From Frustration to Full Control – Why We Built the G2

We launched our original PTS-2 trailer alarm with GPS in 2018, and by 2019, it had earned multiple industry awards. That early recognition was incredibly rewarding—but unfortunately, the initial success didn’t last.

The first version of the product was developed in collaboration with a third-party supplier. Things started off well: we paid a development fee to get the website and infrastructure in place, and early field deployment was promising. However, as we scaled, problems began to surface.

Despite having over 50 units in the field, we discovered we were being charged the same rate as individual users from one of the supplier's other programs. That oversight was on me—I should have negotiated better pricing from the outset.

New user activations routinely took up to 72 hours, with that delay often being stretched to the maximum. Then, without warning, we were forced to switch GPS hardware altogether—an unexpected change that left us without units for nearly four months. When hardware became available again, the cost per unit had increased by $100.

We also faced persistent issues with alert delivery. Clients began reporting that they weren’t receiving text or email notifications. The blame was placed on tightening spam filters from service providers, but the result was the same—unreliable communication and dissatisfied customers.

By 2023, I’d had enough of the delays and excuses. I began reaching out to GPS technology companies around the world, testing systems and engaging directly with developers to build our own solution from the ground up.

Eventually, we identified a reliable and affordable hardware unit and struck a deal to purchase systems in volume. The unit cost was significantly lower, and the monthly service fees were also reduced. Our development team spent about six months building and refining the software platform. After a thorough round of bench and field testing, we sold our first system—what we now call the G2, short for Generation 2.

We continue to support the original system, as many of our long-time clients prefer to keep all their units on a single platform. That said, some customers have transitioned to the G2 to escape the limitations of the first system and gain access to improved performance and reliability.

Was this transition easy, especially in the lead-up to our 20th anniversary? Definitely not. I had a steep learning curve and had to find the right people to guide the process.

Was it inexpensive? Not at all. I invested a substantial amount of my own money into sourcing the right components, buying into new platforms, and hiring skilled developers.

But was it worth it? Absolutely. Having full control over the system has been a game changer. I can activate a new unit in under 30 minutes—right from my phone. Lower hardware costs, better profit margins, and improved service for our customers make it all worthwhile.