Losing and misplacing things is part and parcel of being a human being, because none of us are perfect or impervious to making the odd mistake. Whether it’s forgetting where you set down your keys or not finding your phone in the place you thought you left it last, chasing things down is one of life’s many small frustrations – but it can be a somewhat larger annoyance if it starts to build up, and impact your business.
Those little annoyances we have in everyday life can cost businesses money and severely slow productivity, with construction sites especially susceptible to delays due to misplayed tools or equipment. While one fix could be to invest in products that have inbuilt tracking and anti-tampering software – brands like Milwaukee are really well known for this – another route that many take is asset tracking.
What does asset tracking mean?
A helpful practice in most industries, but especially useful on construction sites, asset tracking is essentially the name provided to the process of keeping track of physical assets. Now an electronic process – so that inventories can be accessed via computers, tablets and apps instantaneously – everything that needs to be tracked can now be fitted with RFID identification tags or barcodes, making it extremely easy to have a log of who has used it, where it is located and what maintenance, if any, is required.
How can asset tracking help?
Other than simply heightening organisation and naturally boosting productivity, asset tracking has many additional positives. In an industry like construction where deadlines are such an integral goal and can impact how much of a bonus is paid or the cost of a contract, working efficiently is a priority. By cutting down on the time spent either looking for or waiting on any given piece of equipment, other tasks can be completed in the meantime, meaning that minimal time is lost.
Another bonus is that accountability is boosted, meaning that your workforce has more responsibility over their actions and how they’re using equipment while on site. You can also track how long equipment is being used for and who by, so you can accurately track their work rate and the speed at which work is being completed, which helps identify any anomalies such as rushed work or anyone dawdling.
A resource that helps manage both personnel and equipment – either directly or otherwise – asset tracking is definitely a worthwhile pursuit for any business.