According to an independent survey commissioned by Motorola Inc., IT decision-makers from North American companies in the transport, manufacturing, and logistics sectors believe that Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies are key tools for mobile personnel. According to the respondents, these solutions increase employee productivity and help companies reduce fuel and labor costs.
More than 250 people took part in the survey. They completed the questionnaire via the e-Rewards global market research panel, which includes over 4.2 million consumers and businesses.
The main benefit cited by nearly 50 percent of companies currently using GPS technology is a significant reduction in fuel consumption. This results from a reduction in travel distance by an average of 372 kilometers per week and brings annual savings of over 50,000 dollars. There are over a million motor carriers operating in the United States, so potential annual savings could reach 53 billion dollars.
The research also showed that companies using GPS technologies save about 54 minutes of work per day, which translates into an annual reduction in labor costs of $5,484 per employee or $5.4 million per surveyed company. Location-based applications not only allow for cost reduction but also enable route optimization. Thanks to this, companies know exactly where their employees are at any given moment and can examine potential routes before setting them.
– Mobile field workers in the transport industry have problems with locating delivery sites, reducing fuel expenses, and delivery punctuality, which constitutes a financial and personnel burden for the company – said Jim Hilton, Senior Director of Field Mobility at Motorola Enterprise Mobility. – In recent years, we have delivered nearly 200,000 mobile computers with integrated GPS support. These devices provide a solution to the industry problems identified in the survey – they allow for more efficient work and the achievement of measurable business benefits.
The surveyed companies indicated that GPS solutions reduce waiting time in traffic jams and the time spent searching for new routes, and also allow mobile employees to spend more time with customers. In response to the question about the reason for investing in GPS or other new technologies, the surveyed companies placed customer service in first place.
The research also showed other key applications of GPS technology – navigation to increase punctuality and route optimization. These solutions are an answer to the problems that mobile field workers have with locating new stops during their shift and with streamlining deliveries.