GPS Tracking Gives Businesses A Competitive Edge

In today's business, technology become very important as consumer buying habits continue to shift toward e-commerce and retailers who promise faster deliveries, shipment tracking, and a range of delivery options will be most preferable.

Global Positioning System (GPS) is a network of 65 Earth-orbiting satellites that surround the earth like belt. Each satellite circles the globe at about 12,000 miles (19,300km), making two complete rotations every day. The orbits are arranged so that at anytime, anywhere on Earth, there are at least four satellites "visible" in the sky.

A GPS receiver's job is to locate four or more of these satellites, figure out the distance to each, and use this information to deduce its own location. This operation is based on a simple mathematical principle called trilateration. GPS receiver calculates its position on earth based on the information it receives from four located satellites.

GPS fleet tracking has been introduced to a widely available market and it is cost-effective solution for fleets. GPS fleet tracking is a relatively simple proposition, offering an unprecedented level of access and control for business owners and fleet managers.

GPS has many functions, which is not just mapping tools for vehicles. It can be used for vehicle tracking, people tracking, air and water pressure, and widely used in aviation industry.

Benefits of using GPS Tracking 

1. Save on operating expenses – GPS will reduce unnecessary overhead costs by eliminating excess fuel consumption, billing discrepancies, unnecessary overtime expenses, and unauthorized vehicle usage.
2. Reduce insurance costs – Many insurance providers give discounted premiums (up to 35 percent) for companies that have vehicles equipped with a real-time fleet tracking system. Therefore, by using GPS it will reduce the insurance costs.
3. Optimize resources –  Fleet GPS  will enables the company to monitor daily use of resources in real time and with useful tools like analytics and reports.
4. Maximize vehicle utilization – GPS will eliminate unnecessary idle time and vehicle misuse get from the fleet.
5. Enhance customer relationship management – Real-time vehicle tracking will enhance the customer's confidence and building long-term relationship with the customers.
6. Be more predictable – GPS will provide customers with accurate delivery times and benefit from better vehicle and employee utilization at the same time.
7. Maximize labor costs – GPS will increase employee productivity and efficiency by eliminating downtime, preventing dispatch inaccuracies, and reducing tardiness.
8. Optimize financial management – Accurate GPS log data will allow the company to create more useful profit and loss analyses, improves accountability, and enables better budget preparation.
9. Superior route planning – Smarter route planning and more predictable schedules will encourage the company to stay competitive and reduce costs.
10. Manage maintenance – GPS will create alerts based on time, mileage, or engine hours to develop advanced vehicle maintenance routines.
11. Ease of use – GPS is user-friendly interfaces which enable easy access to quality information and data from any computer or mobile device.
12. Locate assets – GPS will locate lost or stolen vehicles or other assets with exact location details made possible by GPS technology.
13. Improve safety – Enhance safety and security for personnel by providing direct assistance and support, monitoring vehicle activity, and implementing two-way communication between drivers and dispatchers.
14. Be competitive – Compete with market rivals by implementing unparalleled commercial fleet tracking capabilities. The company will be able to provide better service, save the company's money and keep costs low with fleet GPS .

GPS Tracking in XYZ Company

In XYZ Company, they have used GPS from four different provider in order to test the visibility, security and reliability of device and which provider will offer the best services that suit with the current business. Both provider A & B, have their own limitation which provide the basic function of GPS such as vehicle status, geo fencing and standard report. While provider C & D has extend their services in monitoring the drivers habits especially on safety and security of the personnel and vehicle which providing alert and notification by GPS for fuel drop, idling, speeding, geo fencing and harsh braking. 

In summary, GPS is become more important in today's business as it will helps the company to monitor the fuel management, speeding issues and drivers driving habits to ensure that the cargo is delivered to the customer premises in a safe manner.

Source:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/fedex/2013/04/23/5-ways-gps-tracking-gives-businesses-a-competitive-edge/

http://www.gpsfleetmanagement.biz/ElectricTimesArticle10-2006rp