intelligent

How has the business grown since it started and how have you ensured growth ?

In the early 2000s , the majority of Wialon customers were based in Eastern Europe where the need for our solutions was most prominent , such as control of routes and schedule adherence , misuse of corporate fleets or fuel theft .

As we grew , we realised that businesses all over the world have similar problems and that our solutions have far-reaching applications beyond just vehicle tracking . Since then , Wialon has become the IoT equivalent of Lego : one can build almost anything out of its blocks , within guidelines and by following instructions .

COVID-19 was a shock for the transportation and logistics industries as business supply chains slowed down . In some countries , we had an initially huge decrease in mileage for vehicles . In some countries , the number of vehicles connected to Wialon decreased by a factor of 10 by April 2020 and that was our reality during the pandemic .

The same scenario unfolded in numerous countries , although the dynamics were different in each region . However , with the measures that businesses put in place , they found ways to quickly react and return to normal . Logistics and transport businesses also found new opportunities , such as lastmile deliveries for things such as groceries and medicine .

The companies with advanced GPS and IoT technologies were able to adapt to these new opportunities and quickly . So , we saw disruption at the start of the pandemic before a return to normal and then even growth in demand for GPS tracking and IoT in new areas .

What are some of the key challenges your ( SME ) customers are experiencing and how does your technology help them to address these challenges ?

As touched on , the pandemic caused many businesses to come to an initial standstill , but many SMEs also realised how ill-equipped they were for remote working and operations . Specifically , many lacked the data and oversight to ensure they could function given the new rules , regulations and requirements created by the pandemic . Many SMEs are still struggling with visibility over their operations even as we come out of the worst of things . So Wialon technology is important in helping businesses understand where efficiencies can be made , by using smart devices and IoT to empower them with the data to make key business decisions .

Another knock-on effect of the pandemic was the creation of entirely new logistics and supply chains . That ’ s not going to surprise anyone to hear , but we , ourselves , participate in the creation of these new chains . For example , the number of online food orders has increased significantly in the last two years . Many grocery chains launched online order functions and home delivery services ( if they hadn ’ t already ) and even apparel retailers created new order pick-up points and postal ordering . So , the number of companies of all sizes involved in last-mile delivery and courier delivery of parcels and other cargo has shot up .

The challenge for these businesses became how to react to incoming orders and get them to the end buyer in a fast and efficient manner . This is now possible due to intelligent automation software and technology , which is helping businesses operate more effectively .

Can you share any examples of completed / ongoing projects and the benefits realised ?

One specific case study we ’ ve had recently was with fleet management company RBR Betón in Slovakia . It owns 80 vehicles alongside a network of 1000-litre diesel filling stations and was using analogue flow

Previous page : Aliaksandr Kuushynau , Head of Wialon , Gurtam

ANOTHER KNOCK-ON EFFECT OF THE PANDEMIC WAS THE CREATION OF ENTIRELY NEW LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAINS .