Stop, Look and Verify... Before You Try
By BRETT WINBERG and Paul Whetstone

Don't Believe Everything You Hear
If some salesman tells you something will do this or that without scientific documentation and a plan for gradual implementation, you might as well go to Vegas with your fleet's future. Get documentation, testimonials and do some research. Trust only those you have had positive experiences with in the past and even then, get guarantees in writing. If it doesn't work, you shouldn't have to pay for it.

Establish A Baseline Before You Try Anything New
If someone tells you a product will save this or that but you don't know where you currently are, how can you tell if it works or not? Develop a way of keeping accurate records that show you what's going on. Oil analysis, fuel analysis and pure data are a great way to track and trend your results. This can be done easily and simply, without undue paperwork. You may even have the information already, just not in the proper format. Decide what you need to prove and set up a plan to either prove or disprove it. Properly collected numbers don't lie. Establish a good baseline for the plan.

Try Interesting Technologies While Controlling Losses
When you are ready to step up to a new, interesting product or idea, set up a plan to try it on your fleet in your operating environment before committing it throughout. Try it on two or three units first and plot progress… if it doesn't work it's not a major setback. However, 200 units not working could be a disastrous 'new idea'. Control your potential losses but do try new ideas.

Remember, the easiest way to get the same results… is to try nothing new. Be open to new technologies, nonetheless, set up trials that control your losses. For instance, not long ago, bypass filtration, friction additives and fuel catalysts were considered 'snake oil' remedies, however many major corporations are receiving maximized ROI from these implementations.

Implement With One Eye Open
Now that you have established a baseline, developed test procedures and created record keeping to track the progress… deploy the product or idea carefully and check often for missteps or backfires. Verify that it keeps on working with every unit added to the program. More often than not, if a unit backfires at this stage of the implementation, you have uncovered another hidden opportunity. You will find more problems and more money saving opportunities during this phase than any other, simply because of the baseline.

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