GPS Tracking by Roofing Companies
Some business owners have a problem relinquishing control. That dilemma is magnified when the business delivers goods or services on a call basis, like a roofer, carpenter or electrician.
A person can’t adequately supervise his workers when he is at the home office and they are out on job sites throughout the community. This happens in a lot of the building trades. Roofing companies in particular have a challenge in communicating. The management and laborer are not only separated by distance, there’s also an elevation issue. Roofers, as mobile workers, are often high in the air, far away from their vehicles and also their mobile phones.
It also doesn’t help matters, when a profession has a perhaps-unwarranted public reputation for dishonesty. In America, there are certain occupations with untrustworthy reputations. Online clearinghouse Yahoo! Hotjobs recently did a survey about untrustworthy occupations and repair technicians were named by many blog responders. Thankfully, they fell in the ranking under lawyers, television evangelists, and car salesmen.
When dealing with a mobile workforce, management has a few choices:
- They can trust that their mobile workforce is working hard for the betterment of the company.
- Or, they can use a GPS tracking system.
Information about GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS) refers to an integrated family of 24 satellites that orbit around the earth. Each of these satellites transmits a stream of signals on a continuous basis to the earth’s surface. The GPS receiver, placed inside a vehicle or another asset, captures the signals at regular intervals and uses the data to determine and track its position.
From radio signals coming out of space, a GPS tracking system can determine an object’s speed, direction, and the time and location of stops. Exact positions can be determined, within feet of accuracy.
GPS tracing units are broadly divided into two categories: “real time” and GPS tracking “loggers” or “recorders.” The first example is also known as “live” and the latter is also known as “passive” GPS tracking technology. Real-time systems use cellular technology to transmit the tracking data to a central server or monitoring center. On the other hand, GPS tracking loggers store the tracking data within the unit and the information is available any time the user/owner desires to download it onto their personal computer.
How Roofing Companies Use GPS Tracking Technology
Some of the jobs performed by roofing companies are repairing roofs, building new roofs and installing roof vents, both in the commercial and the residential settings. Roofers naturally want to build a good reputation so that their company will grow through referrals. So it is important to strive for the highest quality service. Today one of a roofer’s most trusted tools – besides hammer and nails – is GPS tracking technology.
LandAirSea’s real-time tracking system, the Victoria GPS Tracking System, and the company’s newest passive device the GPS Tracking Key Pro® are used by roofing companies – as well as other trades – in their vehicles.
Advantages of GPS Tracking Systems
GPS Tracking devices, when installed in roofers’ vehicles, provide exact reports of time, location and direction, whenever that vehicle is in motion. A vehicle’s path can be seen on an animated or satellite map on a computer; and hundreds of vehicles can be monitored on the same map at the same time. Written (text) daily logs are also available. Day after day, this data can be analyzed, recorded and stored for easy access, anytime. Owner/managers can achieve a high level of control over the business.
Ways GPS Tracking Can Help a Roofing Business:
- More efficient routing: Shortest route, last-minute additions and cancellations.
- Increased productivity: Fewer overlapping trips.
- Ease burden of financial paperwork: using GPS tracking reports for taxes, payroll, expense reports.
- Monitoring driver activity: speeding, excessive idling, personal errands.
- Reliable backup for time/place sensitive disputes: customer complaints i.e. “no show,” worker’s compensation issues and police-related incidents (speeding, other moving violations).
- Geo-fencing: Notification by text or email when a vehicle travels outside designated service area.
- Theft and asset recovery: with real-time tracking devices.
Some GPS tracking systems can be custom designed for a specific application. Some roofing businesses, for example, specialize in industrial and stadium-style flat roofs. They use GPS roof mapping. The roofers use a special handheld data collection tool. It is a combination of personal digital assistant (PDA) and GPS tracking and locating device. It helps the professional roofer measure, photograph and document any defects in the roof. Before and after photos can be taken using this GPS tracking/PDA system and GPS tracking reports can be printed to document the project and bill the customer.
A roof is a costly investment. Though we seldom think about them, roofs need care and maintenance.
GPS tracking systems have become an important business tool for many companies with mobile workforces. In fact, GPS tracking devices can be quite a boon to roofing businesses, and many other trades. Owners can track the location of their vehicles and evaluate their employees’ performances, all with the same system.
Consumers can go online to find a range of GPS tracking devices and a range of prices. It may be confusing where and what to buy. Shoppers should look for experience in the industry, positive testimonials, and an informed and responsive staff (by email or phone).
Tags: GPS Tracking, Mapping, Roofers, Roofing
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