Zones and Cities

Robo-Hub organizes suppliers and operations geographically using zones and cities.

What is a Zone?

A zone is a defined geographic area that:

• Groups suppliers by location

• Enables location-specific RFQs

• Tracks performance by area

• Supports operational planning

Zone Hierarchy

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│              REGION                  │
│         (e.g., Southeast US)         │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │           CITY                │  │
│  │      (e.g., Miami)            │  │
│  │  ┌─────────────────────────┐  │  │
│  │  │        ZONE             │  │  │
│  │  │   (e.g., Miami Metro)   │  │  │
│  │  └─────────────────────────┘  │  │
│  │  ┌─────────────────────────┐  │  │
│  │  │        ZONE             │  │  │
│  │  │   (e.g., Miami Beach)   │  │  │
│  │  └─────────────────────────┘  │  │
│  └───────────────────────────────┘  │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Zone Types

Metro Zones

Large metropolitan areas:

• Miami Metro

• Los Angeles Downtown

• Phoenix Central

Characteristics:

• High supplier density

• Multiple service categories

• Competitive pricing

Suburban Zones

Areas around major cities:

• Miami Beach

• Coral Gables

• Burbank

Characteristics:

• Moderate supplier density

• May require longer response times

• Pricing varies

Specialized Zones

Specific-purpose areas:

• Airport zones (e.g., Phoenix Sky Harbor)

• Industrial districts

• Port areas

Characteristics:

• Specialized suppliers

• Specific operational hours

• Unique requirements

Zone Definition

Boundaries

Zones are defined by:

• City limits

• Zip code clusters

• Custom polygons

• Landmark boundaries

Zone Properties

Property	Description
Name	Human-readable zone name
City	Parent city
Boundaries	Geographic definition
Categories	Service types available
Supplier Count	Number of active suppliers
Avg Response Time	Zone benchmark

Zone Coverage

For Shepherds

Define your operational zones:

1. Select zones where you operate

2. System prioritizes suppliers in those zones

3. RFQs are routed appropriately

For Suppliers

Define your service zones:

1. Primary zones (core coverage)

2. Secondary zones (extended coverage)

3. Response time by zone

4. Pricing variations by zone

Coverage Analysis

The system analyzes:

• Zones with supplier gaps

• Zones with high demand

• Zones with competitive options

• Adjacent zone alternatives

Adjacent Zones

When a zone has limited options, the system suggests adjacent zones.

Adjacent Zone Logic

Primary Zone: Miami Downtown
├── Adjacent: Miami Beach (5 min away)
├── Adjacent: Coral Gables (10 min away)
└── Adjacent: Hialeah (15 min away)

When Adjacent Zones Are Used

• Primary zone has no suppliers

• Primary zone supplier capacity is full

• Response time in primary is too slow

• Cost in adjacent zone is lower

Zone-Based Features

Zone Directory

Browse all zones with:

• Supplier counts

• Service availability

• Performance benchmarks

Zone Comparison

Compare zones on:

• Number of suppliers

• Average pricing

• Response times

• SLA compliance

Zone Reservation

For expansion planning:

1. Reserve a zone

2. System notifies suppliers

3. Build presence before demand

Zone Analytics

Zone Performance

Metric	Description
Avg Response Time	How fast services are delivered
SLA Compliance	% of services meeting SLA
Supplier Density	Suppliers per service category
Pricing Index	Relative cost vs. other zones

Zone Trends

Track over time:

• Demand patterns

• Price trends

• Supplier activity

• Coverage changes

Best Practices

For Shepherds

1. Start with core zones: Focus on primary operational areas

2. Plan expansion: Use zone analytics for growth planning

3. Consider adjacent zones: Don't limit yourself to primary

4. Monitor zone health: Track performance by zone

For Suppliers

1. Be realistic about coverage: Only list zones you can serve

2. Differentiate by zone: Adjust pricing/SLA as needed

3. Watch for opportunities: New zones may need suppliers

4. Maintain quality across zones: Don't overextend