Some people call it fleet tracking software and others call it vehicle tracking software, but neither term comes close to describing the benefits of asset management software. Part of the problem is that, as GPS based asset management software and technology becomes more common and is used by a wider variety of industries in more places around the world, new applications are being discovered almost daily. These applications are not limited to merely tracking vehicles or fleets. Indeed, even the term asset management does not quite cover the full breadth of the benefits that can be enjoyed with such a system.

However, at least asset management software gets across the idea that these systems cover more than just locating a vehicle. That's where the misunderstanding about asset management systems begins. When it is thought of as a vehicle management system, it limits the scope of how the system can impact a company's bottom line. It goes way beyond vehicles to cover any other movable assets a company might have. For example, human assets. Of course, this doesn't mean that companies need to go out and tag their employees with GPS systems so they can keep track of where every one is. But, many vehicles that can be tracked by an asset management system have employees associated with them. Drivers, crews, sales people, etc., all can be tracked by following the vehicles they use. In cases where a crew has to be dispatched while on the road, asset management software can be used to locate the closest and or best equipped crew to handle the job. If a sales person is on the road, they might be close to a customer who has just called and wants to do business, but you wouldn't know for sure without asset management software. Even within human asset management, the benefits go beyond mere deployment of assets. By being able to track the length of shifts and distances travelled, a company can keep a closer watch on how long employees have been at work and make sure they keep within in the requirements of the law. Few people would list complying with labor regulations as a benefit of asset management software and even fewer would say the same about vehicle tracking systems.

Even better, keeping track of human assets doesn't only benefit the companies that do so. Their employees can rest assured that shifts are being tracked to make sure no one works more than is required and that their time will not be wasted with inefficient deployment.

Another misconception that can happen when asset management software is called vehicle or fleet tracking is that the assets tracked must be motorized vehicles. In fact, trailers can be tracked separately from the trucks and train engines that pull or carry them. Construction equipment that is stored on site until it's needed can be located instantly. Indeed, keeping track of portable construction equipment helps to keep it secure. If a piece of equipment that has tracking hardware attached is broken into or stolen, asset management software can be used to report damage or the location of the equipment.

As varied as the areas of a business that can benefit from asset management software are the variety of different businesses that can benefit. Just about any company that has remote portable equipment and/or vehicles can benefit. From the food service industry, which needs to make sure cargos are kept at certain temperatures and not be too long in transit, to educational institutions, which need to track buses and service vehicles, there are many industry segments that are not immediately identified as potential benefactors of asset management software, but they can realize as many benefits as any other industry.

One example is medical and pharmaceutical supply companies. Very often they are required to transport medicines that are sensitive to heat, cold and/or light and an asset management system can be used to centrally track temperatures inside and outside of vehicles to reduce losses due to spoilage. Also, sometimes medical suppliers need to transport valuable and irreplaceable cargo that can be a matter of life and death. If the vehicle in which the cargo is being transported is stolen, the results could be disastrous. Unless an asset management system is used and the exact location of the stolen vehicle would be known at all times.

Medical supplies are just another example of the variety of a businesses equipment and products that can benefit from asset management software.

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