Peri & Sons Farms is in western Nevada, in Yerington. The farm is forward-thinking and passionate about growing premium-quality produce with innovative and sustainable methods. Peri & Sons first seed was planted in 1979, but the farm’s heritage dates back over 100 years. The farm has exponentially grown over the past century and now supports a workforce of 2,100 employees- all of whom assist in the production of over 500 million pounds of onions each year.
As a certified sustainable farm, the company’s Sunshine & Happiness initiative is the following:
“Create an optimistic, caring company culture because we believe a positive work environment promotes better overall work and life satisfaction. Having a positive state of mind enables us to handle everyday stress more constructively and can have a positive impact on overall health.”
The Beginning
Peri & Sons implemented AssetWorks in 2018, intending to employ the software to assist with its decision-making, but they significantly underestimated the software’s potential. With FleetFocus, any organization can exceed expectations by tracking vehicles, equipment, and parts throughout their entire lifecycle, but it doesn’t stop there. “We utilize it for so much more than what we originally anticipated. We went in thinking we were going to utilize it for our part teams and the mechanics, we do use it for that, but we really kind of morphed it into a lot more,” said Peri & Sons Internal Auditor Olivia West.
"We were all very excited, and they’re so many intricate details of setting it up, and that’s not a flaw- that is a benefit.”
Implementation & Training
West was a part of the software implementation team, so she learned the ins and outs of the software during their initial AssetWorks training. “We were all very excited, and they’re so many intricate details of setting it up, and that’s not a flaw- that is a benefit,” said West. West worked as their software supporter, but she recently took a step back to analyze other AssetWorks tools the farm can utilize to further its abilities.
Without the proper training, West would not possess the knowledge to advance its fleet operations. Receiving training is essential for all newly implemented software as it eliminates the following:
- Wasted time experimenting
- Data entry mistakes
- Missing out on tips and tricks
- Adjustment periods as new technology advances
No doubt, learning any new application is a tedious task, but with the right solution and vendor, you can master the software. With AssetWorks, the support continues after integration, offering continuous training and support throughout the software’s duration. Not only does AssetWorks offers 24/7 customer support but also a four-day fleet and asset management training experience.
AssetWorks’ training allows customers to network with fleet professionals and receives whatever training they need- including Peri & Sons. Not only was Peri & Sons able to receive further training and improve their software knowledge at AssetWorks Academy, but they also received insight on how mobile technology can further better their operations. “We usually send a couple of employees to the conferences, and they came back and were excited about EDGE,” said West. Once Peri & Sons returned from AssetWorks Academy, the team decided it was worth investing in AssetWorks’ mobile solution, MobileFocus Enterprise.
Elevating Operations Through Digitization
MobileFocus Enterprises allows fleets to bring the power of their fleet management software anywhere they go- even in disconnected environments. The enterprise suite consists of three applications: FleetFocus EDGE, SmartApps, and Fleet Connect, all of which offer access to fleet software on a fully responsive interface, such as a smartphone or tablet.
Peri & Sons utilizes the mobile application for complete visibility into their fuel data. “This enables our fueling technicians to issue an internal fuel ticket to each asset, allowing us to see how much fuel each asset consumes,” mentioned West. The farm uses MobileFocus Enterprise for internal fueling and anticipates its fuel accounting to improve by receiving real-time fueling alerts. The mobile application has allowed Peri & Sons to automate the recording of fuel transactions and eliminate spreadsheets- reducing the chances of paying more on fuel. “It looks really user-friendly, and the ability to have real-time data would be huge,” said West. Without MobileFocus Enterprise, Peri & Sons would lose track of its spending and not stay within its allotted fuel budget.
More Than Just the Basics
Since Peri & Sons discovered the many other capabilities of AssetWorks software, West and her team have been working to excel in their operations- including their packaging inventory. “Managing packing inventory ensures orders are processed timely. We have various packaging materials such as corrugated boxes and pallets. It has been really awesome being able to see the value count,” said West. This complete visibility allows the farm to ensure they are not wasting money on unnecessary parts but ensures the necessary packaging is maintained in inventory to operate efficiently.
After much success using AssetWorks FleetFocus to improve their packaging inventory, Peri & Sons continued implementing the software into other areas of their organization. “It really works, and various departments get the information they need, so why not implement it in these other areas because you could realize the same value,” said West. The farm realized they could use AssetWorks software for their fabricators in the same manner they used the software in their shop locations. The only difference is, with fabricators, the farm utilizes rebuilds for their work orders and parts which allows them to track their true cost of build- including both parts and labor. “Having that information readily available for all these departments has been awesome,” said West. A centralized database for their inventory and work orders has allowed for more efficient operations and better decision-making.
"We are excited about it. We are hoping to be able to accurately and efficiently view mile per gallon (mpg) data for each asset. This would allow us to identify any outliers, which could result in cost savings.”
Next Stop, Telematics
Fleets across the country are working to implement telematics into their operation- includes Peri & Sons. The farm is working to integrate AssetWorks Telematics/GPS Tracking with their current fleet software. “We are excited about it. We are hoping to be able to accurately and efficiently view mile per gallon (mpg) data for each asset. This would allow us to identify any outliers, which could result in cost savings,” said West.
Telematics solutions are powerful tools that can help manage your fleet and improve fleet efficiency. The more data provided by telematics, the more a fleet is equipped to optimize operations- from driver safety to fuel economy to preventative maintenance. Using your telematics data strategically will help decrease operational expenses and maximize your return on investment (ROI).
