Managing in the Location-Tracking Era

#News(General) [ via IoTGroup ]

Real-time locating systems allow precise tracking of every asset.
But to make the most of these technologies, slow-moving processes must be adjusted.
That brings a host of changes, one of which will deliver a profound shift in how organizations operate: real-time locating systems (RTLS).
Through my work at Quuppa, an RTLS provider, I’m seeing businesses across numerous industries marry this new technology with RTLS.
Suddenly, managers are being inundated with location information.
Real-time location information can help protect assets, fix problems, and get workers anything they need to finish a job or close a sale quickly.
Implementing smart technologies at ports allows businesses to track cargo, avoid traffic jams, find shipments that go missing, and protect against theft.
Similarly, in manufacturing, if a piece of machinery breaks down, location systems can guide managers to the exact spot at which the malfunction occurred, bypassing the guesswork that can slow operations.
With RTLS, stores could provide customers with the real-time location of any item using mobile devices or smart shopping carts.
Emerging location systems involve newer, more affordable technologies such as Bluetooth Low Energy tags, which can operate for years on a single battery.
But to make any of these location-tracking technologies work, managers will need to update their processes, which will require a big adjustment.
Slow-moving processes can effectively negate any opportunities afforded by location systems.
For example, if location data shows which piece of machinery needs to be replaced and exactly where to find the replacement part, workers can get production back up to speed in very little time.
But a complex, multistep process requiring manager approval to actually retrieve the replacement part from storage could negate any time saved from quickly locating the part.

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