Customer:
Mainfreight
Need:
Mainfreight was using only voice contact to dispatch jobs and receive back confirmations of collections and deliveries from their drivers. The time taken to pass the information back and forth was proving excessive and costly, requiring two people. There was also the difficulty of errors creeping in when voice communications were not heard correctly.
Solution:
The drivers now use PDAs mounted in their cabs in a custom built cradle. The existing system can pass data through a dedicated channel and the iTouch application running in the PDAs connects via an iTouch communications server to the Mainfreight consignment database.
The drivers now update the database directly and automatically receive details of jobs allocated to them. The application forces the drivers to complete a list of items collected on the PDA screen and to collect the signature of the consignor. The PDA has a barcode scanner built in and interfaced to the iTouch application for ease of use.
Delivery is as simple with the driver again forced to collect the consignee's signature.
Success:
Drivers no longer need to keep multiple copies of consignment notes each with different signatures; the details of packages may be scanned where bar-coded. Their need for paperwork is reduced and they are more efficient allowing a saving in time of up to an hour a day per driver.
The upload download procedure has been automated by the iTouch application and the people at base, who used to receive the voice messages, are now able to use their time more effectively in supporting their customers.
This has reduced errors and allowed Mainfreight the confidence to make this information available on-line for customers to check it directly via the web or an IVR system.
"By replacing talk time with data transactions you eliminate scraps of paper and mis-communications. Mainfreight are pioneers in that they are the largest fleet in New Zealand adopting this latest technology solution."
Steve Lloyd, Teamwork Telecom Data Consultant.
