Gig Economy Offers Opportunities for Small Businesses to Compete
London, Thursday 12 December, 2024 – With the gig economy valued at an estimated £450 billion globally, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are finding themselves at the heart of this competitive market. This presents an opportunity for small businesses to scale and compete through smart use of technology.
According to recent statistics, 1.5 million Britons are engaged in temporary or flexible roles, highlighting the growing popularity of the gig economy. For many SMEs, the challenge is twofold: staying efficient while maintaining trust and transparency with clients and contractors.
Vehicle Tracking Tools Drive Business Success
To address this challenge, vehicle tracking tools have emerged as a valuable resource for SMEs. These tools offer enhanced visibility, operational efficiency, and improved safety, enabling SMEs to adapt and excel in the gig economy.
Through real-time tracking of drivers, companies can ensure fast responses to customer needs, precise resource allocation, and seamless service delivery. Route optimisation reduces fuel consumption and administrative overhead while improving punctuality and reducing delays. Monitoring of driving behaviour and compliance with road safety standards promotes responsible vehicle use and reduces risk.
Visibility and Trust in a Fragmented Workforce
The nature of gig work – flexible, decentralised, and fast-paced – demands new levels of operational transparency. Real-time fleet visibility allows companies to monitor subcontractor performance, respond to customer demands with agility, and to build trust.
Dan Mendis, CMO at Quartix, a leading vehicle tracking provider, says, “The gig economy presents both opportunities and challenges for small businesses. The ability to demonstrate reliability, efficiency, and sustainability is crucial for gaining credibility with larger organisations. At Quartix, we’re proud to provide tools that help SMEs thrive in this evolving landscape.”
Putting Small Businesses at the Forefront
Platforms like Courier Exchange (CX) and Haulage Exchange (HX), which enable transport businesses to advertise freight capacity and subcontract jobs, offer integrations with live tracking providers.
“Live tracking enables freight transport and courier businesses to offer something unique: real-time visibility for every load,” says Lyall Cresswell, Founder and CEO of Transport Exchange Group, the company behind CX and HX. “By using telematics for digital freight matching, we help ensure the right loads are matched with the right vehicles quickly and efficiently. This combination of visibility and efficiency builds trust with clients and often becomes the deciding factor in winning contracts. It’s a win-win across the supply chain, benefiting everyone from carriers and shippers to their end customers.”
Efficiency and Sustainability Key to SME Success
Compliance Director at Syncro Fire and Security, Sandra Long, explains how live vehicle tracking helps her company to deliver a fast, competitive service. “When materials are required at short notice, we use the engineers’ locations to find the nearest supplier. Once stock is confirmed, the information is relayed to our engineer so that they can go directly there. This saves the engineers time and aids productivity.”
Efficiency remains key to SME success, but as sustainability also climbs the agenda, tools that optimise routes and encourage responsible, fuel-efficient driving help businesses stay ahead. In this new era of work, it’s clear that technology is not just an enabler but a differentiator for SMEs ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges of the current gig economy.
For more information contact 01686 806 663 or visit www.quartix.com
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.