The Case for Investing in GPS for Your Small Business
If you manage a fleet of vehicles or have employees who do a lot of field work for your business, then you should consider investing GPS devices. There are many benefits of using GPS devices to manage your employees and equipment. You can increase fuel efficiency, productivity, and quality control by locating the quickest route to a given destination, and by keeping tabs on your employees, you are in the best position to maximize your business’ resources.
But even with all the benefits, according to a survey conducted by In-Stat as reported in a recent USA Today article, many employers are reluctant to invest in GPS devices. It seems that in an effort to reduce costs, many businesses (especially the smaller ones) are are being cautious when it comes to investing in technology. Only 8% of those surveyed had their GPS devices provided to them by their employers. Over 70% purchased the equipment themselves.
But as gas prices continue to rise, the case for investing in GPS technology is getting stronger. The reduction in fuel consumption and idle time alone may be enough to justify the investment.
Today’s GPS units come with many added features such as traffic alerts, voice prompts that include street names, and the ability to wirelessly link a mobile phone to an in-car unit in order to get hands-free usage. Another important feature that may be of considerable value for a small business is multi-destination routing. This feature allows you to enter multiple routes into your GPS at one time so as to calculate the best route that includes all of your destinations.
Click here for a thorough review of the top in-car GPS units.
Happy traveling!
June 25th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
GPS devices in the vehicle are just the beginning of maximizing the productivity of your small business fleet. The real cost savings comes by tracking the movement of your fleet back at the office. By managing hours worked, time on job and vehicle use, you can really start to address efficiency. When considering a GPS tracking solution, think beyond the in vehicle needs and consider a fleet management solution like the ones offered at http://www.blueskynetwork.com
July 15th, 2008 at 9:07 am
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