Why Logistics Tech Platforms Are Failing/Struggling To Get Customers Precise Visibility

Maximizing operational and performance visibility has become a primary objective for logistics platforms. The data sets and integrations to power visibility are becoming increasingly important in this quest. Geofences are crucial to providing this improved level of visibility. Unfortunately, the current methods of obtaining geofences are insufficient; circular geofences are notoriously inaccurate, and manual drawing polygon geofences is time-consuming.

For this reason, logistics tech platforms, including Tive, VIZION, and Flexport, are turning to Kestrel Insights for automated polygon geofencing. By delivering precise polygon geofences at scale, teams can improve the accuracy of location data that drives higher-level KPIs and decision-making and supports the needed improvements to overall visibility.

Why Logistics Tech Platforms Are Increasingly Offering Visibility

Due to supply chain visibility’s growing list of benefits, visibility has become one of the most significant competitive advantages in the logistics industry. In addition, improved visibility can benefit partners throughout a supply chain, from improved inventory management for beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) to greater customer satisfaction for carriers and freight forwarders.

With deeper supply chain visibility near the top of many organizations’ wishlists, it’s no surprise that many logistics tech platforms strive to provide the tools necessary for end-to-end visibility. However, more often than not, those tools rely on automated geofencing to provide accurate, timely data.

Polygon Geofencing and its Role in Logistics

Without geofencing, digital references to a location refer to specific points, and teams can build analysis and automation on top of those singular points that are limited at best. Moreover, nothing exists as just a point in space. Places are dimensional, take up actual space, and have defined boundaries in the world. It is in the accuracy of those defined boundaries where opportunity and value exist.  Geofencing uses GPS and RFID technology to create a virtual geographic boundary, allowing organizations to describe locations as two-dimensional areas instead of one-dimensional points digitally. Logistics allows for enhanced capabilities that drive cost savings and generate revenue. Faster turnaround times, tracking lost assets, and reducing detention times are just a few examples.

There are two types of geofencing: circular geofencing and polygon geofencing. While circular geofences are easier to produce, they are wildly inaccurate. Visibility solutions based upon circular geofencing often yield more errors than insights, which is why logistics tech platforms have turned toward polygon geofencing. However, you will encounter costly challenges if you find yourself manually drawing these geofences.

The Challenges of Drawing Manual, Polygon Geofences

Polygon geofencing is far more accurate and reliable than circular geofencing, but polygon geofences also take a lot more effort to produce. Circular geofences are created by drawing a circle with a pre-set radius around a designated point and can be created automatically. Polygon geofences allow you to manually map out a precise area of interest, defined by the features you specify. This flexibility is the reason why polygon geofences are much more accurate, and it’s also the reason why they take so much time to produce manually.

Manually drawing polygon geofences is a tedious and expensive undertaking. Thankfully, Kestrel Insights automates the delivery of precise polygon geofences at scale so that logistics tech platforms can enjoy the benefits of polygon geofencing without the expense and hassles. Automated polygon geofencing also removes the risk of damaging a team’s brand equity by pushing this task to end users and telling them that if they want improved visibility, they have to spend time creating needed polygon geofences.

Benefits of Automated Polygon Geofencing for Logistics Tech Platforms

At Kestrel Insights, we provide a robust and accessible polygon geofence data lake that is compatible with any data processing tool that leverages geofences. This level of integration allows logistics tech platforms to access the geofencing data sets they need to offer cutting-edge geofencing solutions without having to draw their own polygon geofences.

As customer demands for supply chain visibility continue to grow louder, they face a difficult paradigm shift. While logistics tech platforms can no longer afford the inaccuracies of arbitrary circular geofences, they also can’t afford the expense and hassle of drawing polygon geofences manually. With Kestrel Insights, the solution is at hand to seamlessly navigate this transition to the next generation of geofencing.

Swim into KI’s Automated Polygon Geofencing Data Lake via API

Polygon geofencing lies at the heart of improved visibility in the logistics industry. Kestrel Insights provides the comprehensive polygon geofence data lake logistics tech platforms need to offer accurate and reliable visibility solutions. To learn more about how partnering with Kestrel Insights can help your company develop solutions that will set you apart from the competition, contact us today!