Broadband: A Way of Business and Life

October 28, 2011

When most people think of the internet and broadband, they think of smart phones, laptops and computers. GPS systems don’t cross too many people’s mind but they are a vital tool that has become a way of life in the propane industry.

A lot of propane companies today utilize GPS systems for many reasons. Efficiency, tracking and routing are just a few of the advantages companies have when using these systems. It helps managers know who’s being efficient in their routes while also tracking their movement. A driver can be redirected to a new location while en route to another if something in the delivery changes. Broadband access is imperative to this system especially in rural areas where reception can sometimes be spotty or nonexistent.

Long gone are the days of hand written logs of mileage for drivers, now everything is recorded through the GPS automatically. Routes can be assessed for efficiency as well as help drivers avoid road closures, construction and traffic.

Recently, the Louisiana Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) put out a press release touting the savings consumers can have with broadband Internet. They announced that American consumers can save nearly $8,000 ($7,694.56) a year by having access to and using high-speed broadband Internet. The cost savings were detailed in a financial analysis titled, “The Real Cost of the Digital Divide in 2011,” by Nicholas J. Delgado, certified financial planner and principal of Chicago-based wealth management firm Dignitas.

“Consumers are able to save online due to price comparison, access to deeper markets and the power of group-buying,” said Delgado.

Broadband access is important on the level that having access to it saves you money in many different ways and of course keeping costs down is in the best interest of consumers and propane dealers. Broadband expansion will only help to keep those costs down. Time is money in this business but efficiency is also key.