Going Beyond Basic Telematics

As we came up with the concept for ClearSky Smart Fleet™, we knew we had to first deliver basic telematics and an ecosystem. Any other features we chose to incorporate would need to add real, measurable value. And the best way to determine which features would do that was by talking directly with our customers.

During the early stages of ClearSky Smart Fleet’s development process, we hosted what we called a “customer rodeo.” We brought in a mix of customers and let them get hands on with what would eventually become ClearSky Smart Fleet.

The group included end users, representatives from national rental companies and independent rental companies, current ClearSky users and even some individuals who described themselves as “tech averse.” We gave each person a full demo of the app and the portal, and we asked them to tell us if we were heading in the right direction. Because this rodeo took place when the system was still in the early stages of development, JLG had the ability to shift the solution to better reflect customer needs.

As we listened to customers from all over the world, we got a LOT of input. We prioritized their wants and needs while considering each potential feature’s overall value. Today, the launch phase of ClearSky Smart Fleet incorporates many of their requested features with more to come in future phases.

I’m not a user interface or experience designer. That’s why we worked with third-party experts in app design to ensure that ClearSky Smart Fleet’s mobile app was as intuitive and easy to use as possible. Throughout the app design process, we integrated customer input to ensure it would have the features they wanted most.  

We took things one step further by benchmarking ClearSky Smart Fleet against companies outside our industry known for good app design – Google, Tesla, Fitbit – with the goal of making our data actionable above all else. Because, if the ClearSky Smart Fleet and its app aren’t providing actionable data, then we’re not doing our job.  

We also performed usability testing with different stakeholders and asked them to find a machine, for example, without being told how to do it. That way, we could ensure the app was intuitive and easy to use.

Now that ClearSky Smart Fleet’s launch phase is live, you may think JLG’s development work is done – but it’s not. To ensure that our solutions are working the way they should, we’re auditing them on a quarterly basis. We want the whole ClearSky Smart Fleet experience to be so intuitive that a person who’s new to the technology doesn’t need a manual or additional explanation to use it. It’s just one more way we’re ensuring that this technology works for you, our customer, not just for us.