Time tracking with GPS: Improve your moving company’s bottom line

Time tracking with GPS is the perfect tool for moving companies. It’s the easiest, most accurate way to track remote employees—especially when they’re at a different job site each day. 

GPS time tracking for small businesses benefits moving companies in a number of ways: it’s safer for your movers, you can offer a better client experience, it stops time theft in its tracks, and payroll is easier than ever. Plus, you can stop wondering “how do I keep track of my movers?” 

Here’s how time tracking with GPS can help boost your moving company’s bottom line. 

What is a time clock?

A time clock, also known as a time tracker, is a digital alternative to punch cards or traditional time sheets. Employees can clock in and out of their shifts from an app on any mobile device—no paper necessary.

Digital time clocks are also compatible with most time tracking software. That means you can automatically calculate your employees’ hours and run payroll for your team. 

But not all time clocks are created equal. There are a few different types of digital time clocks, which we’ll cover below::

Mobile time clocks

A mobile time clock is software that allows employees to clock in and out from a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet. Mobile time clocks are perfect for tracking remote employees that don’t go to the same work site every day. And because each employee gets a unique pin, mobile time clocks help prevent buddy punching.

Biometric time clocks

A biometric time clock uses unique body measurements like fingerprints, facial recognition, or iris scans to identify employees as they clock in and out. Biometric time clocks can improve security and make buddy punching impossible (unless your employees are also secret agents, in which case, well done.) 

GPS time clocks

GPS time clocks are a type of location-based mobile time clock that lets you know exactly where your team is, and when they clock in and out. Employees can’t clock in or out unless they’re at their designated work site, making time theft tough.  

Time clocks simplify the time tracking process for any type of business, whether you run a restaurant or a construction company. They’re especially useful when you’re managing mobile employees who don’t work from the office, like a team of movers.

What is time tracking with GPS?

Simply put, time tracking with GPS is mobile time tracking that uses location information. It’s the most accurate way to track remote employees. These mobile time clocks track your employee’s location when they clock in and clock out, ensuring they’re in the right place for the job and helping to prevent time theft. 

Let’s look at an example. Say you’ve assigned one of your teams to a job. As they travel to the client’s location, the GPS time tracking software tracks their route and estimated arrival time. Once they arrive on site, time tracking with GPS records their time and location, and indicates that the job has officially started. 

Once they’ve unpacked the move, finished the job, and left the job location, the GPS time tracker clocks them out. Any off-site breaks are also accounted for during the day. Time tracking with GPS gives you an accurate picture of the hours worked on that specific job 

The benefits of time tracking with GPS for your moving company

Time tracking with GPS has lots of benefits that are particularly suited to the mobile nature of moving companies. 

Here are a few of the ways that time tracking with GPS is good for business. 

Better employee safety

Time tracking with GPS means you know where your employees are any time they’re working. In case of accidents, emergencies, scary clients, or other unforeseen situations, you can quickly identify your employees’ locations and get help.

More employee accountability

Because employees know their movements are being monitored, they’re less likely to take unauthorized breaks, detours, or engage in other inefficient work practices. 

However, it’s important to monitor employees properly so they don’t feel like you’re encroaching on their privacy or their rights. If employees think you don’t trust them, you might see lower morale or a more stressful working environment.

Improved client experience 

Moving isn’t a perfect science. Trucks get stuck in traffic, there’s a line at the gas station, and sometimes packing up might take longer than anticipated. When you can accurately keep track of your employees’ location, you can give your clients real-time updates about their job, like alerting them if a truck’s going to be late. You can build a reputation as a reliable, trusted moving company who keeps their clients in the loop.  

No more time theft

Have you struggled with time theft in the past, or wondered ‘how do I track my movers?’ one too many times? That’s where time tracking with a tool like Homebase can help.

Time tracking with GPS has geofencing capabilities. This means you can set a work area for your employee and so they can only clock in and clock out when they are within that area.

Time tracking with GPS helps you avoid clocking in early or clocking out late, as well as preventing buddy punching. Time theft can add up, so GPS time trackers can help improve your bottom line.

Easier, more accurate payroll 

At the end of each day or week, your moving company can generate detailed reports from the GPS time tracking software. These reports can show you the total hours worked by each employee, the locations they visited, and the routes they took to each job. This streamlines reporting for payroll, client billing, and compliance purposes. The result? Way, way less time on annoying admin work.

Training and development opportunities

Time tracking with GPS can offer you insights on your employees’ strengths and weaknesses. And that can help you identify training or development opportunities. For example, if an employee habitually takes inefficient routes or can’t seem to be on time for clients, you can use GPS data to discuss route alternatives or look at other areas where they might be able to save time. You could even offer incentives like bonus pay to help your employee improve their performance. 

You stay in the loop

Instead of wondering if your team’s on time or constantly checking in with your movers, GPS time tracking software does it for you. You can see your team’s whereabouts, or you can get location information at a glance. Save time and energy so you can focus on moving your business onwards and upwards.

Lower fuel costs

By analyzing the data from your GPS time tracker, your moving company can identify inefficient routes or excessive idling and make improvements. By optimizing your movers’ routes, you can keep fuel costs and surcharges down so you don’t have to pass extra expenses onto your customers. 

Disadvantages of time tracking with GPS for your moving company

Privacy issues

GPS tracking may raise privacy concerns for employees because it involves monitoring their location and movements during working hours. Some employees might feel uncomfortable with the level of surveillance and perceive it as an invasion of their privacy.

Employees might be unsure if you’re tracking their whereabouts after work hours, especially if the time tracking software is installed on a personal device. They may also be concerned that you’ll use GPS data against them in performance reviews, or have worries about who can see their data and where it’s stored. 

It’s best to be very clear with your movers about how and when GPS tracking will be used, and to restrict time tracking to work hours. You should also put the software on a company-owned device so there’s no confusion between work and personal time. 

Questions of legality

Aside from employee privacy, time tracking with GPS can have legal implications for your moving company. So what does the law say about tracking your team of movers with a GPS time clock?

As long as you notify your employees, you’re allowed to monitor their usage of business property. This can include computers, mobile phones, internet, emails, and vehicles. In order to monitor your employees legally, there are two main principles you’ll need to follow:

1. You should only track employees if there’s a legitimate business reason. If you have remote employees and you need to make sure they’re in the right area for work, that’s a legitimate reason. 

2. You should only track employees during business hours. Going back to principle number one, there’s no legitimate reason for tracking employees on their personal time, so this should be straightforward.

GPS tracking laws vary from state to state, so you should also be up on the labor laws in your area. 

To make sure you’re on the right side of the law and to ensure your employees’ comfort with GPS tracking, ycreate a GPS tracking policy. Have your policy checked to make sure it’s legal and make sure everyone on your team has a thorough understanding of how and when you’ll be using the technology.

Employees can feel like you lack trust in them

Your employees may view GPS time tracking as a lack of trust or autonomy. This can lead to a decrease in morale, less job satisfaction, and potential conflicts between management and employees. You can help alleviate this by getting your employees’ consent, discussing how using time tracking with GPS can actually benefit them, and by having a clear GPS tracking policy. In a recent survey, more than 50% of employees wanted a discussion with their manager about GPS tracking, so a Q&A session or talk with your team can go a long way. 

Homebase can help your bottom line by time tracking with GPS

Homebase is an all-in-one team management and HR solution built for small businesses with hourly employees. We can help you boost your bottom line with our free GPS time clock. Homebase users love how simple the platform makes timekeeping and how convenient it is to switch from your current method. Our time tracking app helps you lower costs in three ways:

Better accuracy

Our geofencing capabilities take time tracking for small business accuracy to the next level. You can set up authorized workplaces for your teams so they can only clock in/out from where they’re supposed to. You can also say goodbye to buddy punching and money lost to time theft by enabling location requirements. GPS snapshots record your employees’ teams location at clock in so there are no questions when it’s time to run payroll.

Easy breezy record keeping

Homebase GPS time clock integrates seamlessly with your existing payroll program. Don’t have one you love? No problem. Sync up with the Homebase payroll software to quickly calculate hours, breaks, overtime, and paid time off. GPS accurately captures hours so you’re only paying for the time your team worked—and with side-by-side views of clock-in locations and time cards, approval’s easier and faster than ever. You can access all of Homebase’s features from your mobile device, so there’s no need to waste gas heading into the office.

Empowered employees

Clocking in and out is convenient for your movers because they can do it right from their phone. That means you’re not paying for unnecessary or unapproved time. Automatically send reminders to clock in, take breaks, and clock out, and easily message your team so everyone’s working as efficiently as possible. 

Is your moving company struggling with time tracking? 

Homebase can help. Our time clock app is packed with features that help you keep labor costs down. Track hours with extra accuracy, minimize time theft, and make sure you’re only paying your movers for when they’re working. Get started for free.

Time tracking with GPS for your moving company FAQS

Why does my moving company need time tracking and a time clock?

Your moving company needs time tracking and a time clock for several reasons. Time tracking with a time clock allows you to accurately calculate the amount of time spent on each job and provides you with a record of the exact hours worked. Your moving company can provide precise billing information to your clients, ensure transparency, and avoid any disputes regarding the hours your team worked.

Time clocks also keep your movers accountable and help prevent time theft. This ensures you’re only paying your employees for the time they’ve actually worked.

By accurately tracking the time your movers spend on each job, your moving company can analyze its operational costs more effectively and identify inefficiencies or areas where time’s being wasted. Time tracking with a time clock helps you streamline operations, reduce unnecessary expenses, and ultimately improve your profitability.

What is time tracking with GPS?

Time tracking with GPS is mobile time tracking that uses location information. A GPS time clock tracks your employee’s location when they clock in and clock out, ensuring they’re in the right place for the job. Time tracking with GPS also helps prevent time theft because employees cannot clock in or out unless they’re at their designated job site.  

Why should I use time tracking with GPS for my moving company?

Time tracking with GPS has many benefits for your moving company. You can easily check the location of your movers, which improves their safety and accountability. Geofencing capabilities take accuracy to the next level, so you know exactly how many hours your team is working. Time tracking with GPS also prevents time theft so you’re only paying for the hours your movers actually worked. Many GPS time trackers connect with payroll software, pulling data directly from your time clock and making it simple to run payroll.