Remember when checking up on a task meant going through an entire drawer of files? Or how confirming a customer delivery meant calling the courier service multiple times a day? Yeah, I’d rather not.
Modern day businesses are now run with a swipe of your fingers. To stay ahead of the curve, companies are required to adapt to tech-smart operations. Doing this has been made significantly easier with the invention of apps. These apps have made it possible to manage, delegate, and keep track of the business as a whole. This article will look at the Top 3 applications that can help you save time while at work:
Mela
Mela is a project management app that brands itself as a ‘smart collaboration’ app, and it actually does what it says.
As a smart work application, Mela helps organizations speed their projects up by efficiently managing fieldwork – both online and offline.
Mela aims to negate modern day fieldwork issues that plague organizations and slow work down – causing a nuisance for managers and supervisors. The lack of communication leads to loss of clients’ trust and errors without the team managing to root out the cause. Mela simplifies and centralizes all information. A single platform from where everybody can collaborate, communicate, track information, and eventually – save precious time.
Additionally, Mela also offers data analytics which offer detailed insights that help users monitor important metrics and results related to their use. Mela is optimized for the use of every person in the chain of command: from supervisors and managers all the way to contractors and workers.
Dispatch
Providing speedy and timely product deliveries to customers always remains the forefront priority of any business.
Sadly enough, local deliveries are often a dilemma for business owners. They can either opt to buy a delivery vehicle which comes at a high cost or outsource packages to a courier service, risking being bound by their quality of service, which if subpar, can anger their own clientele.
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Questions such as, ‘who manages the fleet’ and ‘how much money are we willing to spend’ should be at the forefront of your decision making strategy. Many companies will undertake the financial working needed to make these decisions but they forget to add in factors such as the operational nature of the business, future expansion plans and the expertise needed to efficiently manage a fleet.
This article lists the pros and cons that come with each available option and aims to help business owners make an informed decision. Although it is difficult to trust other companies with your operations, it is imperative that you trust those whose core business objective revolves around efficient logistics and fleet management.
Why Own a Fleet?
Most of the time, the nature of a company demands a fleet at hand, and other times fleet programs serve as an employee perk more than a business-related need. Other times fleet vehicles are needed to transport goods from one place to another. Additionally, advertising your brand becomes easier and can also be influenced through the make and type of the fleet.
Options in Fleet Management
Fleets can be purchased as a part of the current business or they can be outsourced to other companies that provide transportation and delivery as a service. A number of companies have come up recently offering a delivery service. The core business of these companies is in dealing with efficient delivery. Additionally, companies can own their own fleets and set up departments to run them effectively, but it will cost them more than a logistics company would.
Deciding Factors
Before looking up manufacturers and fleet programs that offer you the best dollar value sit down with your accounting department and draw up an estimated comparison between owning and leasing. You should base the comparison on:
- The difference in outsourcing and insourcing costs
- The monthly running costs of each option (e.g. payments, maintenance, insurance, gas salaries)
- Possible hiring of fleet manager/ setting up a department focused on fleet management
- And, nature of the fleet’s function
Since the financial aspect reigns over all components, companies tend to overlook features other than pricing. The decision to lease or own should be tied into your business culture and its long term objectives.
PROS:
Cost Transparency
Companies that choose to own their own fleet have greater control over their expense sheet. Their costs are more transparent as everything is in their control. Outsourcing leads to a higher rate of dependency and companies have no control in how much is spent on their fleet and where the prevalent amount goes.
Control
By owning and managing your own fleet, you have the ultimate say. You are able to select your drivers, the types of vehicles that are on the road and when and where they are heading.
Insurance Premiums
For every car in your fleet you must have insurance to help cover liability costs such as equipment breakdown or accidents. Quality insurance takes a toll on the pocket, and procuring insurance for an entire fleet is not only a burden on the pocket but also the mind. Fleet insurance comes in many types and forms and one must be acquainted to them to be able to choose the best option. Additionally, worker’s compensation, in case of injury, is a whole other aspect to begin thinking about.
CONS:
Increased Risk
Operating inefficiently opens up companies to a multitude of risks from legal entities to employee safety. Due to the ever-evolving nature of technology and legal requirements, it is easy to miss out on the fine print.
Storage
If you are thinking of owning a fleet, we sincerely hope you have considered and allotted a space for them. Some companies with storage restrictions send their vehicles home with the employees. Employees may end up using the corporate vehicles for personal use, adding mileage and wear and tear which you will have to account for.
Lack of Control
Managing a fleet requires efficient route planning as well as job rotation and employee satisfaction, among others. A lack of the correct expertise needed can drive up costs and result in delivery chaos. By outsourcing, you can simply tell the logistics company of your wishes and they will implement it.
Decreased Cash Flow/Increased Overheads
Due to the additional purchasing, recruiting and operating of the fleet, companies that own their fleets will experience a decrease in cash flow. This can be especially problematic when there are bills to pay and the company is not liquid enough. Outsourcing can help drive down costs and do not blow a hole through your accounts, making them more appealing to stakeholders and your company’s monetary position.
Fleet Management Technology
Opting to collaborate with a company that deals in delivery allows you to make use of all the technology they apply into their management system. Owning a fleet will require you to invest in a transportation management system. Not only is such software expensive, you also need to learn how to navigate through them.
Increase in Capital Investment
Companies end up paying direct and indirect costs; pouring resources into a department that is far from their core competency. The capital investment is only apparent once the in-house fleet costs are separated from the other expenses. Outsourcing your fleet and all of its add-on responsibilities can visibly reduce your expenses. This frees up capital and precious resources which can be employed towards the firm’s long-term objectives.
Dispatch makes use of data analysis to create customized experiences for your customers through their screens, ensuring effective communication channels and optimized satisfaction. Our easy to use interface makes sure that businesses can navigate and order same-day delivery for their products with ease. The technology allows for you and your customers to have a fleet of vehicles in the palm of their hand. To learn more, visit Dispatch!
A lack of good management can prove to be a burden for a company’s bottom line, leaving unhappy customers and employees in its wake. Logistics professionals should view their roles as customer-facing and continually add value.
Having a logistics strategy can help you make informed decisions, increase error- response time, and flexibility in the process for unforeseen changes, saving up to 40% on logistics costs. As difficult as it may seem to choose the best practices for logistics management, here are the top five ways companies can optimize routes.
1. Freight Collect
Shipping companies usually engage in a practice known as ‘freight paid,’ in which suppliers pay for transportation costs. Switching to ‘freight collect,’ despite the consignee paying for the freight, comes with more advantages. It’s important to remember that the company which pays for shipment will not necessarily be responsible for transporting as well.
Information is the root of constructing an analysis that not only provides us a view on our past performance, but also helps us in foreseeing the future. Big data provides the information we require in making that analysis, and the fact that it is in huge quantities makes the analysis increasingly accurate and realistic.
With such analytical power, big data is making fast inroads in industries that despite generating huge volumes of data, remained largely fragmented and didn’t use the collected information for improvement in operations. Logistics, having multiple functions and a huge scale of operations, is one such industry that has only recently started realizing the importance of it.
The days of slow and unreliable delivery services are far behind us, when we had to put up with waiting for months on end for the post. Sometimes, the waiting period to receive an important package would be ridiculously long which meant that the need to create a faster and more efficient transportation services has always been there.
Courier services are the perfect solution for transporting items at faster speeds and remaining in charge of your deliveries. With services like same-day delivery, most modern courier services such as Dispatch provide customers with the ability to monitor and manage their deliveries.
Expensive fleet tracking systems that are maxing out budgets and time and again failing to deliver the support a company needs to carry out their operations successfully is becoming more common than ever. Perhaps the most commonly shared dilemma of most CFOs and managers is being able to find the right fleet tracking software for their respective companies. In this day and age, fleet tracking software has emerged as an essential part of most industries.
With a growing need for faster and efficient delivery services, fleet tracking makes it easier to manage vehicles, maximize fuel efficiency, enable route planning and boost productivity. While a fleet tracking software can optimize your business operations, finding the right software is no joke. For companies looking to purchase their first fleet tracking software or updating the existing system, here’s everything you need to know.
Identify Features That You Need
It is critical for a business to be able to identify their needs, before they can begin shopping for fleet tracking software. Start your journey by making a list of features you need, to make good use of your investment.
The following are few important things to when making your pick:
Create, Manage and Monitor Tasks
One of the most significant challenges that most employees performing in the industrial space face is being forced to jump on to another job; before one is even completed. Assigning your employees task after task without requesting updates on jobs already assigned can cause confusion, delays, and often result in poor output. We recommend that you encourage the use of task sheets to better manage and monitor tasks.
Furthermore, it is critical that you prioritize work. The need for your company's plumbing or electrical services could be due to an emergency. Under such circumstances it becomes crucial for you to have an employee ready and available to handle high-priority jobs and emergencies.
Provide Your Employees with Access to the Right Tools
Imagine the amount of time a carpenter can save by having access to necessary power tools, let alone the use of more modern technology. Whether it’s a question of a drilling machine or other tools such as a voltage detector that an electrician might need to quickly fix an issue on the job -- having access to the right equipment can significantly improve efficiency and the quality of services.
Encourage the Use of Technology
Some construction businesses rely on poor communication and outdated logistical approaches. Managers and supervisors remain strongly disconnected from the technicians, are unable to track their performance, and manage their schedules. With the use of technology, such as smartphones, supervisors can find the exact location of every technician. This can allow them to assign related jobs to technicians working within the proximity and help maximize efficiency and save time.
Connect With A Courier Company
Ever wondered how nice it would be if your top electrician could, for once, focus on a job instead of having to run between locations picking up parts? He would have additional time in his day to take on more jobs, train his fellow employees and put his skills to best use. The best way to achieve this is by getting in touch with a courier company like Dispatch for all your business’s delivery and pick-up related needs. Dispatch allows visibility into where your parts are and dynamic ETAs so that you can better predict your allotted time for job completion . This helps speed up the overall delivery process and improve efficiency; by allowing your technicians to save time and focus on their job instead of running errands for the business.
Contact Dispatch today and let us help you become more efficient!
Here at Dispatch, we love our customers and are excited to share with their local communities what they do. If you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and in need of an excellent screen printing vendor, be sure to check out ShadowFax Graphics! What sets ShadowFax apart is their dedication to staying ahead of the curve and wowing their customers each and every time. ShadowFax continues to utilize new technologies and deliver on their promise to get jobs done promptly and provide exactly what their customer ordered. We asked them a few questions about what makes them unique-- read below to learn more!
With the rise of e-commerce, expedited shipping, and shifting consumer expectations, Final Mile Delivery has only grown more challenging. More and more, we expect items to be delivered directly to our doors, at a moment’s notice, the same day we ordered them.
This shift has also affected our expectations for business deliveries. When your business has a technician in the field, and that technician needs a part to finish the job, you can’t afford to make your technician drive across town to get the part or wait for you to arrange a delivery with a traditional courier company. When a valued client needs an important document, you can’t afford to send it by traditional snail mail. You need to make on-demand deliveries that get to the recipient as quickly, reliably and affordably as possible.
These changing expectations create massive logistical challenges. Your delivery requirements, schedules and destinations will be unpredictable. Delivery routes will be constantly changing. If you don’t make a lot of deliveries, your low delivery volume could make on-demand deliveries expensive.
If you’re facing the challenge of Final Mile Delivery in your business, you might want to consider a software-based on-demand courier solution.
Take Advantage of On-Demand Courier Services with Local Drivers
An on-demand courier service that employees a fleet of independent, local drivers can solve several Final Mile Delivery challenges. First, you won’t need to plan ahead for unpredictable delivery schedules and patterns. Just request the delivery you need, when you need it, and avoid the logistical headache of trying to schedule Final Mile Deliveries far in advance.
Second, local drivers understand the best delivery routes, are familiar with traffic patterns, and have a personal interest in maximizing the efficiency of their deliveries. This is key when you need to be confident that your delivery will reach its destination quickly and reliably.
Finally, you’ll be able to keep your Final Mile Delivery costs low. By requesting on-demand deliveries from drivers who are already on the road, you can eliminate the costs of maintaining your own fleet and avoid the often outdated processes of traditional couriers.
Integrate Modern Technology Into Your Final Mile Delivery Process
On-demand couriers that integrate modern technology into their processes can make your Final Mile Deliveries even more efficient and reliable. These software solutions immediately send your delivery request to nearby drivers, and use GPS to track the driver’s route in real time.
With this tracking technology, you’ll know the exact location of your delivery driver. When will the driver pickup or drop-off the package? Is there a traffic jam or road construction? Does your driver take a different route? Now the answers to those questions are on your smartphone or computer.
These technology solutions also allow you to contact your driver while they’re in route and make special requests so you can customize the delivery to meet the recipient’s needs or expectations. This level of communication means you can partner with a courier without losing control of the customer experience.
Consider a technology-based on-demand courier service like Dispatch if you’re interested in refining your Final Mile Delivery process while reducing your costs. Our easy-to-use platform connects you to delivery drivers in your area, allows you to track the location and status of your delivery in real time, and provides full visibility for reliable, efficient, hassle-free Final Mile Delivery.
Over the last few years, there has been a massive shift in consumer behavior. Customers that were once shopping at a physical store now prefer buying through business websites or online shopping platforms such as Amazon. To adapt to the changing needs of customers, the e-commerce world is also experiencing a significant shift. This is driving businesses to continually improve their services and seek help from value-added services such as fast deliveries. While most companies struggle to maintain the quality of their shipping services, businesses with route management integrated into their operations can help boost efficiency and ensure that deliveries are made on time, every time.