Container and Bin Tracking
The GPS satellite was first introduced to the public in 1978. It took almost two decades before GPS systems took off as part of a tracking device. Since its popularity exploded, many companies have started introducing their own technologies for container and bin tracking. With several options out there, it can be difficult to assess which provider is right for you and your business.
Certain factors come into play, including your budget, requirements, and specific operations in your business. While GPS systems all provide similar information, which is the location of a certain item, they do not work the same way. It is all up to the provider to offer the most suitable option for your business. CallPass is one of these companies with a wide array of solutions and platforms with GPS and IoT products.
Understanding Container and Bin Tracking
Just like with anything, container and bin tracking is important to ensure the safety of your assets among many benefits. Ever since the popularity of GPS systems exploded in the late 90s, many companies from all over the world have started to use this technology to get accurate information regarding their bins or containers.
Whenever a bin or container is deployed, companies need to make sure it is delivered to the intended location. Unfortunately, the entire process can become quite complicated simply because there are many things involved. From another group of people working with the containers while on the road to another group waiting in its destination, numerous events can take place.
It is up to you to ensure that your assets are in the area that they should precisely be at the correct timeframe. Tracking your containers or bins makes it possible to get the details you need regarding these mentioned items. As a business owner, you need to properly manage your assets so they do not get stolen, lost, and even underused.
Working with companies, such as CallPass, can provide you a ton of benefits, including:
Return on investment: When people invest, their main goal is to make money out of it. For this reason, many investors seek investments that will give them the highest possible return. One of the benefits of using the services or products from CallPass is that you can get great returns with almost no risks involved.
Reduced chances of added operational expenses: If you do not track your assets, they can easily get lost. You will not know whether it was stolen or compromised, which means you may need to purchase yet another piece of equipment. The situation does not only require you to spend more money but you also lose valuable time.
Anti-theft: The GPS system will tell you right away if something has gone wrong, such as if it got lost due to thievery. You can prevent this problem when you have valuable location information about your containers or bins.
Your assets typically move from one site to another, which is why it is crucial that you have the best and most reliable GPS system in place. Container and bin tracking can be performed in many ways, including manual, barcode, and RFIDs, along with GPS-based solutions. While the three mentioned alternatives have their own advantage, they are still not up to par with the latest in technology.
As long as you have the right provider for your business, you will certainly benefit from the GPS product you have chosen.
GPS vs. Manual Tracking
Unlike GPS-based solutions, you do not have to purchase any piece of equipment with manual tracking. You only need an employee who will regularly take notes regarding the location of the containers. For instance, he or she can jot down whether a certain container is in the storage facility or it left at a specific time.
The benefit of manual tracking lies in the absence of additional expenses on hardware and even software. If you already have a computer in the office, all you need is to create a spreadsheet where you can perform the tracking. Aside from your staff’s time and effort, you do not have to expend more resources.
The downside here though is that the data entered in the spreadsheet will be outdated. For instance, if your business uses roll-off containers, they can typically move several times every day. You will not have accurate and updated information when you need it, unlike GPS solutions.
GPS vs. Barcode and RFID Scanners
Both barcode and RFIDs require some tools to carry out the tracking process just like GPS-based platforms. However, these two are typically more affordable compared with the devices used to tell the location of an item through Global Positioning System technology. Their accuracy may be decent, too but you cannot use them on containers that move several times per daily.
Aside from precision of information that you receive, you cannot totally rely on them. It is why many companies eventually turn to CallPass so they can keep track of their containers and bins.
Picking the Best GPS-Based Solution Provider for Asset Tracking
If you already have an existing provider and you wish to switch or it is your first time to work with such a company, you should know how to choose the right one for you. GPS tracking technology has been around for quite some time now and it has evolved so rapidly in a short span of time.
You may have heard about different organizations moving to this method of tracking their bins or containers. When making the switch, you may also need to find the right provider for you and your business. Your operations and procedures will help you select the technology to use. The provider can also guide you throughout the whole process.
Before you switch to GPS tracking systems or to another provider, here are some important things to consider:
Do you have an existing contract?
Before you proceed, make sure that you are not stuck in a contract. If you are, the first step to take is to reach out to your current provider and figure out when the agreement will expire. It also helps that you are not on auto-renewal, which is prevalent in some companies. Unless you are happy with the service, you should be able to say no to this setting.
Will your operations be interrupted when you switch?
Time is money and you cannot afford to lose plenty of time just to install a piece of hardware to your bins or containers. Also, the software may take a while for the operators to learn about, which can easily lead to more downtime in the operations.
Thankfully, you do not have to deal with such problems when you work with CallPass. This company has the plug-and-play products that you can install for approximately 10 minutes or less. There are no complaints about a steep learning curve because the platform is easy to understand. You do not have to train your staff because the solutions are user-friendly and intuitive.
What will happen to your existing system?
One of the biggest worries of companies is about their current GPS solution. It can take a considerable amount of time to switch and configure the new system so it will match all your settings. Therefore, it is significant that you select a provider that has a system that includes the ability to import essential settings, such as landmarks. This way, you do not have to create new profiles, rules, and other configurations.
While it is understandable that you want to save money, you should never choose a GPS tracking provider just because it is the cheapest that you can find. Many businesses, particularly those that are starting out, opt for the provider that offers them the cheapest solution.
It is wrong to assume that GPS solutions are the same. Although it may seem that way, it is not the actual case at all. Of course, the most expensive is not always the best but you need to consider your goals, which the device and the service should help you achieve.
How Your Company will Benefit from a GPS-Based Container and Bin Tracking Platform
The rule of the thumb is that the technology that you are experiencing and enjoying today will be obsolete within three years. While you may think it does not apply to your method of tracking bins or containers, it is not recommended that you go for outdated options, such as RFIDs and barcode scanners.
GPS-based solutions from CallPass are built to last for several years. Therefore, your investments are worth your money because you can stay updated without needing to upgrade annually. If you compare the costs to labor and fuel savings, you will realize that your investment has paid for itself a few times over.
Switching from your old way of tracking roll-off bins or any asset to GPS-based solution is indeed cost-efficient. With the help of the right provider for your business, you can take advantage of great savings. Additionally, you benefit from using new technologies that are innovative and appropriate for your operations.
In just a short period, you may have seen the evolution of GPS telematics platforms. Some years back, you may recall that it was enough to see the containers displayed on the map, along with their previous routes. These days, however, users have become more attentive that they demand more information.
Businesses like yours can now expect a comprehensive asset management solution that will help them keep track of their bins and containers. They can get reports about the location of a certain asset in near real time, along with vital details that will simplify their operations seamlessly. Contact CallPass today to find your business a solution.
