Gregory Jay White » Mobile Resource Management (MRM)

Specialty Key to Success – Covert Tracking for Law Enforcement

Greg White — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:55:48 +0000

With over 150 vendors in the GPS tracking segment, specialty is the key to success for emerging players.

Recently I’ve begun working with GPSit, which has a very unique niche – they build solutions for Law Enforcement Technical Surveillance, and specifically GSP based, Covert Tracking.

Their vertical niche has been served with specialty products from companies such as Coleman Technologies, Orion, Geonautics and a few other players. What’s changed to allow them to very effectively compete is newer generation, highly sensitive AGPS devices from companies like Sendum. These new devices have enabled solution deployments at 25% the cost and greater performance of the incumbent’s proprietary solutions.

Of course there is the “secret sauce”, GPSit is developing solutions that work well across borders, and incorporate sensors that enable much longer battery life and substance detection of interest to law enforcement. GPSit maintains is trust worthy status with law enforcement by keeping most of these proprietary enhancements confidential only to their law enforcement client base.

Expect GSPit to grow steadily, as their client base continues to expand its use of covert tracking for technical surveillance.

MRM – Successful Fleet Management (By Exception)

Greg White — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:37:12 +0000

When selecting a GPS Fleet Tracking System, select one that presents the information you need in a format that’s useful to the operation of your business.

GPS tracking systems have an uncanny ability to generate TONS of useless data. When you consider that your tracked fleet vehicles will be reporting in as frequently as every 15 seconds; with position, velocity, heading, altitude, telemetry readings, sensor readings, vehicle bus data and more, data can really add up. What makes matters worse is that most GPS tracking systems were designed by engineers who love the process of gathering and presenting this data in ways that are well, quite useless to most.

So, make certain the system you purchase has analytical capabilities and can present summarized exception data in ways that are meaningful to the operation your business.

Here are some quick examples:

You need data to complete your fuel tax reporting, so you need easily exportable state mileage summary information for your fuel tax reporting partner.

You would like a report each Monday morning that details which vehicles were used outside of normal business hours for the prior week.

Fuel prices are killing you; you know some idle time is normal, so just tell me which vehicles clearly have excess idle times.

Some of your drivers have speeding habits; tell me which ones do so that I can do something before accidents happen.

My vehicles should only be operating in one main service region, tell me immediately if any vehicles have left the service region.

Your mechanics need to know the vehicles engine hours, but specifically, to be notified every XXX hour of engine operation to ensure timely service.

The best systems allow you to graphically display your fleet’s key performance indicators. Look for increasing use of dashboards that can be configured to highlight only the information which is meaningful for your business.

As an example, your fleet maintenance manager might desire a PIE chart showing you the percentage of vehicles with normal service parameters, and the percentage that are not. Click on the slice that are not normal, and now you can drill down to see the details of vehicles needing attention.

Headlines or Heartache, How will GPS Tracking Vendors Fair in 2009?

Greg White — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:37:26 +0000

My first post highlighted the huge number of fleet tracking solutions that are battling it out for the fleet manager’s attention. I’m still adding vendors daily to a database of tracking solution providers – frankly it’s absurd. There are way too many "like solutions" and if anything, this industry makes it difficult for a fleet manager to know what to do.

So why does this industry still make it hard to do business? What events in 2008 will bring about change in this industry?

Here are some industry trends that I predict will drive simplification of the buyer’s experience over the next two years:

Tracking device technology advances rapidly
- Much smaller – often no bigger than a package of gum
- Routinely sub $200
- AGPS based, delivering rapid fixes without a view of the sky
- Featuring integrated antennas
- User self-installed – "power and go"
Skyrocketing cost of fielding a direct sales force
Greater use of the web as a sales fulfillment channel
Fierce competition leading to lower prices and an industry shakeout

Although the bleeding edge of technology will always require a direct sales force to drive adoption, basic location and tracking services have clearly commoditized. As a commodity, new sales channels are needed to ensure vendors will be able to operate their business profitably and prosper.

One tracking vendor that clearly understands the power of the web is NavTrak. Web marketers will recognize their website and communication techniques (response email, blog, etc) as those of a company that both embraces and capitalizes upon the web.

DriveOk is another great vendor. Their core markets are consumer and teen tracking. What makes them so successful (they claim 60,000+ units sold) is the fact that they understand how to convert web visitors to buyers – without sales rep interactions. The first two tabs on their website are demo and buy now. This combined with a bold $269 "Internet Special" call-to-action gets the job done.

Taking the ecommerce front one step further, check out Brickhouse Security‘s portfolio of GPS solutions. Some of these solutions are branded for Brickhouse; others such as the DeWALT Asset Tracker carry the manufacturer’s brand. You might argue that this is not the site for fleet managers to make an informed good decision from – but they do understand how to use the power of the web to drive traffic and conversions, and that’s what I’m highlighting for you. Try this, search on Brickhouse GPS on YouTube – you will note that their video’s have generated 6,000+ views, which is Web2.0 marketing at its best.

The bottom line is that successful main stream location and tracking solution providers will need to dramatically simplify their means of selling and deploying their solutions. With solution prices falling, it is no longer feasible to employ face-to-face selling techniques or to expect customers to absorb the overhead of expensive sales channels. Give your prospective customer the ability to learn about, demo, and then simply and easily purchase and manage on the web.

My prediction for 2009 is that rapid growth companies in this segment will be those that embrace the web as a complete solution delivery mechanism, and those that do not, will be cannibalized and driven to extinction by those that do.

Recipe for Location and Tracking Success

Greg White — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:28:01 +0000

If you asked Geoffrey Moore, author and strategist on transformation and innovation in technology organizations, whether the location and tracking industry has crossed the chasm, I would wager his answer would be a definitive YES!

For sellers in this segment, the sales battlefront is no longer to justify the ROI of mobile resource management (MRM). Fleet owners and employers of mobile workforces now consider MRM a competitive necessity. Instead, the battle wages between feature and price within a field of over 100 suppliers (see GPS Tracking, Vendors and Resellers).

To make matters even more challenging for sellers, technology providers now serve up all the basic components of tracking solutions as off-the-shelf technologies. Any technology-savvy organization can build a location and tracking solution using the following recipe:

Ingredients

Tracking Devices: Select low-cost, integrated, feature-rich units.

User Interface: Optional Garmin fleet management interface via portable navigation devices

Network: Sign a VAR agreement, activate units, and deploy devices to fleet.

Hardware: Why buy when you can rent a cloud?

Spatial Database: One stop shop with Microsoft SQL Server 2008. Wow!

Visualization: Choose Google or Microsoft Virtual Earth.

Billing: It’s never been simpler than with Zuora. Cha ching!

Directions

Blend above ingredients for three months with the help of three talented engineers. Voila! You’ve reached first-field tests. By month six you’re shipping a commercial tracking solution. (Okay, clearly I’m a sales and marketing type, but I’m not really exaggerating for 2008.)

So what does this say about the industry? Certainly the barriers to entry that early players enjoyed have all but disappeared. Basic tracking is now a commodity. The assignment is now to create more intelligent, feature-rich, vertically integrated location and tracking solutions.

In forthcoming blog posts I’ll highlight the vendors to watch…

Vendor References

Tracking Devices

Trimble (TrimTrac location device) http://www.trimble.com/trimtrac.shtml

CalAmp http://www.calamp.com/mrm_lmu1500.shtml

AnyDATA http://www.anydata.com/tracking.php

User Interface

Garmin http://www8.garmin.com/solutions/commercial/fleetmanagementsolutions.jsp

Network

Jasper Wireless www.jasperwireless.com

Hardware

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?node=201590011

Spatial Database

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (Spatial Data)

http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/spatial-data.aspx

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (“Deliver location intelligence within your applications”)

http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/8/4/c8470f54-d6d2-423d-8e5b-95ca4a90149a/SQLServer2008_SpatialData_Datasheet.pdf

White paper on spatial data integrated with Virtual Earth

http://download.microsoft.com/download/a/c/d/acd8e043-d69b-4f09-bc9e-4168b65aaa71/SpatialData.doc

Visualization

Virtual Earth http://www.microsoft.com/virtualearth/

Google Earth http://earth.google.com/

Billing

Zuora (SaaS platform for billing) www.zuora.com

GPS Tracking Vendors, Suppliers & Resellers

Greg White — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 05:22:03 +0000

As a resource, I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of GPS tracking solution providers, related technology providers, and resellers across all industry verticals. Some of the listed MRM providers achieved early leadership roles. Others are carving vertical niches that are sizeable in their own right. Some companies partner with cellular carriers to achieve their success, while others develop their own sales channels.

Of particular interest is the growing number of new GPS tracking companies, many of which have generated sizeable volumes of customers through the Internet, exploiting both consumer and small fleet markets.

The list is far from complete and changes monthly. For companies that I’ve missed, feel free to send me the name and URL for inclusion at the next update. Please note this is an unqualified list and is not meant to be an endorsement of any of the companies listed below.

Enjoy!

COMPANY	URL
911togo	www.911togo.com
Actsoft, Inc	www.actsoft.com
AerComTech	http://www.aercomtec.com/AerTrax.html
Agilis Systems	http://www.agilissystems.com/index.php
Aircept	www.aircept.com
AirClic	http://www.airclic.com/
AirIQ	http://www.airiq.com
AirLink Communications	www.airlink.com
AirTrak Software	http://www.airtraksoftware.com/
Air-Trak, Inc.	www.air-trak.com
ALK	www.alk.com
Anytrack	www.anytrack.com
ASCAR	www.ascar.com
Beacon Wireless	http://beaconwireless.net/index_na.htm
Blackline GPS	www.blackline.com
Blue Sky Network	http://www.blueskynetwork.com/
Bluetree	http://www.bluetreewireless.com/
Brickhouse Security	http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/
CalAmp	www.calamp.com
Cheetah Systems	www.cheetah.com
CI – Omnibridge	http://www.ci-omnibridge.com/
Coleman Technologies, Inc.	http://www.ctiusa.com/
Compasscom	http://www.compasscom.com
Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation	http://www.comtechmobile.com/
Corp Ten International (CTI)	www.corpten.com
Corrigo	http://www.corrigo.com/
Cybergraphy Technology, Inc.	http://www.cybergraphy.com/English/product.htm
Databurst Technologies, Inc.	http://www.databurst.com/
Datatrac	www.datatrac.com
Datatrail	http://www.datatrail.com/
Descartes	www.descartes.com
Digicore Holdings	www.digicore.com
Diplomat	www.dsc.com
Discrete Wireless	http://www.discretewireless.com/
DISYS	http://www.mymobileworkforce.com/
DriveOK	www.driveok.com
DriverTech	http://www.drivertech.com/index.html
Field Technologies	http://www.fieldtechnologies.com
Fleetboss	http://www.fleetboss.com/
Fleetilla	www.fleetilla.com
FLEETWATCH® Systems Inc.	http://1800howsmydriving.com/
FreightWatch Group	http://www.freightwatchgroup.com/services/tracking.php
GE	http://www.ge.com/equipmentservices/assetintelligence/index.html
GE Security	www.gesecurity.com
Gearworks	www.gearworks.com
GenX Mobile Inc	http://www.genxmobile.com/index.html
Geonautics	http://www.geonautics.com/
GeoSpacial Technologies	http://www.geospatialtech.com/
Geotab	www.geotab.com
Global Tracking Group	http://www.globaltrackinggroup.com/
Global Tracking Technology	http://www.globaltrackingtech.com/
Globalpetfinder	http://www.globalpetfinder.com/
GoMRM	http://www.gomrm.com/
GPS Insight	www.gpsinsight.com
GPS Solutions	http://www.trackmyvehicle.com/
GPSit	www.gpsit.com
Grey Island	http://www.greyisland.com/
Navistar Electronics	www.navistarelectronics.com
ID Systems	http://www.id-systems.com/index.html
In Motion Technology	www.inmotiontechnology.com
Insight	www.mds-inc.com
International Harvester	www.internationaldelivers.com
Laipac Tech	http://www.laipac.com/index.htm
Lat-Lon	www.lat-lon.com
Loc Aid	www.loc-aid.net
LoJack	www.lojack.com
Mentor Engineering	www.mentoreng.com
MicroTRAKgps	http://www.microtrakgps.com/
Mobile Knowledge	www.mobile-knowledge.com
Navteq	www.navteq.com
Navtrak, Inc.	http://www.navtrak.net
NECS	www.necsfueltaxes.com
Networkcar	http://www.networkcar.com
Networks in Motion	www.networksinmotion.com
Omnilink Systems	www.omnilinksystems.com
OnStar – GM	www.onstar.com
Onterra Systems	http://www.onterrasys.com/ot/
Orbital – Transportation Management Solutions	http://www.orbitaltms.com/
Orion	http://www.orion.ns.ca/
Outerlink	www.outerlink.com
PeopleNet Communications	http://www.peoplenetonline.com/
PetsMobility	www.petsmobility.com
Pitney Bowes – MapInfo	www.mapinfo.com
Portable Internet	www.portableinternet.com
Pyramid Communications	http://www.locateyourbus.com/
Qualcomm Enterprise Services	www.qualcomm.com
Radio Satellite Integrators, Inc. (RSI)	http://www.radsat.com/
Remote Dynamics	http://www.remotedynamics.com/
Rocky Mountain Tracking Inc.	http://www.rmtracking.com/
RouteTracker	http://www.eobr.com/
Routeware	www.routeware.com
Safe Freight	http://www.safefreight.com/
SageQuest	www.sage-quest.com
San Jose Technologies, Inc.	http://www.sanav.com/
Satellite Security	www.satsecurity.com
Sendum	http://www.sendum.com/
Siemens Transportation Systems, Inc.	www.mobility.siemens.com
Sierra Wireless / AirLink	www.sierrawireless.com
SkyBitz	http://www.skybitz.com
Skypatrol LLC	http://www.myskypatrol.com/
Sprint	http://www.sprint.com/business/
Supply Chain Integrity, Inc.	http://www.sc-integrity.net/
Technocom	http://www.technocom-wireless.com
Teen Tracking	http://www.teentracking.com/
TeleNav	www.telenav.com
Teletrac	www.teletrac.net
Telogis	www.telogis.com
The Tracking Corporation	http://www.microtrakgps.com/
Track Star	http://www.trackstar.com/
Track Your Truck	http://www.trackyourtruck.com
Trackem	http://www.solutionsintomotion.com/
Tracking the World	www.trackingtheworld.com
Trak-It	http://www.trakit.ca/
Transcore	http://www.transcore.com/
Travel Eyes	http://www.hiddengps.com/
Trimble MRM Division – @Road	www.road.com
Trimble Navigation, Ltd.	www.trimble.com
Tripmaster Corporation	www.tripmaster.com
uLocate	www.ulocate.com
Universal Tracking Technologies, Inc.	http://www.universaltracking.com/
UPS Logistics Technologies	http://www.roadnet.com
US Global Sat	www.usglobalsat.com
Utility Associates	http://www.utility.com/
Utrak Online	www.utrakonline.com
vehicleTrack.com	www.vehicletrack.com
Vericom Technologies	http://www.vericomtechnologies.com/
WebTech Wireless	www.webtechwireless.com.
Wherify	www.wherify.com
Wireless Matrix	http://www.wirelessmatrixcorp.com/
World Tracking Solutions	http://www.worldtrackingsolutions.com
World Tracking Solutions	www.sagetracker.com
Worldscout Corporation	http://www.omniscout.com/en/
Xata Corporation	www.xata.com
Xora	www.xora.com
Zoll Data Systems	www.zolldata.com
Zonar Systems	www.zonarsystems.com