From your nearby supermarkets and educational institutions to conglomerate industries, everyone is reaping the benefits of geofencing in order to improve their workflow while ensuring safety and effective time utilization at the same time. Geofencing is used to create a virtual fence around an area and track the activities within that predefined space.
Logistics companies are using this technology to keep a track of their fleet, hospitals are utilizing it to provide efficient healthcare, and even your local retailer sends you targeted marketing messages with the help of geofencing. Without further ado, let’s dig in a bit deeper to have insight into the latest technology in geofencing, its benefits, and what to avoid while using geofencing tools.
Benefits of Geofencing
- Boosts up Productivity
Studies and surveys have revealed that workplaces that use geofencing are around 50% more productive than their competitors. This tech helps employees and workers to make efficient and quick decisions, track their off-time, and monitor their time spent working on site.
- Improved Security
High-security workplaces and strategic institutions use geofencing to track and intercept unauthorized access of any device or individual. Furthermore, this practice ensures the security of workplace employees and protects valuable data.
- Improved Sales
Marketing strategists for brands and consumer products use the geofencing data to drive customers by offering promotional offers. Location-based insights are readily available for such businesses to target their potential buyers.
- Automation
Employees at offices receive automated reminders to improve their efficiency and have their time at the office tracked automatically. Home automation services always utilize this tech to provide personalized home automation that synchronizes perfectly with your preferences.
Geofencing in Action
The applications of geofencing are endless. Let’s look at the top three devices using geofencing to understand how different businesses, companies, and institutions make use of this tech.
- Mobile Phones
Most social media apps utilize geofencing to provide you location-based services that enhance the user experience. Location-based stories, filters, and push notifications are common services that take advantage of geofencing. Social events, concerts, and public gatherings engage the audience through geofencing by sharing updates on the venue and dates. Moreover, invitations to the event are also sent by using geofencing, to make sure only the individuals who receive the message are allowed access. Retailers and businesses use this technology to send promotions or discount offers to their nearby customers. These campaigns analyze location-based data extensively to target audiences specific to their business.
- Logistics
Trailer fleets carrying cargo are indeed valuable assets that are tracked by using geofencing. Whether it’s just one truck, or a fleet carrying cargo, real-time tracking is necessary to ensure on-time delivery and smooth operations. Companies can easily lose huge sums of money when they fail to keep track of their assets. You can find several geofencing services like this trailer tracking must-have that claims to assist you in tracking valuable cargo. Before you pick a service, analyze your requirements as there is no point in getting the services you don’t need. The construction industry also tracks down vehicles working in their construction zones and alerts the operators if any unauthorized person or vehicle has entered a forbidden zone. Measures like these, ensure the safety of employees and any unintended visitor.
- User Appliances
Smart homes and appliances are equipped with the necessary connectivity and software, therefore making your activities at home a lot easier. Nowadays, a fridge can remind you to get groceries when you are near the supermarket or the lights turn off automatically when you leave the house for work. All these perks make the use of geofencing simple, yet effective.
The Downside of Geofencing
Every technology has its limitations. However, in the case of geofencing, the benefits surely outweigh the disadvantages. Despite having such a positive impact on numerous areas, geofencing has some downsides. Data is collected as a part of marketing strategies from users that have agreed to use location-based services. Nowadays, more people are concerned about their privacy and deny giving location-based access. Another major issue with geofencing is the battery drain the services cause, when in use. Too much power consumption leaves many users with no other option than to turn off the service to conserve the battery on their device. Availability of network and GPS services are crucial in carrying out geofencing activities. Failure in the provision of a strong GPS signal can disrupt the system or even render the device useless.
Most industries have adopted the practices of geofencing and others are getting ready to jump on the bandwagon. While this tech has made waves by improving workflow, increasing sales, and elevating the quality of services, improvements are still being made that might resolve the limitations of geofencing soon.