Insights

Think about the last time you ordered a meal through Uber Eats or DoorDash. Within seconds, you knew where your food was, which route your driver was taking, and when they would arrive. There was no guesswork involved—you just checked the app.

This level of real-time visibility has become second nature to consumers and is expected. However, in B2B operations, asset tracking tends to be stuck in the past. Businesses occasionally receive location pings for status updates, but if there are detours or stops along the way, they are often unaware unless they call vendors.

The verdict: It’s time for B2B asset tracking to catch up.

In the same way that Uber transformed the ride-hailing experience, businesses can modernize their asset tracking to provide real-time visibility, driver efficiency, and create better customer experiences. 

Think of the goods or services you’re providing your customers today. Do they know where their orders are in transit and when they’re arriving? 

The following use cases paint a picture of what B2B asset tracking can look like when backed by Google technology to create cloud-based geospatial solutions.

Real-Time GPS Tracking & Notifications

Before

Store managers at a large supermarket chain receive a broad delivery window for perishable goods, such as: “Your truck will arrive between 8 a.m. and noon.” This is imprecise, but a common story.

Those managers are then forced to plan their day around an uncertain arrival time, with no visibility into the truck’s location unless notified by the wholesale food distributor.

Delays like this carry added weight in the context of food deliveries. Extra time in transit shortens the shelf life of food, raising the risk of spoilage before it reaches customers if there are extensive delays.

After

By implementing real-time GPS tracking technology like Google Maps Platform, the distributor gives store managers a way to precisely check the live location of deliveries. Predictive analytics adjust arrival times based on delays and reroutes, with the managers receiving instant alerts about these changes.

This modern approach to B2B asset tracking turns the delivery experience into one that is as seamless and predictable as a modern ride-sharing service. Store managers now have the visibility to plan their day and manage inventory effectively, without any need for back-and-forth phone calls to track down delayed deliveries.

Cloud-Enabled Fleet Dashboards

Before

Construction firms rely on heavy equipment rental companies for bulldozers, excavators, and loaders across multiple job sites. If a site needs an additional excavator, managers may find themselves manually checking for availability. 

What the dispatcher and rental company don’t know is that the selected excavator has missed its routine service check. The risk of a breakdown is compounded by the fact that the equipment has been overused. Meanwhile, other excavators in the rental company’s product line remain underutilized.

After

With a Google Cloud-hosted fleet dashboard, managers can access information about every machine’s location, usage, and maintenance status from one place. They can instantly locate the nearest available machine when a job site needs one, with assurance that it lives up to service standards.

When every bulldozer, excavator, and loader is used where it’s needed most, the rental company can make the best use of existing inventory and curb wasted costs. What’s more? They can help keep construction projects on track and their clients happy.

AI-Powered Anomaly Detection

Before

Minor temperature fluctuations can impact the efficacy of vaccines. These fluctuations can occur while vaccines are in transit to hospitals—and if the problem isn’t caught until the shipments arrive at their first stop, thousands of doses can be wasted.

A cold chain breakdown leaves the medical supplier logistics provider with the expense of last-minute re-shipments. Most importantly, hospitals that expected the vaccine delivery are left without critical medical supplies, putting patients at risk.

After

AI-powered anomaly detection systems automatically notify the logistics provider of temperature issues, as well as any other mishandling of products in transit. These real-time alerts allow for immediate intervention to prevent vaccines from being compromised.

For example, if a truck’s refrigeration system fails, real-time GPS tracking via Google Maps enables the dispatchers to pinpoint the truck’s location and direct it to the nearest backup cold storage facility. Alternatively, a replacement truck with proper refrigeration could be dispatched to intercept and transfer the cargo. 

In either case, the result is the same: Hospitals receive medical supplies on time, intact, and ready for patient care.

On-Demand Location Sharing with Clients

Before

Manufacturers rely on high-value components to support operations. For instance, the manufacturer of a line of industrial machines may need to wait for a shipment of custom electrical connectors before production can proceed.

If the delivery of these connectors is delayed, and the manufacturer is unaware, assembly lines could grind to a sudden halt. This wastes time and labor, while pushing back final product deliveries to the manufacturer’s customers.

After

Understanding the high stakes, a specialized freight forwarder implements secure, time-limited tracking links that offer real-time shipment visibility. Just like a consumer would track a package, the manufacturer can see exact routes, projected arrival times, and potential shipment delays at a glance.

Instant access to live updates allows for more proactive production planning. In the event of a delay, the manufacturer can modify workflows as needed to minimize downtime and operational disruptions.

Predictive Asset Maintenance & Routing

Before

A large e-commerce distribution center handles orders for small business sellers in the region. If a delivery truck breaks down mid-route, it could leave sellers scrambling to meet customer expectations.

Breakdowns aren’t restricted to the road—they can also happen inside a warehouse. A robotic sorting system could unexpectedly fail, causing slowdowns in processing and shipping backlogs.

With no way to monitor equipment health, the distribution center can’t see early signs of wear and prevent these costly pitfalls.

After

Having access to real-time sensor data via Google Cloud’s advanced machine learning (ML) tools helps alert the managers to breakdowns before they occur. If a robotic arm begins to lag or a truck’s fuel efficiency notably drops, proactive repairs can be scheduled to keep equipment in good health.

In some cases, a truck may require urgent servicing. With dynamic route optimization capabilities, packages can be automatically routed to other vehicles, keeping shipments on schedule and customers satisfied.

Recreate the Uber Experience in B2B Asset Tracking

Uber modernized ride-hailing with real-time tracking, instant ETAs, and seamless updates. Why should B2B asset tracking be any different?

As a Google Cloud Premier Partner and geospatial leader, Woolpert Digital Innovations helps businesses bring Uber-like visibility to their operations. From real-time GPS tracking to AI-driven anomaly detection, we build solutions that eliminate guesswork, reduce delays, and keep customers informed.

Let’s bring clarity, efficiency, and control to your supply chain. Contact us today.