Your business is likely moving parts you need to track –like assets, equipment, vehicles, or even employees. And, it's no easy task when done manually. 43% of small businesses don’t track assets and inventory effectively, and 80% of employees waste 30 minutes a day trying. 

That’s why businesses are turning to GPS asset tracking to track, manage and optimize the locations of their most valuable physical assets. If your business is one of the many learning how to implement its GPS tracking system in the most effective way possible, we have documented the steps you should take to streamline the process.

8 Steps to Implementing Your Asset Tracking System

We want to get you set up properly –with all the right steps, so you can get the most out of your asset tracking system. Implemented correctly, GPS asset tracking systems can offer so many benefits to your business. Here’s what you need to know. 

1. Decide What You Want to do with Your Asset Tracking System

The first step to getting your GPS asset tracking system up and running is figuring out your short- and long-term business goals, along with any problem(s) you’re trying to solve. 

Do you want to manage your equipment more efficiently and make sure the right assets are being used when and where they’re needed most? Are you trying to prevent theft? Or do you need to make sure tools are being used properly and safely? 

These are all questions you’ll need to answer before you get started. 

2. Identify What You’re Tracking

Once you’ve decided why you need an asset tracking system, determining which physical assets you’re tracking is your next step. Different types of asset tracking systems work best for different types of equipment. For example, static assets, like computers, furniture, and fixed machines on a warehouse floor, may only need a passive GPS system to track historical usage. Meanwhile, moving assets, like fleet vehicles and construction equipment, require an active GPS system with a more advanced GPS connection to gather real-time data. 

Knowing which assets you are tracking will help you determine which tracking system is best for your business and how many tracking devices you need.

3. Integrate the Solution into Your Organization

Of course, all new software investments require the initial implementation and integration into the organization’s operations. Consider which teams and employees are available to support the integration of your new GPS asset tracker, or how your solution provider's customer support team can facilitate the integration for you. 

4. Get your Hardware Up and Running

After you’ve done a bit of pre-planning, you’ll need to get your tracking hardware ready to go. Depending on the type of tracking devices you’re using, there are a few things to consider before you install them.

If you’re using battery-powered devices, ensure they are fully charged before installing them. For hardwired devices that use an external power source, ensure the devices are installed correctly and connected to the correct port.

5. Prepare the Software 

Next, you’ll need to get the software prepped. Doing this involves the following steps:

1. Create admin profiles
2. Grant the correct authorizations to relevant users
3. And download the accompanying mobile app for the employees who need to access tracking information.

Completing these steps from the get-go ensures that your GPS asset tracking operation allows users to see only what they manage while you maintain visibility into your entire operation. 

6. Customize Your Asset Tracker’s System Preferences

Once your asset tracker solution is installed and working, you can set up system preferences via the mobile app or desktop. This includes:

• Assigning custom names for each asset tracker
• Drawing boundaries of any shape or size to contain your physical assets
• Set up custom notifications and alerts regarding asset usage and location
• Configuring custom reports you want on the regular

7. Create Internal Maintenance Procedures for the System

Maintaining your asset tracking system involves coordination among your entire team. To make sure your GPS asset tracking’s value is maximized and that your operations are proactive, not reactive, first consider which employees will be involved in the process. 

Assign employees to roles like charging and changing device batteries and creating SOPs if the trackers need to be moved to different assets. To keep your tracking system up and running and accurate, you must also define internal processes to ensure routine maintenance is kept up.

8. Audit the solution 

Now that your asset tracking system is running, it’s important to conduct an audit to measure your success. You can measure the success of your tracking program in reference to your initial goals. 

Is the system preventing theft and misuse? Has your operational efficiency improved? Is the right information available to the people who need it when they need it? These are all excellent questions to ask when you conduct your audit.

To take your audit a step further, look for additional value you can capture from your tracking system. The data you’ve collected may be useful in more ways than one. Historical and real-time data can help you make cost- and time-effective business decisions and help highlight potential issues before other warning signs arise. Finally, run an ROI report on your system to ensure it’s providing value to your company.

Implement the Highest Standard of GPS Asset Tracking with Spytec

If your business’s revenue is tied up in fast-moving assets at risk of misuse, loss, or theft, then you know the urgency of getting the right GPS asset tracking system set up. That’s where we come in –Spytec offers pin-point GPS accuracy that ensures you know exactly where your items are –in the past –and in real-time. 

With an industry-leading 99% uptime that gets you tracking in minutes, an on-the-go mobile app, and enterprise-grade battery life, you can feel confident that you have visibility into every corner of your business, from anywhere. It’s no wonder why leading brands like IHG. Columbia, REI, Southwestern Energy, and more trust Spytec to track their most valuable physical assets. 

Join over 50,000 customers who are already tracking with Spytec and enjoy the benefits of a customer success team ready to lead your implementation. Request a consultation with us today.