GPS devices critical for improving efficiency in business
Vehicles rank among many companies’ major capital expenditures, along with facilities, goods and inventory and equipment. Often the person or entity that owns them rarely sees them because they are out in the field. Management is very labor-intensive, because often there are multiple vehicles, and their drivers to keep on schedule.
GPS tracking devices have proven that they are an enormous benefit in mobile asset management. The systems have helped thousands of companies save money, and boost staff and customer satisfaction.
About 10 years ago, when GPS tracking devices started emerging in the market, one of the first segments of business to install mobile asset management systems was large companies. Early technologies were cost-prohibitive to the small to medium businessman. Even in a Fortune 500 company, it was critical that upper management be convinced they’d get a solid return on investment (ROI) for the mobile asset management system.
But as the systems have become more compact, more accurate and more affordable, companies big and small are realizing the value of mobile asset management. It gives businesses, from corporations to Mom-and-Pop shops, to independent, self-employed sales and service people, a tool to become more competitive and profitable.
Passive and Active Devices
Vehicle tracking devices take the guesswork out of locating mobile assets. Managers no longer need to rely on drivers to check in from the road. With GPS tracking systems, a vehicle’s position, from moment to moment, is accurately recorded. Speed, direction, miles driven and the address of stops can also be displayed. A receiver in the vehicle captures signals from satellites in space.
GPS vehicle tracking systems are either passive or real-time. Passive devices record location data, which is downloaded to a computer for viewing once the vehicle returns from its trip. Real-time units integrate GPS technology with a wireless network. The tracking data is transmitted to remote computer or Internet-enabled cell phone and the user can see where the vehicle is as it moves along its route.
Both have a host of applications for mobile asset management, all pointing to a business trend toward working “lean.” And new, innovative uses are being discovered all the time.
Passive GPS Tracking for Mobile Asset Management
Passive vehicle tracking units help scheduling and routing by reducing downtime and recording mileage and travel times. When a solid and accurate method for mobile asset management is in place, the possibility of human error is factored out. Wasted or overlapping trips can be eliminated. A business owner can see if his truckers are exceeding their daily driving limits. Imagine, for instance the benefits to a long-haul trucker, when a detailed, GPS-based daily mileage log replaces a tally by pencil and calculator.
Tracking reports can serve as supporting documentation for taxes, audits, billing and payroll. When it comes to preparing budgets and determining profit margins, a GPS tracking report is a labor-saver.
Many businesses, such as car rental companies and logistics providers, use vehicle tracking reports to help them schedule routine preventative vehicle maintenance. Tasks such oil changes, belt checks and tire rotation, when done in a timely manner, extend the life of vehicles.
Passive vehicle tracking systems also can lower insurance rates, because they help business owners crack down on speeding, and, in a larger sense, dangerous driving.
Real-Time GPS Tracking for Mobile Asset Management
One of the biggest advantages of real-time systems is theft recovery. Many insurance carriers lower insurance rates, since mobile asset management decreases the odds of the vehicle being lost or stolen. With real-time vehicle tracking, multiple vehicles can be viewed on the same map as they are going about their service stops or deliveries. It enables dispatchers to send the nearest driver to a call, give more accurate arrival times, and see if a vehicle strays from its assigned service area. Streamlining the progression of field vehicles has a dual benefit: making employees more productive and increasing customer satisfaction.
Two major customers of LandAirSea Systems, a leading provider of both passive and active GPS tracking systems, serve as examples of successful mobile asset management.
American Eagle Distributing Company, a wholesale beer and ale distributor based in Loveland, CO, uses passive vehicle tracking technology to verify that deliveries were completed on time and to ensure that the production line is moving at full capacity.
SEMCO Energy, a natural gas utility serving 250,000 customers in Michigan, incorporates real-time technology for mobile asset management. The GPS tracking system helps logistics route employees to customers and suppliers and gives the company control of their employees while they are out in the field.
Mobile Asset Management is good for businesses of all sizes. The right vehicle tracking system can help vehicles and their drivers work more efficiently and therefore improve a business’s bottom line.
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Tags: Asset management, fleet tracking, GPS Tracking, Vehicle Tracking
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