We've all been there. You've got the right address, you've followed the sat nav, and you've arrived exactly where you're supposed to be. Except you're not. Perhaps you're at the entrance to a sprawling industrial estate, and the building you need is somewhere at the other end. Or you're looking for a farmhouse that's half a mile down an unmarked track. The postcode is correct, but the location isn't quite right.

For most jobs, a postcode is perfectly adequate, and there's no reason to make things more complicated than they need to be. But sometimes you need a little more precision, which is why we're pleased to announce that Fintrano now supports what3words addresses, allowing you to pinpoint exactly where a job needs to take place.

Three words. One very precise location.

If you've not come across what3words before, it's a clever system that divides the entire world into squares just three metres by three metres. Every square has its own unique combination of three words, making it possible to identify a very specific location without needing a conventional street address. It's particularly useful in places where postcodes cover large areas, or where the actual destination isn't quite where the address might suggest.

When a postcode doesn't tell the whole story

There are plenty of situations where this extra precision can make a real difference. Take a company delivering expensive furniture or specialist equipment, for example. Getting to the right building is important, but finding the correct loading bay or delivery entrance can make the difference between a straightforward delivery and half an hour of driving around, making phone calls and trying to find someone who knows where you should be.

For an engineering company visiting remote agricultural or industrial sites, the problem can be rather different. A single postcode might cover several farms, multiple buildings or a considerable stretch of countryside. Being able to identify the exact gate or building means an engineer can spend more time doing the work they've been sent to do, rather than searching for somewhere that doesn't appear on the map.

More precision, without more complication

One of the things we believe strongly at Fintrano is that powerful software shouldn't have to be complicated. We're certainly not suggesting that every business needs to start collecting what3words addresses for all their customers, because for the vast majority of everyday appointments a postcode works perfectly well. That's why postcode-based locations will remain the default, just as they've always been.

But where a business needs that extra level of detail, it's now available without introducing any additional complexity for the people out doing the work. The person organising the job can specify exactly where it needs to happen, and the worker simply gets the right location. There's no new process to follow and, hopefully, fewer phone calls explaining that the entrance is actually behind the second barn on the left.

It's a relatively small addition to Fintrano, but for businesses that regularly work in locations where a postcode only tells part of the story, it could make a considerable difference. After all, arriving on time is important, but arriving at the right place is a pretty good start.

Give Fintrano a try — your first month is free.

Photo by Amit Jagnade on Unsplash