Cooper Group has grown from a specialist repair business into one of the UK’s leading providers of refuse vehicle hire, maintenance, refurbishment and crane services. Supporting councils and commercial customers across the country means managing a diverse fleet while delivering responsive service and minimising vehicle downtime.
Before partnering with Guardian Bell, Cooper Group was using multiple telematics providers across its fleet. This created several operational challenges:
Cooper Group
Commercial Vehicle Hire, Refuse Vehicle Hire & Fleet Maintenance
Two separate tracking platforms with different pricing structures.
Trackers that had stopped working while subscriptions were still being paid.
No dedicated account manager or direct support contact.
Slow response times when issues needed resolving.
Limited confidence in the tracking data available.
As Business Development Manager Amie explains:
“It wasn’t one major issue, it was lots of little issues that had never really been reviewed. We had trackers that didn’t work, different systems across the fleet and no one we could speak to directly.”
The business wanted a simpler, more reliable solution that would improve visibility while reducing administration and costs.
After seeing Teltonika plug-and-play tracking units being used on a local authority vehicle, Cooper Group approached Guardian Bell to discuss a new fleet telematics solution.
Guardian Bell supplied an easy-to-deploy tracking system that initially used plug-and-play OBD devices, allowing vehicles to be fitted without downtime or installation costs. As Guardian Bell later introduced its battery-top tracking solution, Cooper Group also began transitioning towards this more secure installation method.
More importantly, the business gained something it had been missing: responsive customer support from a dedicated team.
As Administrative Officer Chris Drew says:
“Very easy, quick & efficient to use. Very handy to find vehicle locations when organising collections & breakdowns. Also helps with the tracking of vehicle movements when looking back at the history of the travel.”
“The team are very helpful & responsive. Whenever there is an issue, the matter gets looked into & resolved very quickly & effectively.”
Today, Guardian Bell’s telematics platform supports Cooper Group in several critical areas of the business.
With engineers and drivers constantly working across multiple customer sites, it’s not always possible to contact them immediately.
Using live vehicle tracking allows the operations team to quickly identify which engineer is closest to a breakdown and allocate work more efficiently.
“Because we do a lot of breakdowns, if we can’t get hold of our drivers, we can see where they are and who’s closest to the next job. It’s really handy for planning.”
Cooper Group hires refuse vehicles to councils across the UK, with many agreements covering weekday operation only.
Using Guardian Bell’s reporting tools, the team can monitor vehicle usage outside agreed contract hours.
Weekend reports allow them to identify additional vehicle usage and invoice accordingly, ensuring contracts are administered fairly and accurately.
Vehicle tracking has also become an invaluable source of evidence when discussing vehicle availability with customers.
Whether confirming when a vehicle was returned to service or validating time spent off the road for repairs, tracking reports provide clear, objective information.
This has helped Cooper Group resolve invoicing queries quickly while maintaining positive customer relationships.
Guardian Bell’s platform also allows Cooper Group to provide selected customers with access to their own vehicles through the tracking portal.
For councils wanting additional fleet visibility, this creates another value-added service without increasing operational complexity.
While the technology has delivered measurable operational improvements, Cooper Group believes the biggest difference has been the level of service provided by Guardian Bell.
Whenever additional trackers have been required or replacement units requested, the support team has responded quickly and efficiently.
According to Amie:
“We’ve always had a very quick response. We’ve never had to chase anybody. Every question has been answered, replacement units have been sent when needed, and we’ve always felt looked after.”
Having direct access to Guardian Bell’s team has given Cooper Group confidence that support is always available when required.
As Cooper Group continues expanding its nationwide hire fleet and securing new council contracts, Guardian Bell will remain an important part of its fleet management strategy.
The business plans to continue upgrading vehicles to Guardian Bell's battery-top tracking devices as new vehicles enter service and existing vehicles return for maintenance.
“I’d absolutely recommend Guardian Bell. The pricing was competitive, the service has been excellent, the platform is easy to use, the training was really helpful, and the response times have been fantastic. It’s been a really positive experience from start to finish.”
Amie
Business Development Manager | Cooper Group
If you would like to learn how Guardian Bell can support your fleet, get in touch with our team today.
