///what3words — What is it & why do we use it?

What3words is a piece of geocode software that was produced in 2013 in the UK by founders Chris Sheldrick, Jack Waley-Cohen, Mohan Ganesalingam, and Michael Dent in an attempt to make GPS information more accurate.

What3words divides the entire world into a 3-by3 metre squares, reaching 57 trillion in total, and assigns each square their own combination of three words. This allows the user to accurately locate themselves and others within a 3-metre margin.

The software is used by a wide range of people for a variety of reasons. From running and hiking clubs to hidden gem viewpoints, What3words has continued to grow in popularity across the globe since its publication. Car manufacturers have begun to implement the system within new models to allow the driver to access their precise location in an emergency, travel agencies use it to navigate tourists to secluded spots, and, most importantly, the system is beginning to be used heavily in the emergency services sector.

Emergency services, particularly fire & rescue, coastguard, and ambulance, have deeply benefitted from the implementation of What3Words within their processes. It has allowed them to accurately locate an injured patient in rural areas, and even find reports of wildfires before they spread.

As What3words continues to grow in popularity, businesses have begun to use the system to “improve efficiencies, enhance customer experience, offer smoother journeys and save lives”. A large range of logistics companies have jumped on board to offer precise and easy location of parcels, addresses, and drivers.

This is the reason that Nine Group has now implemented What3words in its extensive logistics service.

As Nine Group deliver to a high number of goods to moving locations, bases, and sometimes rural healthcare centres, it often gets confusing where the exact location of the shipping address is. What3Words allows our delivery drivers to find the given location easily and quickly, allowing for a more streamlined delivery service and a guarantee that your order will be delivered at the correct place.

We have received a lot of positive feedback since implementing What3Words into our daily logistics routine, especially from those who have mobile trailers that tend to be located in hard-to-find areas. We have also seen a reduction of deliveries being returned to the warehouse due the driver not being able to locate the delivery address. This is another example of how we are adding even more value to our clients and going the extra mile for them.

What3Words is free to use for personal and professional use and has many great benefits to companies who have their own logistics services.

As its popularity is rising, we have seen a lot more people be familiar, if not already use, the app/ website, which makes the process even easier.