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Geotek Announces a New Branding Effort and Corporate Repositioning
MONTVALE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 1997--Geotek Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOTK) today announced a fundamental shift in how it approaches the mobile marketplace.
Geotek is launching a new branding effort under the concept of "Workpower for the Road(TM)" enabling mobile workers with real-time intelligence, empowering them with productivity tools and enhancing their mobile life by relieving stress and fatigue. Through these efforts, Geotek promises to deliver real mobile productivity increases for its customers.
"The issue facing the mobile workforce is more than a communications issue" says Chairman and CEO Yaron Eitan "It's a productivity issue. Geotek's new direction is all about using its wireless network, mobile transmission technology and software applications to improve the productivity of mobile fleets, the mobile workforce and the mobile society at large."
Geotek has merged its previously discrete product lines into a single system. The Geotek Driver Logistics(TM) System is based on five integrated functions that deliver Workpower for the road(TM): 1) Navigation functions that improve routing, provide security and aid on- time arrival; 2) Task Processing functions that simplify paperwork and automate/aid routine tasks; 3) Safety/Security functions that protect drivers and their payloads, passengers and vehicles from injury and theft; 4) Communications functions that provide real-time intelligence between drivers and their key contacts and 5) Driver Well-Being functions that relieve driver stress/fatigue and enhance alertness.
New Research on the Mobile Market:
Geotek's new strategic direction was based on months of proprietary research conducted for the company by Bright Sun Consulting as part of their overall branding and corporate repositioning assignment. The extensive mobile market studies revealed new insights about people living in the mobile world from Taxi Moms to Taxi Drivers, and provided a basis for determining how to meet the evolving needs of the mobile market, particularly the increasing demands for security and productivity.
Although Geotek plans to engage the mobile workforce and society at large with its offering, it will begin by first engaging mobile fleets -- the market which has the greatest unmet demand for mobile productivity.
"For companies with fleets, the last frontier of productivity and performance is the field. Transportation-intensive companies like FedEx, UPS and Ryder have used expensive custom system solutions to make improvements in mobile logistics, and have realized huge performance improvements by increasing efficiency, productivity and customer service. The Geotek Driver Logistics(TM) System provides similar functional features that made these custom solutions work, but at a fraction of the cost" says Yaron Eitan. "We have been able to consistently deliver real productivity improvements to fleets diverse in size and business, and now have a better way to communicate those improvements to our various constituents."
The loss of productivity on the road is well documented. For instance, 27% of all miles driven by commercial fleets are wasted (source: Private Fleet Management Institute 1995). An estimated 423 million hours a year are lost in traffic (source: Texas Transportation Institute and the Federal Highway Administration). According to a recent study, companies deploying mobile logistics systems have experienced productivity increases of 20% (Captain Consultants 1996), and a variety of companies have virtually eliminated error rates and late deliveries with mobile logistics systems (The Yankee Group 1997).
The Driver Logistics(TM) System 1000 ...to be Introduced in March 1998.
Geotek's first Workpower(TM) product is the Driver Logistics(TM) System 1000 that features the DriveStation(TM) (an in-vehicle network device) linked to the Geotek Smartport(TM) (gateway to the Geotek network), the Driver Logistics Workstation (office/dispatch center) and the Driver Logistics(TM) WorkPak(TM) (proprietary Workpower(TM) applications). The new system has over thirty service features and includes GPS-based vehicle location features called DriveGuide(TM), job tracking and reporting featured under JobSmart(TM), G-Protect(SM) security features, and two-way communication and text messaging features under OfficeLine(TM). The Driver Logistics(TM) System can also be easily integrated with back office systems.
The Geotek Driver Logistics(TM) System sells for a single contract fee that includes all system equipment, network airtime, system training, installation and maintenance. Geotek provides a variety of payment plans and financing options.
New advertising campaign and corporate identity program unveiled
As part of its new branding effort and corporate repositioning, Geotek is introducing a new logo and is launching a national print advertising campaign which asks such provocative questions as "What are your drivers doing for you?" and "Are your drivers liabilities or assets?" The ads are breaking this week in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Dallas Morning News, Miami Herald, San Antonio Express, Houston Chronicle. Additionally, the campaign will run in Business Week in March and various fleet management and industry publications in April.
Geotek Market Presence: Geotek is currently selling its Workpower for the Road(TM) and Driver Logistics(TM) System to the twelve markets where mobile fleet activity is principally concentrated New York/New Jersey, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Miami, Washington DC, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Phoenix and Orlando/Daytona Beach. Geotek currently serves over 800 customers across the country including Airborne Express, United States Postal Service and Pepsi. -0- Geotek(R), Workpower for the Road(TM), Driver Logistics(TM) System, DriveStation(TM), Geotek Smartport(TM), Driver Logistics(TM), Driver Logistics(TM) WorkPak(TM), DriveGuide(TM), JobSmart(TM), G-Protect(SM), OfficeLine(TM) are registered trademarks of Geotek. This press release contains certain "forward-looking" statements. The Company desires to take advantage of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this statement for the express purpose of availing itself of the protections of such safe harbor with respect to all of such forward-looking statements. The Company's ability to predict any such projected results or to predict the effect of any legislation or other pending events on the Company's operating results is inherently uncertain. Therefore, the Company wishes to caution each reader of this report to carefully consider the specific factors discussed with such forward-looking statements and contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 1996 and most recent 10Q's as such factors in some cases have affected, and in the future (together with other factors) could affect, the ability of the Company to achieve its projected results and may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed herein. |
