Ponder Environmental

Ponder Environmental Reduces Invoice Processing Time by 99 Percent While Becoming More Responsive, Safer, and Connected with Geoforce

Ponder Environmental needed asset tracking technology to fix their overburdened dispatching system. But they soon discovered that it was also the key to improving safety, streamlining invoice processing and keeping the entire company connected in real time.

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GEOFORCE ASSET TRACKING ENABLES PONDER ENVIRONMENTAL TO:

50,

sites coordinated per day

200,

high-value assets tracked

99,

reduced time processing invoices

Industry

Transportation Logistics

Problem Solved

Equipment Rental Management,
Asset Utilization,
Loss & Theft Prevention,
Operational Efficiency

CHALLENGE

Overburdened Dispatch System

When Ponder Environmental contacted Geoforce in 2014, they needed to find a way to efficiently and accurately track their resources.

With a wide area to cover and limited visibility into the location of their equipment and vehicles, the company struggled to quickly assemble the resources needed to be responsive in delivering services and equipment rentals to their clients.

“When assets were moved by a crew member or subcontractor, we would lose track of them,” said Curtis Fox, Area Manager. “Equipment would appear in our yard and we’d have no idea when it had arrived or who put it there.”

Keeping track of the crew could be equally challenging when site requirements or lack of cellular service made them unreachable by phone.

After talking to Geoforce, Ponder Environmental decided to install GPS tracking devices and use Geoforce’s Track and Trace software platform to manage assets including roll-off bins, storage tanks, big rigs and pickup trucks. It fixed their dispatch problems instantly, but that turned out to be only the beginning.

SOLUTION

Real-Time Visibility, Real-Time Response

Asset tracking enabled Ponder Environmental to see their assets clearly, optimize utilization and update clients in real time while significantly reducing response times.

“By using the best and closest available resource, we can save on fuel and labor and service more clients and more projects,” said Fox.

But the company soon discovered that better dispatching was only the beginning of the value that asset tracking brought to their operations.

RESULTS

Safer Communities, Safer Crews

When you deliver emergency services, every second counts. Ponder Environmental found that asset tracking enabled them to locate and dispatch the closest assets and reach the scene faster for situations involving a release or a spill.

“We can avoid fines and keep our crew and the wider community safer by monitoring driver speed and other parameters, while ensuring that vehicles are taking approved routes for hazardous materials.”

Dramatically Faster Invoice Processing

Ponder Environmental also discovered that asset tracking reduced the time required to process equipment rental invoices by an astonishing 99%.

“We used to log the location of our bins in an Excel sheet, keep paperwork orders on file and physically drive to the site to verify the location,” Fox explained. “It took hours and even days to track these assets. Now, we achieve the same result with a report that takes five minutes to generate.”

Theft Prevention and Recovery

Asset tracking has also helped the company recover stolen vehicles. When two pickup trucks went missing from hotel parking lots, Geoforce tracking enabled the company to recover both vehicles within 30 minutes of notifying law enforcement.

A Connected, Coordinated Company

Fox believes that the enhanced visibility has not only solved specific operational issues, it has strengthened the company culture and helped Ponder Environmental prepare for growth.

“Asset tracking with Geoforce connects the entire company,” he said. “We’re spread across multiple offices and a wide service area, and Geoforce connects us in real time.”