Easy Delivery With what3words
Location and siting of the caravan is now easier than ever before thanks to a nifty app that you may have heard about!
Yes, it’s the what3words app and it’s fair to say it’s revolutionised the finding of exact locations. Originally created to help with event logistics, it’s now also making a massive difference to emergency services. And for us, it certainly helps with the delivery and siting of static caravans.
what3words at work
The what3words app was created in 2013 by three old school friends. One of them, Chris Sheldrick, organised live events all over the world for the music industry. He quickly discovered that artists and deliveries getting lost when trying to find locations was a common frustration.
After trying GPS coordinates to get equipment and people to the right locations, Chris realised this was an unreliable method. So, he brought in two old school friends to work out a better way. The three of them devised a system of dividing the whole world into 3 metre square boxes. Each of these boxes has a unique three word identifier, and this system:Covers the entire world.Never needs updating.Works offline
Small app, big applications
If you’re unfamiliar with the what3words app, it’s all very simple! Available from the Apple store or Google Play, simply download direct to your phone. There’s also desktop or tablet access to the map via the what3words website map. Then:Add a street address, postcode or place name into the search bar.Select satellite mode on the map.Zoom in and select the correct square for the location.Once there, tap the square to reveal the 3 words for the location.
As the first photo above shows, Static Trader’s What 3 Words address is ///strapping.snug.graze.
W3W with static caravans and deliveries
And of course, W3W is also proving to be very useful for getting static caravans delivered to where they need to be – particularly in those rural and off-grid locations.
For our teams, the w3w address is identified in the app map and shared with the delivery team. Then the team delivering the static caravan – or anything else for that matter – simply puts the three words into the app. The app shows the correct location and uses Google map info to help navigate the route.
By giving the driver the exact location for the caravan’s drop off point, the transporter has the knowledge and information needed to check the exact routes and review for any potential problems. Along with the Highways Agency’s Movement Order documentation, our drivers then have the ideal route to the exact location to deliver the caravan.
The three word address is also useful when it comes to our site surveys. Not only do we know the correct location of the address, but if there’s a hazard or something that has potential to limit access, then that will have its own what3words identifier so it can be precisely identified for our teams to be aware of.
“At Static Trader, we highly recommend What 3 Words. It can help make all aspects of buying an offsite static caravan that bit smoother, and it’s already making a difference to our own processes.
If you need us to do a site survey, the What 3 Words can help us pinpoint exactly not only the general location, but also the exact position for siting the static within your land.
And when it comes to delivery? Particularly if you’re in an out-of-the-way place, the three word identifier for the location makes route planning and delivery so much easier.
And what’s more, once you know your What 3 Words ‘address’ you’ll always have it when you need it – for deliveries, travel and emergencies.”
Byron, Static Trader
And beyond delivery of the static
The new system, is being adopted more and more across the world, particularly for its life-saving implications. It’s being progressively used more and more as a way of quickly getting humanitarian aid and emergency services to the exact place they’re needed.
And of course, it’s also helped logistics beyond the smooth running of live music events and other events, meetings and deliveries, becoming an invaluable tool for logistics and delivery, especially in those rural areas where addresses can be difficult to find and places tricky to access. For example:
When meeting friends at a concert, county show or festival, you can share your exact 3m location, to allow them to find you.For self-builders whose plot doesn’t yet have an address, W3W offers a location point for all construction material deliveries – and your static caravan for temporary accommodation, of course!Network rail uses What 3 Words to get crews promptly get crews to repair sites.Delivery Firm AO uses What 3 Words for their deliveries.
The last word – from What 3 Words
If you’d like to know more, this information from the what3words press release may help:
The free what3words app, available for iOS and Android, and the online map enable people to find, share and navigate to what3words addresses in over 40 languages to date. Millions of what3words addresses are in use around the world, with thousands of businesses using them to save money, be more efficient and provide a better customer experience. what3words is integrated into apps, platforms and websites, with just a few lines of code. Products are available for free or for a nominal fee for qualifying NGOs. Its partners include Mercedes-Benz, Triumph Motorcycles, Premier Inn and The AA.
