Asset Tracking: how to to Optimize Usage and Maintenance

As the world of business continues to shift and evolve, one of the most important factors for success is asset tracking. It involves keeping track of valuable company assets to optimize their usage, prevent loss, and ensure that they are properly maintained.

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23 Jan, 2024. 3 min read

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As the world of business continues to shift and evolve, one of the most important factors for success is asset tracking. It involves keeping track of valuable company assets to optimize their usage, prevent loss, and ensure that they are properly maintained. This is important for businesses of all sizes, as it can help to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve asset maintenance. Asset tracking is especially critical in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, where globalization and digitalization have made it more important than ever to have visibility and control over assets. By implementing an asset tracking system, businesses can gain a competitive edge and ensure that they are able to make the most of their resources.

Methods of Asset Tracking: how to use Manual vs Advanced

There are several methods for tracking assets, including manual methods like paper records and spreadsheets, as well as more advanced methods like asset tracking software and RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology or machine vision . The right method will depend on the type and number of assets being tracked, the level of detail required, and the budget available for tracking technology.

In today’s increasingly digital world, asset tracking is more important than ever. As businesses expand and become more globalized, it’s essential to have a way to track assets across multiple sites and countries. Asset tracking provides businesses with visibility into their assets around the globe, allowing them to make informed decisions about their operational costs, inventory needs, and more.

Barcode scanning is a widely used asset tracking technology that has been around since the 1970s. It involves attaching a barcode, which has encoded information about the asset, such as its serial number or other identifying information, to the asset. A barcode scanner is then used to read the barcode and access the asset’s information. Barcode scanners are widely available and relatively inexpensive, making them a popular choice for many businesses.

One of the main advantages of barcode scanning is its simplicity. Barcode scanners are easy to use, and many industries are already familiar with the technology. This makes it easy for businesses to implement barcode scanning into their existing asset tracking systems. In addition, barcodes are small and can be attached to assets in a variety of ways, making them easy to use in a wide range of applications.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is another popular asset tracking technology. RFID tags are attached to assets, and an RFID reader is used to read the tags from a distance. RFID tags contain more information than barcodes, such as the item’s location, date of manufacture, and warranty information. RFID tags are also more durable than barcodes, making them better suited for long-term tracking applications. The downside to RFID tags is that they require a more expensive reader than barcodes and can be more difficult to install on assets.

The most advanced asset tracking technology is Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking. GPS tracking involves attaching a GPS-enabled device to an asset and using satellite signals to track its location in real time. GPS tracking is used in many industries, such as transportation, agriculture, logistics, and security. GPS tracking can provide valuable insights into asset movement and can help businesses improve their efficiency by providing timely updates on their assets’ locations. The biggest downside to GPS tracking is that it requires an expensive device as well as an ongoing subscription fee for access to satellite signals.

Conclusion: The Benefits of Implementing Asset Tracking Solutions for Businesses

There are many benefits to using asset tracking in your business. By keeping track of your assets, you can ensure that you have adequate inventory on hand and that you are utilizing your resources in the most efficient manner possible. Asset tracking also helps you keep an accurate record of your financials and ensure that your assets are secure.

Finally, asset tracking can help you make better decisions about future investments. By analyzing the data gathered through asset tracking, you can determine which assets are performing well and which need to be replaced or upgraded. This allows you to allocate resources more effectively and make informed decisions about future investments.