The Benefits of Implementing Mobile Workforce Management Tools for Effective Pest Control

Every business, big or small, understands that technology can significantly help their business. It allows them to automate processes to tackle their challenges and increase efficiency. Pest Control companies are also one of the industries seeking tools to leverage automation.

Market growth in the pest control industry

The pest control industry has been growing steadily and it is expected to increase market growth. Pest control revenue has grown 7.0% to $26.2 billion over the past five years according to an IBISWorld report.

Business owners are realizing that they can better tackle challenges in the industry through technology. This affects improving the delivery of their services.

 

Business owners in pest control companies not only have to focus on business operations, but also staff management. GPS Fleet Management Software and Telematics help bridge this gap in resources and scale your pest control company by automating processes to save you time and increase your client base.

Using fleet software and telematics enhances work productivity, improves customer service and increases revenue by reducing maintenance costs, increasing customer visits, and improving staff professionalism.

Let’s find out how fleet management and telematics are beneficial for pest control companies by exploring a day in the life of a pest control technician and a company that adopts advanced GPS fleet management and telematics.

pest control technician

Meet Joe, a pest control technician. Joe’s day starts early. He gets up at 4 am and checks his Logistics app to go through his route and customer information for the day. This process replaces all the paper and manual processes that the company used to employ. The Logistics app simplifies any paper-based process and digitizes it.

In addition, if he faces any difficulties or emergencies, he can contact and chat with his Manager via the app, which also allows him to send photos.

After he checks his schedule, he heads to his vehicle and starts a thorough pre-trip inspection. It is mandatory to do a pre/post trip inspection such as the lights, tire pressure, doors, windshield wipers, fluid levels, brakes, etc.

He used to use a paper checklist, however, thanks to technology, he can complete inspections with the Driveroo App from his mobile phone.

Logistics – Managing multiple locations & drivers

The Logistics application is designed to help organize job assignments of field workers at all stages. The application has two components: a web version for operators and a mobile version for field workers which is supported on smartphones and tablets with Android and iOS.

The application allows operators and mobile workers to automate dispatch by Importing jobs or using our API to integrate with your application.

logistics route

Field workers use the app to check assigned routes, route to destinations, complete a task, capture signatures, call clients, and even attach images. Reporting and Management tools are all included in this feature-rich Logistics application.

logistics mobile

For a mobile version of Logistics, field workers can have access to the following features;

  • Delivery statuses and Call to a client
    • Assigning a status to a job like completed or not-complete and call-to-client button.

 

  • Real-time routes optimization
    • Sending the route to the mobile app and provide turn by turn directions using external navigation apps.

 

  • A detailed description of jobs
    • Address, customer requests, price, appointment time, etc.

 

  • Communication and photos
    • Two-way communication and adding comments and photos to a job.

 

  • Chat with an operator
    • A handy chat to notify an operator of any circumstances regarding the service.

 

Driveroo – Mobile and cloud-based fleet operation management

By using Driveroo, drivers will have full access to visual inspection workflows from their mobile devices. Driveroo can turn any paper form into a fast, mistake-free automated process to boost operations and lower costs. A driver can streamline the inspection process using the app with a visual, asset-specific interface that incorporates required checklists and captures details, voice, image and video. All drivers need to do is just follow the easy visual guidance and tap to check items, flag issues and share inspection data with a team or a fleet manager in real-time.

driveroo - operation management

After he checks his routes, customer info, and required services, he drops by a corporate office to collect some chemicals and takes inventory of all his stock.

 

Joe arrives at today’s first customer’s location and gets to work performing the service.

Throughout the service job, he fills in a Mobile Form that is customized by his company to perform record keeping, materials used, and report the service. He can also add photos, and sign signatures if needed. He fills in the information about the chemical he used earlier, and whether he had any specific issues.

 

Mobile forms – Seamless auditing and reporting

mobile form

Pest control technicians often need to provide reports and audits with very little notice, to show that they are complying with sustainability and safety regulations. They need to make sure the information is accurate and easily accessible.

The mobile form is a complete and fully customizable solution to transform your paper forms into dynamic, mobile forms to save time and money. Users can build their custom mobile forms using our powerful forms builder, or have our professional services team build them for you. After the form has been built, it can be dispatched or assigned to any number of users who can then complete them using the mobile forms app on their own smartphones, tablets, or through a web form browser.

Once the form has been submitted, it automatically generates reports and/or routes your data to a third party application. Field workers like Joe can submit the form from their mobile phones to make sure their performance has been reported, whereas, operators can collect data, their compliance and safety checks, and documentation related to their service. All documentation can be leveraged to analyze field workers’ performance and insights into any improvements.

 

As Joe completes his first service, he opens the Logistics app to check the next route.

During his duty, his operator monitors and tracks his progress in real-time using Logistics.

 

Joe completes his customer visits for today. His dispatcher messages him to come back to the office because his vehicle needs an oil change based on the data from the Fleet Maintenance Software.

 

Fleetrun – Fleet Maintenance Software

dashboard2-fleetrun

If you knew when to perform maintenance, repairs, inspections, cleanings, etc, you can prolong the lifespan of your vehicles without unnecessary costs. Neglecting routine maintenance on your vehicles leads to unnecessary costs and unexpected breakdowns..

 

With Fleet Maintenance Software, operators can analyze and make key decisions on the timing of vehicle replacements by monitoring and Tracking data on Fleet maintenance, fuel usage, utility, vehicle wear, breakdown, and accidents incurred by aggressive driving behaviour.

 

Fleetrun benefits;

  • All data in a single application
    • Use Fleetrun instead of paper logs and multi-page Excel documents to plan and monitor maintenance services.
  • Maintenance management
    • Register repairs for every vehicle: maintenance work to fulfill, parts to replace, total costs, and the time when the vehicle returns from the service station.
  • Maintenance scheduling
    • Set up service reminders and specify their frequency manually, or set up automatic maintenance notifications based on mileage intervals, engine hours, or time periods.
  • Cost reports
    • Keep all your repair orders and spare parts expenses in one app. Fleetrun will calculate the maintenance costs of each vehicle individually and the whole fleet in general.
  • Process digitalization
    • Save your employees’ time and let Fleetrun automatically create services and send notifications regarding their status.

 

Get Ahead of the Curve by Installing a Comprehensive Mobile Workforce Management System Today

Our Mobile Workforce Management Systems with specialty applications offer a comprehensive solution to help you get ahead of the curve and stay on top of your pest control business. With this system, you can track your vehicles, monitor their performance, and ensure that they are on the right path. You can also access real-time data that will allow you to make informed decisions about how to best manage your fleet. This system is designed to help you save time and money while providing more efficient service for your customers. Investing in comprehensive Mobile Workforce Management Systems with specialty applications today will help you stay ahead of the competition and maximize your profits.

Contact our professional representatives for more information today!

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Unlocking Maximum Efficiency with Bus & Transport Fleet Management Software

Managing vehicle operations efficiently and productively is a great challenge today in the fleet industry, especially in mobile environments such as public transportation services. Passenger transport companies face many challenges. For example, vehicle inspections, route management, regulatory requirements, maintenance, and safety with over 100 busses running more than 100 routes every day.

In this blog, we explore the challenges faced in daily operations, plus solutions that maximize bus efficiency and safety with fleet management and telematics Astreon offers.

 

A typical day for a transit operator

bus transit driver

Let’s take a look at a day in the life of a transit operator.

Meet John, a driver at a local bus service company, who has worked for 5 years.

 

1.     Clocking in

After arriving at work, John prepares for the day, grabs a cash box, heads to an operation counter, and his route for the day.

 

 

2.     Inspection

John heads to an assigned bus and does a thorough pre trip inspection. He takes a couple of notes on paper checklist and makes sure the bus is safe to operate. It is mandatory to do a pre/post trip inspection such as the lights, tire pressure, doors, windshield wipers, fluid levels, brakes and etc.

 

Challenges

The company is using a paper-based inspection process, storing hard copies of all pre-and post-trip inspection forms in boxes. This process causes storage, data retention and data collection issues. The stored forms take up valuable space and are difficult to use for reporting and determining necessary maintenance and unplanned repairs. It’s easy for drivers to overlook some processes and they are not compelled to complete the inspection forms thoroughly. Overall, the paper-based inspection process is slowing down operations and creating a compliance exposure.  This type of process also increases maintenance and repairs costs as small issues not properly dealt with can turn into expensive repairs down the line.

 

Solutions

A mobile and cloud-based fleet operation management solution

Using operation management Driveroo, which is a mobile and cloud-based fleet operation management solution, drivers have full access to visual inspection workflows from their mobile devices. Driveroo can turn any paper form into a fast, mistake-free automated process to boost operations and lower costs. A driver can streamline the inspection process using the app with a visual, asset-specific interface that incorporates required checklists and captures details, voice, image and video. All drivers need to do is just follow the easy visual guidance and tap to check items, flag issues and share inspection data with a team or a fleet manager in real-time.

driveroo - operation management

3.     Operate assigned routes

After finishing the pre-trip inspection, John heads out for the day. The shift card is made up of multiple runs at multiple different locations for the day.

 

Challenges

Keeping operations on time smoothly and safely is a primary task for transportation services. The manual process could cause a delay due to traffic, weather, maintenance issues, and unexpected accidents. Those events require support from the back office to get the bus operation back to normal and in a safe manner. In addition, it is crucial for a fleet manager to monitor driver behaviour to prevent unnecessary accidents, violations and unprofessional driving behaviour, such as speeding, unnecessary acceleration, heavy braking, and acceleration while cornering. These actions often increase maintenance costs and contribute to an unsafe environment.

 

Solutions

Public Transportation Management 

Transit + bus management

Using  a Transit Management solution enables bus service companies and drivers to digitize all processes, reduce human error, reduce costs, and improve safety.

Nimbus is a public transport management system that combines location-based services with route and schedule management. It has specialized tools designed for route management and can create stops, optimize routes, distribute vehicles across routes, manage schedules, and track route performance in real-time.

A fleet manager can create routes, add schedules, and track vehicle movement in real-time. It also sends notifications to control late/early arrivals, deviations from the route and other conditions demanding immediate intevention such as an emergency.

Transit + bus management

With Nimbus reports, a fleet manager has access to Ride History and performance quality assessment in terms of routes and vehicles. Analytics allow companies to further optimize the operations of passenger transportation services.

 

 

 

 

Dash camera

Transit operators are responsible for ensuring smooth operations of a transportation service. Connected Dash Cameras capture critical driving incidents, such as lane departure, forward collision, and improper driver behaviour, and can alert users in real-time.

Dash Cameras can also be leveraged for the evaluation of drivers’ professionalism and rewards for drivers. Cloud-based dash cameras upload events to the monitoring platform to be reviewed by managers or safety and compliance to identify areas to improve and reward positive behaviour.

AD PLUS without brand name

Astreon’s A.I. Dashcam is an all-in-one recorder designed to increase safe driving. It has all the features of a regular dash camera, and also supports intelligent driving assistance. It also has the advantages of a powerful telematics tracker, competitive price, and is an enterprise grade device.

Astreon’s’s built-in A.I. cameras help avoid unnecessary accidents, providing advanced active collision warning by intelligently identifying vehicles, lanes, and traffic ahead. Effectively predicting driving hazards such as tailgating, front & pedestrian collision, and lane departure.

ad plus forward camera collision warning

  • Front Collision Warning
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Headway Monitoring and Warning
  • Pedestrian Collision Warning
  • Front Departure Warning
  • Blind Spot Detection
  • Stop Sign
  • Speed Limit Detection

 

higher AI accuracy

Intelligently identifying the driver’s behaviours such as using mobile phones while driving, being drowsy, distracted, and not wearing a seatbelt via the cabin camera. It also includes alerts that reduce traffic accidents caused by driver behaviours.

  • Phone Usage & Texting
  • Seat Belt
  • Face Recognition
  • Distraction
  • Fatigue

 

Driver Safety

Eco driving driver score

Professional and careful driving contributes to reducing fuel costs, extends vehicle service life, and improves fleet safety for passengers and drivers.

To improve drivers’ professionalism and performance, driving behaviour monitoring is a key service.

Eco Driving (Safety+) Astreon is an app that helps assess a driver’s performance. The solution evaluates driving skills based on penalty points for violations such as speeding, unnecessary acceleration, heavy braking, acceleration while cornering, etc.

Driving behaviour analysis helps operators or fleet owners discipline and educate drivers.

 

Eco driving

Eco Driving also has the following features;

  • Trip analysis
    • A detailed report on trips with a map and a violations table
    • The driver’s rating displayed regarding the trip duration in the form of a column.
  • Reports
    • Several types of reports for a comprehensive driving behaviour analysis: by a driver, group of drivers or units for any period
    • Export to PDF and XLSX files.

 

  • Driver Score
    • Eco Driving (Safety+) enables you to establish a baseline score across all drivers in your fleet based on their driving habits. It is an easy and intuitive way to provide coaching to your drivers by analyzing and highlighting top critical events that contributed to their scores.

 

4.     Final Trip and clock-out

John finished his final trip and makes his way back to the depot. He starts a post-trip check and reports it to a manager if there is any vehicle faults or damages. He returns his cash box and prepares to clock out.

 

Benefits of Using Bus & Transport Fleet Management

Using and combining powerful apps, software and telematics enable managers to quickly detect and educate ineffective drivers. Bus & Transport Fleet Management also helps companies reduce maintenance costs, improves safety and service quality. For drivers, Bus & Transport Fleet Management helps improve their driving skills, increases safety and morale.

 

Astreon – A leader in connected transportation solutions

Astreon is a Mobile Workforce management expert in custom software development and application development for Canadian Fortune 500 Companies. Our platform connects to over 3.4 million vehicles and our open platform offers options for over 20 business-specific companion application solutions. Our customers rely on our services daily as business process management tools and benefit from multiple add-on tools and applications such as Compliant ELD, Maintenance Management, Driver Coaching, Video Management Dashboard, KPI Measurement Dashboards, Logistics & Dispatch tools, plus many more.

Connect with us today to find out more about how Astreon can benefit your business.

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A Comprehensive Guide to Non-Powered Asset Tracking Solutions & How They Can Transform Your Business

GPS Tracking can be used for various purposes and different types of assets by offering several benefits, such as reducing operating costs and improving productivity.

Non-powered asset tracking is one of the asset types benefiting from the features of GPS Tracking. Non-powered assets include trailers, water tanks, heavy equipment, trailers, bins and other types of containers. These types of high value assets are not equipped with a power source and so non-powered asset tracking is the perfect solution to streamline asset management.

 

What is Non-Powered Asset Tracking & Why is it Important?

Non-powered asset tracking is a method of monitoring and tracking assets without the need for an external power source. Utilizing a small, mountable battery-powered unit, companies can track the movement of their high value assets anywhere they may be. This allows fleet managers to keep track of their assets without having to rely on manual processes or more costly solutions.

 

By using a centralized GPS tracking software solution, your company can consolidate location and sensor data of your assets into a single portal to streamline asset management, improve productivity, billing accuracy, and reduce loss.

In addition, it provides you with full asset visibility, including location, status, usage history, and asset maintenance in a web-based dashboard. The software can generate reports for you to get insights into your assets and help you schedule maintenance at right time.

Non-powered asset tracking can help businesses save time and money by reducing labour costs, increasing efficiency, and improving accuracy in inventory management.

 

The Top Benefits of Non-Powered Asset Tracking

Non-powered asset tracking is a cost-effective and reliable way to keep track of valuable assets. It eliminates the need for expensive and complex powered tracking systems, while still providing the same level of accuracy and visibility. With non-powered asset tracking, businesses can benefit from improved efficiency, reduced costs, and increased safety. There are several advantages to using non-powered asset tracking;

 

Visibility

Asset tracking devices provide dynamic data on the location of your high-value assets and sensor data like temperature. With a cloud-based system and integrated mobile application, a fleet manager can get real-time asset tracking visibility with detailed reports on their location while field workers monitor key data like geofence status, fuel level or temperature.

 

Enhanced security

Lost or stolen equipment causes downtime resulting in loss of revenue for businesses that lease or own equipment. Asset theft is on the rise globally.

Using real-time geofence alerts to create a virtual boundary that triggers an immediate warning detects potential theft or unauthorized use. You can prevent potential loss and impact on your business by taking immediate preventative action.

 

Optimize productivity

With centralized data, managers can see quickly where they are wasting assets and money.

In addition, asset management solution can reduce paperwork, simplify workflow and optimize processes by collecting data in one application accessible anywhere anytime.

Fleet mangers can make quicker decisions with real-time insight into the company’s assets’ current location, status, and availability.

 

Enhance Asset lifetime management

When it comes to asset tracking solutions, it’s not only tracking, but also monitoring mechanical health and asset status based on usage indicators. It provides you with a clear insight into the asset status such as fuel level, temperature, speed, and other parameters. This helps manage key activities like scheduling maintenance or delivering fuel on time.

 

Options for any asset type

Choosing the best Asset Tracking Device for your business can be challenging. Especially when solutions and devices vastly vary between providers. Here are some tested and reliable options which meet different equipment needs;

 

For Construction & Trailers

Solar-Powered 4G LTE-M GPS Tracker

Topfly TLP2-SFB

This GPS tracking device is designed to track the location of assets with a large internal battery  and Bluetooth technology for wireless sensors. This is the best mount and go type device for heavy equipment because it is built to withstand the harshest environments, vibration, and dust.

For Reefers

Our Solar BLE GPS Tracker supports wireless BLE sensors for reefer and door open.  This is a simple, cost-effective solution, which doesn’t require any wiring or a costly installation.  This device is purpose-built for this type of application.

 

For Agriculture

ATrack AS11_Cover2

Our rugged tracker supports both powered and unpowered applications and comes with inputs, outputs, and an optional BLE radio for wireless sensors. With an IP68-rated casing, it is designed to operate under extreme environments against water and dust. It is also equipped with GPIOs for varieties of application expandability and flexibility by connecting to a wide range of accessories.

How to Choose the Best Non-Powered Asset Tracking Solution for Your Business Needs

Choosing the best non-powered asset tracking solution for your business needs can be a challenge. With so many options available, it can be difficult to decide which one is best suited for your needs. To make the right choice, you need to consider factors such as cost, scalability, accuracy, and reliability of the system.

With Astreon, we offer seamless integration with Asset Tracking management and devices. We provide tailored Asset Tracking Devices that are compatible with dozens of enterprise systems. Our Asset Tracking Management system also provides dynamic data including the location & status of assets in the field. By customizing the solution with specialty applications, you can customize the solution to your specific needs.

Learn more about our Asset Tracking management solution at Astreon

 

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Ways to Extend a Trailer’s Life and Save on Maintenance Costs

According to the data from INDEXBOX, U.S. Truck Trailer Prices rose 17% to $8,791 per unit due to the higher costs of raw materials that are used to make a trailer and labour shortages. This is causing challenges for the truck industry as inflation and lack of supply are causing haulage companies to extend their trailer life cycle beyond their normal operation.

 

What is the average lifespan of a trailer?

When you purchase a modern trailer, you can expect it to last at least approximately 8 years or about 40,000 engine hours. With proper maintenance, you can extend these averages significantly.

 

What can you do to extend your trailer’s lifecycle?

Every trailer has a maintenance schedule that should be followed. You should service your trailer at least every six months.

 

Tips on how to maximize a trailer’s longevity

Increase inspections and maintenance

In addition to the annual safety inspection and driver pre-trips, additional preventive maintenance inspections are recommended throughout the year. The more inspections, the less of a chance of a roadside breakdown and unexpected repair costs.

 

Check your tires regularly

Tire monitoring or inflation systems are recommended. Include a check of tire condition avoiding blowouts on the highway. These preventive measures save fuel, loss revenue from unexpected breakdowns, and lives.

 

Thoroughly wash your trailers

Always keep your trailer clean to reduce maintenance cost. A range of problems can be caused by unclean trailers including mold and mildew, cross- contamination, food borne illnesses, including rodent and insect infestation.

 

Lube it correctly

The correct lube in appropriate quantity is a must for proper trailer operation. Enough new grease must be added to purge the old grease. The debris that cling to old grease makes it ineffective. Adding new lube removes dirt and ensures safe operation.

 

Take time for brakes

The first sign that it’s time to replace your brake pads is if you hear persistent squeaking or squealing. Another sign is when you see the indicator light on, or when it’s taking longer to stop and the pads appear to be thin.

 

Ultimate Preventive Maintenance Measures

GPS fleet management

Combining more advanced digital tools and fleet management software will make monitoring your trailers easier. This will help extend their lifespan.

Astreon is one of the leading providers of fleet management solutions, such as GPS tracking, dashcams, ELD compliance, and trailer tracking.

We offer tracking devices purpose built for dry vans, reefers, flat beds, and more, helping you make the most out of your equipment.

Asset Management Software gives you deep insight into your assets. It enables you to control every aspect of your equipment from maintenance to fuel management and make use of cost-effective and reliable remote monitoring.

 

 

 

driveroo mobile maintenance

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The complete guide to Dispatch Management Software

As the demand in the supply chain industry is increasing, the logistics and transportation industries rely more on technology to streamline the operation to prevent any shipping delays.

The process is a lot more complicated than simply sending a delivery truck to pick up the package they’d like to deliver. There are many questions you need to address, such as delivery schedule, driver/vehicle assignments & availability, routes considering traffic, and tracking process.

These are the challenges of dispatch management, but these same issues are addressed with effective dispatch management software.

 

What is a Dispatch Management Software?

A Dispatch Management Software is a process of organizing, assigning, and optimizing delivery schedules and routes for businesses in the delivery, maintenance, and service industries. Dispatch Management Software optimizes your routes and schedules while maximizing efficiency, and minimizing costs.

 

How Dispatch Management Software works

By integrating with GPS tracking and mobile apps which provide real-time updates, you can track the real-time whereabouts of your vehicles, traffics conditions, and assignments of available carriers. This, along with advanced routing algorithms, provides automated assignments for pickups, drop-offs, service calls, deliveries, etc.  These applications can provide Proof of Delivery or Service completion, with photos, signatures, and driver notes.

Keeping track of the locations and statuses of drivers allows you to improve your dispatching. It also helps connect a dispatcher with drivers for faster, better communication.

The software can help schedule plan, optimize routes, providing real-time routing, monitoring driver behavior, alert notifications, and calculate total route costs which allow your company to lower turnaround times and costs.

Why does using Dispatch Management Software dramatically improves your business’s efficiency and performance?

Leveraging dispatch management software brings you huge benefits by automating every process.

Without an efficient dispatch system in your business, time is wasted manually tracking the vehicles, planning routes, and managing driver schedules. With dispatch management software, managing all these processes is automated and easy.

 

Key aspects of dispatch management software

 

Better delivery routes

Instead of planning routes manually, dispatch management helps you generate optimal travel routes more efficiently.

Based on which vehicle is closest and available, service time commitments, and route preferences, what kind of capacity the vehicle has, traffic, the application provides planned routes with information on the estimated arrival time and mileage of each stop and route. Optimal routes will result in faster delivery & service times, increased customer & driver satisfaction, and cost savings.

 

Reduced service costs

Effective dispatch management not only saves time by optimizing routes but also saves money. Drivers spend less time on the road, along with optimized and improved routes, which results in reduced fuel consumption and reduced operation time.

According to ABI Research, the cost savings from having a dispatch management system could be well over 12% in profitability and 13% in vehicle utilization with a 15% decrease in travel time.

Dispatch management software also provides you with impactful reporting so that you can see precisely which areas need to be improved to lower costs and increase profits.

 

Improve customer & driver satisfaction

Customers always want to know where their packages are and when they are expected to receive their packages.

Dispatch management software can provide both you and your customers with real-time updates on driver’s whereabouts and estimated delivery schedules. Some applications allow clients to communicate directly with the driver.

These tools increase driver satisfaction because you don’t have to worry about a delivery delay due to unexpected traffic conditions, reducing driver’s stress levels. It can also avoid any irregular schedules by optimizing routes, assignments of available drivers and vehicles.

 

Improve driver behavior and safety

Real-time monitoring and data enable a dispatcher to measure driver behavior and safety. Dispatch management software allows a dispatcher to track the delivery process in real-time and respond to emerging issues through phone calls or chat. Dispatch management software will notify a dispatcher and driver via notifications whenever unexpected issues happen.

 

Astreon Dispatch & Order Distribution

Our dispatch management software is a fully-featured and integrated module to manage tasks, pickups, drop-offs, destinations for all order management business needs.

Contact our specialist today to learn more about how we can help your business.

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Cargo theft in North America – 4.4 billion USD in economic losses

How GPS Tracking mitigates risk in the global supply chain.

Since COVID-19 hit the world and has affected in-store shopping, many people are opting to use online shopping.  This can lead to supply chain disruption due to the higher demand. This demand is accelerating other risks, “cargo theft”. Cargo theft is a significant risk in global supply chain when it comes to global transportation by land, air and sea. In fact, cargo theft increased by 23% in the third quarter of 2020 from third-quarter 2019 in the U.S. and Canada.  It was an estimated total of $33.77 million in stolen cargo across U.S. and Canada according to the statistics by AJOT .

If you are wondering where cargo theft is happening and what products are targeted, here are some interesting facts according to the reports from TT CLUB and SensiGuard

 

Cargo theft by location in North America

U.S. – Cargo theft by the state

  1. California: 23%
  2. Texas: 11%
  3. Georgia: 10%
  4. Florida: 9%

 

Canada – Cargo theft

  1. Ontario: 75%
  2. Quebec: 19%
  3. British Columbia: 2%

 

Cargo theft trends

According to the report from TT CLUB, it shows that most cargo theft type was Hijacking at 69% followed by theft of vehicle at 10%.

Regarding the location of the theft, it mostly happens in-transit at 74%. The cargo theft of food & beverage accounts for 33% of the top commodities stolen.

cargo theft trends

GPS asset tracking

Cargo theft is a headache for companies with multiple warehouses and operational lines of business. It is challenging to keep track of all vehicles/assets and take care of unexpected events. Without appropriate action, you are at higher risk of losing credibility with your clients as well.

How GPS telematics help detect and mitigate cargo theft

The No. of businesses tracking assets is expected to exceed 114 million by 2025 as we mentioned in a recent blog. This is a significant increase in demand for location-based and asset tracking services in the next few years. The industry started taking advantage of the benefits of GPS tracking.

 

What exactly GPS tracking can help?

 

Real-time tracking

With GPS Tracking, you can locate exactly where your vehicles/assets are when they are stolen. Based on the data from GPS Tracker, you can also check travel history so you will know where your vehicles/assets were stolen, how they traveled to the final destination and where they are now.

Geofencing

GPS Tracking has an amazing feature, Geofences. It is a virtual border drawn on the map in a GPS tracking system. You can create a geofence area where you would like to mark yards, clients, even routes. You draw the geofence border like the photo below. Once the geofence is created, it is used as a trigger for alerts when your vehicles/assets enter or exit from the geofence area. As soon as the GPS tracking detects the activity, it will send you an alert. In case of theft, once the GPS tracker detects unauthorized movements, you will receive alerts so that you can immediately act against the event.

geofence

Insightful GPS data

GPS tracking software provides you with insightful data you can use to protect yourself against future theft/attack. You can analyze reports that tell you what happened, where, and why the event occurred. Based on this insight, you can plan preventive measurements to mitigate risk. For instance, you can change the route based on the location where the theft happened.

Dash camera – GPS Telematics

Dash cams attached to your vehicles can be a huge lifesaver in terms of theft. Some dash cams have built-in or optional GPS receivers. Not only video recording, but also dash cams have features that will be able to detect motion or impact. Dash cams will send alerts if there are any unexpected events in or outside of your vehicles.

dash cams

The most advanced telematics platform

Astreon has 30 collective years of experience in the custom software development, SaaS, and wireless industries. This has provided us with a unique outlook in today’s IoT industry as we develop and implement simple, powerful and easy to use applications for our partners.

We are one of the leading providers of solutions in the IoT industry. We are consistently introducing new wireless platforms, shaping the future and changing the way people do business. We provide you with the services and applications that you need to be more productive and responsive to today’s increasing industry demands.

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Asset tracking systems are expected to be used by 114 million businesses globally in 2025

Asset tracking systems are expected to be used by 114 million businesses globally in 2025 – This has placed a huge demand on the logistics industry to prevent supply chain disruption.

A new study from Juniper research has estimated that the numbers of business tracking assets in 2020 reached 90 million, and will exceed 114 million by 2025. The research forecasts that $33 billion will be spent on asset tracking in 2025 globally.  This is a measurable increase in demand for location based and asset tracking services in the next few years.

 

Supply chain disruption

Keeping track of assets is challenging for Logistics companies in supply chain operations.  Especially for companies with multiple warehouses and multiple operational lines of business.  With the recent growth of e-commerce and online shopping, logistics companies face difficult operational challenges as they adjust to this new growing trend. Increasing capacity, adhering to regulations, and managing the complexity of the supply chain are just a few examples.   One key solution is tracking and optimizing the usage of assets through KPIs and Management tools.

Without having the benefit of an asset tracking system, and the benefit of KPI’s & reporting tools, it’s difficult for businesses to figure out what causes disruptions in supply chain.  Managers need data-based insights into manufacturing and logistics processes to optimize the supply chain efficiently.

One effective way to solve this challenge is tracking assets and obtaining all data from every asset to analyze asset utilization. This is why many businesses use asset tracking systems today, with consistent increased demand for these services.

What is driving this growth in the logistics industry?

Utilizing asset management systems allows logistics companies to reduce their inventory and stock management costs and helps them use their existing assets more efficiently by tracking and managing assets in real-time.  As a result, the deployment of asset management systems leads to significant cost-saving and immediate ROI.

 

Tools to provide optimum asset utilization

With asset management systems, managers can see which assets are under and overused. If assets are not being used efficiently, this leads to increased operational costs. If assets are overused, this might cause an increase in maintenance costs and frequency. For companies with larger fleets, they can track and monitor all assets. With this data, managers have accurate information to make key decisions on maximizing utilization, scheduling maintenance, and reduce extra costs.

 

Reduce equipment downtime

By leveraging the reports and alert notifications from asset tracking systems, you can track and monitor all assets’ data, including real-time location, mileage, breakdowns, fuel thefts, unauthorized use, dwell time, asset life cycle and more. By automating reports and creating custom notifications, you immediately know of upcoming maintenance for each asset providing notice and time to schedule maintenance and allocate assets accordingly.   This helps reduce or eliminate unnecessary maintenance and repair costs.

 

The right asset tracker for your clients

Effective asset tracking gives businesses an advantage that propels them ahead of the competition. Astreon is a global platform with Resellers, Partners, and Clients all over the world. Astreon provides dynamic data including routing & dispatch, location, status and key sensor state of all assets in the field. Astreon has turnkey tools to quickly and easily allow your business to hit the ground running.  We provide application hosting with optional white labeling services, hardware devices, connectivity, marketing and technical support. Everything you need to get started is here. Contact us today to become our partner.

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How to improve customer service and safety in Limo & Taxi industries

Limousines or taxies are used for a variety of purposes that include personal & business commuting, weddings, VIP services, bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate events, etc.

What matters most to consumers when choosing a Taxi/Limo service? Service quality, safety, price, vehicle quality, and design. Your customers also expect you to offer professionalism, high-quality service, and comfort. This is why excellent customer service is essential to increase your business’s reputation.  It may be overwhelming at first to consider all these factors when you look to grow your business.  But leveraging GPS Telematics & Dash Camera systems is a great first step.

 

GPS Telematics Systems for Limo & Taxi

Leveraging GPS Telematics is more common now in the transportation industry. In the fact, the GPS Telematics device market is expected to reach $ 2.89 billion USD by 2023 at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) 12.9% between 2017 and 2023 according to the research report by GPS Telematics Device Market by Type, Deployment Type, Industry and Geography – Global Forecast to 2023.

In addition, the research shows that the GPS Telematics market is expected to have high demand in the transportation & logistic sector during the forecast period growing at a CAGR of 14.4% between 2018 and 2025.

Global GPS Tracking Device Market Revenue

As you can see, GPS Telematics plays a huge role in the transportation industry to operate management of functions such as routing, Telematics, dispatching, security, and safety. Let’s see how GPS features work for your business.

 

Real-time Telematics

GPS Telematics allows users to monitor drivers, vehicles, and assets in real-time. It provides Telematics information with high accuracy. This information includes routes, fuel, mileage, idle time, engine stops, and speed. Based on that information, GPS Telematics provides optimized routes to get your drivers where they need to be faster & safer, completing more jobs within the scheduled time. Efficient routes and arrival on time or earlier arrival enhance customer service and it leads to increased reputation.

 

Improving vehicle security

GPS Telematics enables you to monitor your vehicle and get key data. GPS Telematics gives you clear visibility into your entire pool of assets and their current status. Using real-time Geofence status with reporting and alerts, you can detect potential theft or unauthorized use. Prevent potential loss and impact on your business by taking immediate preventative action.

 

Dispatching

On-time departure/arrival and quick response times with customers are crucial to improving customer service. With real-time data from GPS Telematics, you can dispatch a limo/taxi and driver who is close to your customers. Excellent customer-facing tools like driver arrival notifications and arrival confirmations are automated tools to assist you and your team. Improved service helps build brand loyalty and increase customer retention.

 

Reduce liabilities

Reckless driving and unnecessary accidents can be a huge liability for your company. Of course, accidents are out of the question for the transportation industry. This is why monitoring and analyzing are important to reduce poor driving habits such as speeding and harsh braking. With a vehicle Telematics system, transportation companies can easily monitor driving behavior and detect which activity causes unnecessary costs.

Installing GPS Telematics provides your transportation business with many benefits. With compact mobile devices, combined with the extensive coverage of today’s wireless networks, GPS Telematics enables users to track and monitor virtually anything; not just where cellular service is available, but anywhere. The result is improved security, productivity, and a superior customer experience.

Astreon Vehicle Telematics

Add Recurring Revenue to your existing business

Astreon is a global platform with Resellers, Partners, and Clients all over the world.  Astreon has turnkey tools to quickly and easily allow your business to hit the ground running.  We provide application hosting with optional white labeling services, hardware devices, connectivity, marketing and technical support. Everything you need to get started is here. Contact us today to become our partner.

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How GPS Tracking can improve construction operations

GPS Tracking can be used in various industries and they take advantage of features of GPS Tracking. It not only tracks objects but also maximizes the productivity and efficiency of your vehicles and assets. Today GPS tracking services become a key management tool for the construction industry.

Why GPS Tracking for the construction industry?

Your equipment and vehicles are vital to your business. It is important to have all of them available and efficiently utilized. Without proper maintenance, your equipment can experience breakdowns.  Without GPS Tracking, your business experiences missing equipment or theft, impacting productivity and safety. Here are factors construction industry can benefit from GPS tracking;

Monitor & track your assets

This is a major feature when it comes to GPS tracking. Literally, it tracks your assets and locates where your valuable assets are in real-time. If your asset is missing, you can track your asset using data sent by a GPS tracking tag.

Not only tracking your assets, but also monitoring your assets can increase security and reduce theft.

In fact, up to $1 billion in equipment, materials and appliances are stolen from construction sites every single year, and less than 25 percent is recovered, according to the National Equipment Register. With GPS tracking, any unauthorized movement or activity will be reported to you and you can act quickly.

Improve safety and save money

Working in the construction industry can be life-threatening. In fact, 20 percent of worker deaths in the United States are in construction according to the statistics from United States department of labor. GPS tracking devices play a huge role in preventing critical accidents and increase safety. GPS tracking devices can provide reports and notifications regarding the driving habits of their workers. It can also establish a baseline score across all drivers in your fleet based on their driving habits. It is an easy and intuitive way to provide coaching to your drivers by analyzing and highlighting the top critical events that contributed to their scores.

Here are statistics with regard to the medical costs and possible saving by coaching safety to construction workers;

  • Construction companies save $4 to $6 for every $1 invested in safety programs
  • In 2019, the average cost of a medically consulted injury was $42,000, while the average cost per death was $1,220,000
  • On average, construction companies spend 3.6 percent of their budgets on injuries, but only 2.6 percent on safety training
  • 55 percent of workers believe they need more safety training, and 25 percent worry about being injured every day

Construction safety

Source: BIGRENTS

Safety can be improved by not only workers but also by the quality of equipment. Using GPS tracking comes with other benefits, such as capturing and reporting fuel information and comprehending equipment/vehicle’s life cycle.

Efficient use of equipment

Using equipment efficiently helps save money. When your heavy equipment is idling, it means you are losing profits and it results in increasing wear. According to On-Site, it says that “Manufacturer Komatsu estimates that an average machine’s idle time is 40 percent. It is estimated that an hour of idle time has the same impact on an engine as driving approximately 40 kilometres (25 miles) because the combustion process is affected. Idling increases the likelihood of the oil temperature dropping below 100 C, which can cause water to build up and result in fuel dilution and increased acids, all of which accelerate engine wear.”(On-Site) .

GPS tracking software can provide a powerful dashboard to plan, control, and manage the costs of vehicle maintenance. Leverage those data, and you can reduce idling.

Astreon Asset Tracking for construction

Protect valuable fleet assets. Enhance asset management. Increase profitability.

Effective asset tracking gives businesses an advantage that propels them ahead of the competition. Astreon provides dynamic data including the location & status of assets in the field. Control every aspect of your equipment from maintenance to fuel management. Make use of cost-effective & reliable remote monitoring. Embrace flexibility and extensive support for a wide range of tailored devices & sensors.

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