GEICO adopts what3words locations to enhance roadside assistance service

When breakdowns or roadside incidents occur in places with no precise street addresses, like the side of a highway or a remote road, it can be difficult to describe where help is needed. what3words provides a simple solution to this problem. It has divided the globe into a grid of 10ft x 10ft squares and given each square a unique combination of three words: a what3words address. For example, ///usual.trying.highs marks an exact spot offering the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Customers can now say exactly where a breakdown has happened with just 3 words when they contact the GEICO team, instead of relying on approximate descriptions. Help will be sent to that precise 10ft x 10ft square.

When customers contact GEICO Roadside Assistance teams, they will now automatically be sent a link which opens a page in the mobile browser and displays their current what3words location. The individual then simply reads the three words on their screen. Alternatively if the caller already has the free what3words app downloaded, they can read their three words out directly from the app. After trialing the technology this summer, GEICO has now started a nationwide rollout of the technology for Roadside Assistance customers. Once fully implemented, GEICO expects to use what3words for tens of thousands of incidents a month.

GEICO is the second largest auto insurer in the United States and works with service providers nationwide to provide the best possible emergency roadside assistance to policyholders. Typically, GEICO’s contracted providers can reach the service location within 60 minutes, and results of a trial with what3words indicated that the integration will cut response times further. GEICO’s Roadside Assistance provides customers with a dedicated team there to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether it’s a dead battery, a nail in a tire, or an empty gas tank, GEICO operators will always be on hand and ready to assist.

Chris Sheldrick, Co-Founder and CEO of what3words comments: ‘ Breaking down is stressful enough without the added frustration of trying to describe an exact location when you’re somewhere unfamiliar or without a street address. GEICO’s adoption of our technology provides customers with a simple solution for these situations, ensuring roadside assistance can always be directed to exactly where help is needed, as quickly and efficiently as possible. ’

Driver safety and security has always been a paramount focus for GEICO. This integration provides their dedicated team with another method to quickly assist customers, and they are one of the first roadside assistance providers in the US to adopt this technology.

Additionally, emergency call centers around the world are embracing what3words at a rapid pace, with control rooms in the UK, US, Australia, Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, Singapore, Canada, India, and South Africa all utilizing the innovative technology to save their teams time and resources when locating incidents. As well as using the app for emergencies, individuals are using what3words every day to meet up with friends at parks and on beaches, to share great running and hiking locations, and to share sports match locations with their teams.