In Google’s ongoing mapping series called “Maps Are Going Google,” the company recently highlighted how the right asset management mapping tools and strategies can help keep employees safe and enhance overall revenue.

In the “Monitor Assets, Anytime, Anywhere” installment, Thermopylae Sciences & Technology’s partnership with Google in go-to-market capabilities was featured in a case study about how the Google Maps and iSpatial product helped improve the supply chain operations of a major consumer products manufacturer.

Here are the key components of that case study:

Challenge: A global consumer products manufacturer wanted to improve its supply chain operations. With ships entering every major port in the world, the company needed a centralized resource that could monitor the entire fleet in real-time, while incorporating data about weather, disease outbreaks, political unrest, and other events that might disrupt shipments. With multiple data sources siloed in separate systems, the company did not have an effective way to make meaningful business decisions that could reduce costs and delays.

Solution: T-Sciences developed a system that fully integrates all of this client’s data into a web-based platform, presenting all the vital information needed to keep shipments on track in one clear visual image — a layered, real-time map. Now, if a hurricane is threatening to cross the planned path of a ship, the company can reroute or take additional precautions, and also calculate and measure the impact of any disruption all the way down the supply chain.

Starting with a model of their supply chain, Thermopylae developed an innovative and intuitive decision-making tool that results in a more reliable supply chain, while providing measurable return-on-investment (ROI).

Another key takeaway from this case study is that most end users do not have technical backgrounds and ease-of-use is paramount.

“Google Maps provides a canvas and toolset for our product that is powerful, familiar, and intuitive. People understand the tool a lot faster than other mapping solutions and Google continues to lead the way in world class mapping to support scalability and ease of use for our customers,” said Harris Eisenberg, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Thermopylae, in the case study.

The full Thermopylae case study can be viewed here. In addition, be sure to check out a TST video that demonstrates how supply chain visualization works here.