samsara Driver App to digitize paperwork. By tracking route performance, they were able to expand their service area while achieving a 58% improvement in fuel efficiency.

See more ways our customers are increasing efficiency with Samsara →

<div id="section-4">4. Quality and retention</div>

In my experience working with customers, those who thrive are delivering a best-in-market customer experience to their customers. For them, the customer experience is a competitive advantage to secure and win more business. With heightened customer demands, it’s more important than ever to maintain a healthy and productive fleet. A vehicle in the shop versus on the road could mean the difference between a business that’s succeeding or just getting by. With real-time GPS tracking, live-to-the-second ETAs, a Driver App that captures proof of service, and the additional suite of Samsara sensors to monitor for quality assurance, our customers are able to deliver a better experience to their customers—helping keep costs down and service level high.

Customer spotlight: MacAllister. Founded more than 70 years ago, MacAllister Machinery is a construction and heavy equipment dealer in Indiana with more than 3,500 vehicles and 650 drivers. By integrating Samsara’s real-time GPS data with their custom mapping system, MacAllister has increased dispatch productivity by 63%, saved 188 hours per week in back-office administration, and improved ETA predictability by 80%—adding up to a faster, better experience for their customers. “Before Samsara, we relied on drivers, dispatchers, sales staff, and customers for our ‘real-time’ information,” said Tom Kellar, Fleet Manager at MacAllister. “Now, we are able to track and monitor our fleet in real-time. This allows us to provide accurate, real-time updates. We have heard resoundingly positive feedback from customers, directly attributed to the Samsara initiative.”

See how Samsara can help you exceed your customers' expectations →

<div id="section-5">5. Preventative safety</div>

Due to rising accident rates and skyrocketing legal settlements, safety isn’t just a risk to drivers; it’s a risk to every fleet’s bottom line. Leading fleets are evolving their approach to safety, moving away from reactive coaching and towards proactive, real-time detection of risky driving behavior. In fact, a recent Frost & Sullivan report found that video telematics is a “new safety norm” for commercial fleets. That’s why AI Dash Cams are part of the Samsara platform. But it’s not just about the technology—no matter how big or small the fleet, building a successful video-based safety program that drives measurable ROI is no easy feat. Change management is just as important as the technology itself, which is why our team is there every step of the way, from benchmarking goals to getting driver buy-in.

Customer spotlight: Archer Daniels Midland. ADM Trucking transports liquid tanks across the United States and Canada for their parent company, Archer Daniels Midland. Logging more than 40 million miles per year, they manage 550 drivers operating out of 34 terminals. Since they haul liquid tanks, minimizing harsh events and risky behavior (like swerving) is of the utmost importance. Using Samsara’s AI Dash Cams and Safety Inbox to coach drivers at scale, ADM reduced accidents by 50%, beat their accident ratio per million miles goal, and saved hundreds of thousands of dollars through accident exoneration. “Our CSA Accident score improved to a single digit score, our roadside inspections were cut in half, and our claims last year were at historic lows,” said Keith Frantz, DOT Compliance Manager at ADM. “Our drivers deserve the credit, as they have taken the positive coaching and made the changes. Drivers are checking in with their managers to see if they have improved, even from the previous day. That helps give ADM Trucking the muscle to grow and expand.”

See how Samsara can help you improve safety → 

<div id="section-6">6. Continuous innovation</div>

My favorite thing about working at Samsara is that we really do listen to our customers. We listen not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because we believe our customers’ feedback is critical to our business—and the future of fleet management technology as a whole. Feedback shared with me or submitted through our dashboard is really important to us. In fact, every single piece of feedback submitted via our dashboard goes directly to our engineering team and leadership. This customer feedback loop is what allows us to innovate so quickly, launching hundreds of new features each year. And it’s this feedback loop that makes us the best choice for the long term. As your business evolves, we evolve with you. 

Customer spotlight: SeniorCare EMS. SeniorCare EMS is the largest commercial ambulance provider in New York City. As a business that has grown from a relatively small operation 15 years ago to more than 1,300 employees today, SeniorCare EMS values working with partners that can grow with them. After rolling out Samsara three years ago, they have become an early adopter of many of our new safety features and a key part of our customer feedback loop. For example, as a high-volume downloader of dash cam footage, SeniorCare EMS offered some suggestions for improving Samsara’s Video Retrieval feature. Just a few weeks later, they saw those changes live in their own dashboard. “It’s just so great to see that when we make a suggestion, we see it implemented. It’s just tremendous,” said Robert Ackerman, Safety Director at SeniorCare EMS. “It’s such a good feeling to work with a company that we’re really partners with, not just a customer.”

See why Samsara is the best partner for the future →

We invite you to hear directly from our customers

The most rewarding part of my job is hearing from our customers every day—and we're excited to share more success stories from our customers over the next few weeks. Subscribe to our new blog series to get tips from the finalists and winners of the 2020 Samsara Top Fleet Awards, delivered right to your inbox.

Or, if you'd like to hear directly from them, watch our on-demand webinar recording from Inside Look: Secrets from Top Fleets. This exclusive digital event featured a panel of four of our most accomplished customers—ArcBest, GP Transco, Sprint Waste, and Athens-Clarke County—recent winners of the 2020 Top Fleet Awards. During the 90-minute webinar, leaders from these fleets shared insider tips for leveraging Samsara to drive next-level efficiency and safety. 

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