Optimize Your Field Assets

Asset management solutions can yield real gains in productivity and reductions in cost for enterprises operating outside the four walls.

In the increasingly competitive business environment, it's more critical than ever to have assets out in the field – where your customers are – and to know exactly how those assets are being used. Field assets used by today's enterprises range from mobile devices, such as laptops and PDAs used by service technicians and salespeople, to trucks, heavy equipment, and tools. Not only are the assets themselves valuable in terms of how much they'd cost to replace if they were lost or stolen, they are key to your business operations – your service techs and salespeople can't do their jobs if the assets are missing, not functioning, or not being used to their full capacity. Your customers are demanding round-the-clock service; you should demand the same from your field assets.

A convergence of technologies, including data collection solutions such as RFID (radio frequency identification) and bar codes, as well as advanced communications networks, is making it possible to remotely track and manage assets out in the field. The new solutions can save you money and man-hours by eliminating the need to send employees out to manually inspect, repair, maintain, or upgrade your assets. But asset management solutions allow you to go far beyond simply eliminating unnecessary labor. By tracking your assets' usage, these solutions can also help ensure your equipment is being used optimally and appropriately. With the information you collect via remote asset tracking, you can take action to maximize your assets' productivity, such as reassigning assets or retraining employees if necessary. So, if it sounds like your company could benefit from a field asset management solution, what do you need to know before implementing one?