Transportation is one of the most important parts of a supply chain. Transportation of assets, of final products to retail locations, and overall distribution are essential to the completion of the supply chain. Asset tracking that uses hybrid location can improve the overall speed and flow of supply chains by giving companies insight into how their products are moving, where they are going, and potential areas of improvement.
Transporting Materials and Finished Products
Two essential parts of the supply chain are the drivers and the trucks that transport the products. Companies can optimize the way supply chains are operating by adding location trackers to pallets, machinery, shared equipment, and more. Having accurate location software on these tracking devices is key to making sure logistics and operations are running smoothly, and that goods (such as perishable food items) are delivered at the right time, in the best condition. Trackers provide access to real-time, location information which can be used to optimize transport routes, analyze overall supply chain speed, and product shelf life. Geo-location can also provide important information to companies about delivery and logistics, and their return system for unwanted goods, allowing them to optimize their supply chain.
Analyze Current Route
With location trackers on trucks, businesses can receive notifications when the trucks enter or leave a geofenced area. Geofencing, by definition is a virtual boundary “drawn” around a real physical location in a software-based geographical information system (GIS). Once a location along the supply chain is “fenced”, one can monitor the fence to determine which specific devices or how many “things” crossed it, and then take corresponding action. This allows businesses to see where their trucks are going, visualize where there may be overlap of similar truck routes, and find opportunities for optimization, combined routes, and more. This visualization of time spent at each stop allows businesses to see where trucks stop for the longest amount of time and figure out if warehouses are taking longer than intended to load. (If this is the case, and it is caused by difficulty locating items within the warehouse - check out this blog!)
Access Location Throughout the Route for Peace of Mind
In today’s world people have an expectation that they should receive constant updates on when they will receive their latest online order, and be able to check online to see how far away it is. With a supply chain, it doesn’t need to be any different. For example, a produce delivery company has a product that is perishable, and the the speed of delivery can greatly affect the quality of the produce. Wilted kale and rotting tomatoes will hurt the customer relationship and could result in switching distributers. When quality is key, optimizing supply chain speed is essential.
Hybrid Positioning
An effective supply chain is an efficient supply chain, and geo-location - in many different applications - can greatly assist in keeping supply chains moving smoothly during challenging times and beyond. Skyhook’s Precision Location is enabled by Hybrid Positioning Technology, which uses a proprietary algorithm to leverage and blend Wi-Fi, GPS, and Cellular signals to provide accurate location in all environments, while minimizing battery use to help prolong device life. Generally, Skyhook can estimate a minimum of 5-8 meter accuracy after a simple site survey using Skyhook’s OnSite Android Application. (These measurements are based on AP density, and AP configuration)
