Ace Car Freighters is a leading vehicle transport company located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded 40 years ago as a family owned and operated business, Ace Car Freighters’ operates a fleet of over 50 trucks ranging in carrying capacity from single car to seven car carriers – which ensures fast, reliable, and cost effective solutions for
business.
Ace Car Freighters – Booking, Despatch and Mobile Data System
The Client
Issues Faced
Ace Car Freighters’ has a deep commitment to responsive and customized service, however their existing systems were struggling to keep up under the high demands, which was holding back company growth. The legacy booking and despatch system did not allow for any
customer engagement (via online, web services or email notifications) and had no mobile data interface - meaning instructions were being barked over busy and sometimes unclear two way radios. Job pricing/rating was done manually, hence was inconsistent leading to costly under and over charging and credits. Customers were phoning in to make or amend bookings, to find out job statuses, or to complain about data entry mistakes. Manual data entry of docket books was also a time consuming exercise leading to delayed invoices and worker pays. Integration with their accounting software was non-existent. There had to better way! … and luckily for ACE and their customers, there was!
Solution Details
VerbaManager is a web based system for booking and allocation (despatch) of jobs, and managing workers in the field. Worker and job statuses can be viewed and will refresh automatically in real time, as jobs are allocated, or tasks are completed by workers. Configurable data such as users, places, zones are rates are maintained in the system, as well as useful utilities like customer address books, audit trails, photos and signatures. From
VerbaManager, reports can be viewed, and accounting data extracted.
Intergy Consulting developed a cloud based and full integrated suite of products for the transportation industry (VerbaManager,
VerbaCustomer, VerbaMobile and VerbaGPS), a software product created on behalf of
business partner, Relief Software. This product suite solves all of ACE’s above
mentioned problems and more. Booking data is entered only once by the operator
(or customer directly), and flows seamlessly to the truck drivers mobile handheld units, and then pickup/delivery information is
synchronized back into the central system, and passed to the company’s accounting system (MYOB). The despatch/radio room is chaotic no longer, and nothing is left to
Solution Overview
Data flows are real time, cash flow is improved, and ACE’s staff and customers couldn’t be happier. Consequently demand is up and being handled efficiently, and the company is able to grow as a result.Job row colour highlights indicate special statuses (such as cancelled), and coloured icons indicate special conditions
(such as overdue). Screen filters and ordering can be changed and saved for later use.
VerbaCustomer allows the customers and partners of transport and field service
companies to directly enter job booking details into VerbaManager via a restricted, secure Internet connection.
Once ‘on-line’ individual user configuration options such as default accounts, customized address books and email alerts ensure job booking details are entered accurately and efficiently.
Users can also report on job bookings, and will receive delivery dockets automatically.
VerbaMobile provides seamless
transmission of job booking instructions and messages from VerbaManager to mobile devices (i.e. smartphones and ruggedized handheld’s) belonging to workers in the field’.
It also allows work related status
messages and data to be collected via the mobile devices and automatically
transmitted back.
Signatures, photo’s, and barcodes can be captured.
VerbaGPS allows accurate, real time and historical tracking and reporting of worker movements on digital maps using GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking soft-ware installed in worker mobile devices.
Technology
The web application and user interface was developed in PHP technologies using Symfony framework plus Angular JS.
Node JS is used for socket implementation.
A PostgreSQL database was used for the web application database. Android Mobile application was developed in native Android Java. Communication middleware uses Java and a MySQL database.
Next Step
If your business could benefit from a streamlined solution with mobile data, give the team at Intergy Consulting a call 1300 739 117 to set up a free consultation.
To view this case study online:
https://www.intergy.com.au/casestudies/ace-car-freighters-booking-despatch-mobile-data-system/
Thank you for reviewing our case study. If you woule like to know more CALL US now to discuss your custom software solution