Developing products and continuing to improve them is a big task. It requires a lot of resources and time, but once the right team and process are in place, innovation becomes part of the culture of the company.

We sat down with a product developer at Access to discuss how the development process works from beginning to the end, common challenges and how to overcome them, and the latest innovation within the industry.

Let’s get started…

1) How do you determine new features for a telematics product? 

By working with end-users and partners, competitive research, if available new technologies are feasible to improve product performance.

2) Do Access customers have any input in this?

Absolutely, they are the ones experiencing and overcoming challenges with their operations daily.  Their constant feedback and input is the driving force of every product development at Access.

We are also working on increasing our efforts to get feedback from a broader audience.

3) How much are fleet managers involved in new product development?

Heavily. Fleet managers dictate their company needs, and in some cases, they research available options. Unfortunately, the majority of managers rely on their trucks’ service provider for any innovation, so they might miss out on opportunities without even knowing it.

4) How does the R&D department develop new products from scratch to market?

It all starts with listening to the customer’s pain points, then requirement gathering from stakeholders, technology review, competitive analysis, product beta tests, and launch.

It’s a long process for sure, but a rewarding one. Our goal is to keep innovating to meet the ever-changing industry needs.

5) Do you use new technologies to distinguish Access products from other telematics product manufacturers?

Always. Implementing and utilizing new technologies available is one of our strengths.

We developed intelligent electronics devices that are easily scalable for the ever-changing needs of different industries. Our devices have innovative communication of cellular or Wi-Fi to meet unpredictable IT policies of customers.

Our simplified implementation reduces installation time and costs while minimizing downtime of equipment. Single component design improves the reliability of the system.

6) Do you work with other software manufacturers in the development of telematics products?

Yes. Companies use a variety of software applications in their operation. While this is necessary, it also creates data silos. Integration of relevant data can provide business insight across enterprises, so informed decisions can be made.

7) How do you work with them?

Access provides open API to integrate with 3rd party applications such as ERP, WMS, CMMS, HR, and Accounting.

8) What are the new technologies being developed for telematics products?

New technologies are finding ways to use IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) applications in the entire warehouse. Also, a lot of the product development focus is on improving safety with better sensors, alarms, asset tracking, to name a few.

We are proud to have been following this trend for the past couple of years and having a great cloud-platform and innovative devices with essential safety features.

9) What would you say distinguishes Access products from similar products produced by other manufacturers?

Simple to implement, consistent data across the fleet, scalable, and offers the best cost of ownership in its class.

10) How do you ensure Access’ telematics products are “future proof” and won’t become irrelevant as new technologies are released?

Tough question to answer. We strive to look into the future and provide functions and features which can outlast the equipment. 

As a forward-thinking company, Access works closely with partners, customers, and research communities to always have a pulse on changing needs. Our continuous improvement policy allows us to innovate and stay ahead of the technology curve to solve new challenges.

11) Are there any exciting plans in the Research & Development Department in creating new products for Access?

Yes, but I can’t go into details right now. All I can say is that our goal is to help customers leverage their investment and streamline resources. We’ve got great things coming soon.

______________

We hope this interview has given you great insight into our product development process and innovations being adopted in our industry.

To receive weekly industry insights and information, sign up for our newsletter.