Driving your NEMT business decisions with Data | NEMT Experts Podcast Episode 71
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Your Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) business has various sources of data, like your dispatch and scheduling software, your vehicle tracking system, your HR platform, etc. How do you pull together data from these different sources and synthesize it to help make business decisions? It's all explained in this sixth and final episode of The Transportation Alliance's 6-part webinar series sponsored by Bambi called "Mastering Business Essentials" featuring Natalie Parra and Ethan Tromp of ZTrip.
Top 3 Takeaways:
- Centralize Disparate Data for Clarity: Many businesses suffer from having data spread across multiple platforms (dispatch, cameras, maintenance, CRM, recruiting). The core message is the critical importance of consolidating these various data sources into a single system. This integration moves businesses from a "daunting" and fragmented view to a clear, actionable overview of operations.
- Data Transforms Guesswork into Strategic Decisions: Relying on "gut feelings" in transportation can lead to inefficiencies and risks. By systematically collecting and analyzing data through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – covering areas like revenue, accounts receivable, driver performance, incidents, maintenance, leads, and bookings – businesses can make informed, strategic decisions, optimize resources, and improve safety and service.
- Start Small and Leverage Automation & Modern Tools: The journey to becoming data-driven doesn't require a massive, immediate overhaul. Businesses can start by identifying key metrics, using simple tools like digital forms (Formstack, JotForm, Google Sheets) for data collection, and employing visualization software (like Zoho or Power BI) to create insightful dashboards. Furthermore, identifying and automating manual, repetitive data tasks can significantly speed up processes and free up resources.
Top 3 Quotes:
- Natalie Parra: "For many of us, we have our dispatch platform. Um, we have a camera system. We have, um, some sort of a maintenance platform... and it's daunting when you go have to go into six different places, um, and try to find out what's going on in your business. And so we made the decision, um, about five years ago to hire someone to bring it all together, um, and put it into one system."
- Ethan Tromp: "Have you ever made a decision based on a gut feeling only to later wish you had more information? In transportation? Relying on instinct alone can lead to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and even safety risks. That's where data comes in. Data transforms guesswork into strategy."
- Ethan Tromp: "...a big thing when I came in was people doing a lot of manual tasks... Just because that's the way they've always done it. And so being able to identify those tasks and finding ways to automate that, um, to build a report that doesn't have to be manually created anymore. It's now just autogenerated and emailed out, I think is a big thing. And, um, can speed up processes a lot."
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