It happens more often than not, even with clients who've been with us since the beginning.
We get called "those GPS guys", sometimes we're "those telematics guys", really depends on people's moods. Anyone who's been working here more than a month will simply sigh and get back to their work, sometimes mumbling under their breaths "We're NOT those GPS guys ok?!?!"
We're not those GPS guys!
We're not those GPS guys!
We're not those GPS guys!
We're not those GPS guys!
We're not those GPS guys!
Yes, we can sometimes be passive aggressive. It happens.
Put simply, what we do at Baseline is help insurers provide better insurance solutions, using technology.
Sounds great right? Yeah, I didn't know what that meant before I started here either. I distinctly remember the boss whooping in glee when after asking me what I thought the company did, I replied "Something insurance techy?" That was enough to get a high-five from him.
So why are we referred to as "those GPS guys" and "those telematics guys"? It's probably because our insurance solutions tend to be based on data that we accumulate through GPS and telematics devices. It should be noted that your every day mobile phone can be pretty much transformed into a GPS device just by downloading the right app.
Technology is wonderful isn't it?
What we do is use GPS/telematics data that we accumulate through GPS/telematics devices to create insurance solutions for insurers. We essentially do this for all our products.
Both Behaev and Drivn use the telematics data gained from GPS "devices" , giving us a record of trips and driving behaviors of the driver (and vehicle). Being that insurers traditionally use historical driving data of a generalized population (rather than of the individual getting the insurance), having access to this telematics data based on the driver's real-time trips and driving behaviors gives insurers' underwriters a more accurate and timely means of calculating the true risk of covering clients. In turn, this gives them the ability to set fair and affordable insurance premiums for their clients. All of a sudden, insurers can offer different types of insurance product such as Pay-As-You-Drive (based on distance the vehicle traveled over a set period) and Pay-How-You-Drive (a rebate-based solution where premiums are based on how "safe" the driver drove). Using this same information, insurers also have accurate and timely information they can use as "evidence" if need be in defending (or settle) a possible claim.
City.works uses telematics/GPS data to essentially help cities manage their operations more efficiently and help make smart cities even "smarter". Like Drivn & Behaev, this same data can be used to help defend (or settle) any claims that may be against their municipal vehicles.
Of course, these explanations of some of our insurance solutions are over-simplifications, but what it comes down to - is that our insurance solutions work because we use GPS/telematics to collect the data allowing us to provide these solutions.
In a sense, the insurance solutions that we've created at Baseline, feed on GPS/telematics information, much the same way a car feeds on gasoline and is not called a gasoline product. We use GPS/telematics data to create better insurance solutions.
So next time you hear someone mention us, don't be shocked when you find yourself rolling your eyes when they call us a GPS company. Restrain yourself from grabbing them & shouting "Please don't call them that!" Just be happy in the knowledge that we're so much more, that we're creating solutions for you that makes things better.