Customer Stories:
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PMS International Ltd
Vehicle tracking helping to deliver success
PMS International Group has experienced countless benefits since introducing the Navman Wireless tracking solution to help run its vehicles.
As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of household goods and toys, the company makes up to 220 drops a day, delivering 7000 products to wholesellers, cash and carries and major retailers nationwide. By integrating Navman’s solution with routing and scheduling software from Paragon Software Systems, PMS International is running its 30 vehicles more efficiently – and saving money at the same time.
“Being able to run Paragon’s routing and scheduling software in conjunction with Navman’s tracking service saves us a lot of admin time and ensures that all the vans are used efficiently,” he explains. In fact, Neil Beverley estimates that the combined solution will have saved the business up to £200,000 by the end of the year.
COMPATIBILITY
The flexibility of Navman’s Wireless vehicle tracking solution was one of the key features for PMS
International. Being able to integrate the OnLineAVL software with Paragon’s Fleet Controller solution
provides a far greater degree of control over the workings of the business.
Integrating Navman’s vehicle tracking with Paragon’s routing and scheduling software means keeping up-to-date with how the day’s deliveries are progressing. So any problems such as late arrivals or unexpected delays are spotted in plenty of time. For Neil Beverley, the benefits this brings boil down to one simple thing. “We are now able to do our jobs better.”
The routing and scheduling service provided by Paragon’s software package, combined with Navman’s vehicle tracking system, ensures that trucks are always used in the most efficient way possible. The scheduling software can work out which vans should be sent out and what sequence deliveries should be made in, while the operations team can always stay ahead thanks to the real-time tracking provided by Navman.
SAVINGS ON WAGES
With staff always on the go, keeping track of everyone can be tricky. Thanks to Navman’s tracking solution Neil Beverley no longer has to worry about staff making “enthusiastic” claims on their hours.
“Being able to run Paragon’s routing and scheduling software in conjunction with Navman’s tracking service saves us a lot of admin time and ensures that all the vans are used efficiently”
Neil Beverley, Director, PMS International Group
www.navmanwireless.co.uk Meanwhile, the integration of Navman’s Fleet
Management solution with Paragon’s routing and scheduling software has led to a reduction in man hours in the operations team. Before the new system was in place, all planning was carried out manually, with a different person creating the schedules for each area of the country. With the new system most of the work is done for them. Now the whole process has been centralised, saving working hours and making it far easier to plan routes across more than one area. The system can plan out the entire day’s work, ensuring that the right size lorry is used for each job, and selecting the most efficient schedules to conserve both fuel and time.
EFFICIENT RUNNING
This efficient scheduling has seen both mileage and fuel costs drop considerably. And no time is wasted either. Using the Geofence alerts that can be created on the Navman Wireless tracking system, base is sent an
automatic notification via email when each lorry reaches two key positions on the M25 including the Dartford Tunnel. Knowing that a vehicle is nearly back means that PMS loaders can get goods ready to load for the next delivery.
Geofence settings are also in place to send an automatic email back to base any time a vehicle enters the
congestion charge zone in London, ensuring that payments are not missed. Having this automated service not only reduces the margin for human error, it also keeps everything running smoothly.
PMS International Ltd
KEY FACTS
• Saved the business up to £200,000
in one year
• Different solutions easily integrated
• Savings on wages
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www.navmanwireless.co.uk
Over C’s
Continental control through vehicle tracking
Keeping track of every vehicle in a busy transport service is a complicated business, but the Navman Wireless vehicle management solution has provided Over C’s dedicated transport service a one-stop shop solution. The company specialises in urgent UK, Ireland and continental European deliveries from its depots in Leeds and Heathrow. With the help of Navman’s tracking technology, Over C’s can now deliver its goods in the fastest and most cost-effective way possible throughout the whole of the continent.
Being able to keep track of every vehicle no matter where it is means that Over C’s is always able to dispatch the nearest vehicle for every pickup. This saves the company both time and money, and provides a more co-ordinated and efficient service that keeps everything running much more smoothly.
The beauty of the Navman Wireless fixed-priced Pan-European service is that the company does not run up huge bills for roaming. Being able to pay a fixed price for tracking vans and communicating with drivers enables Over C’s Ltd to keep control of its costs more effectively, safe in the knowledge that there will not be any surprises when the bill comes in.
STAYING AHEAD
Previously, the operations team had a tough time keeping track of their drivers’ locations. If a client rang asking for an update on a delivery, the operations team would have to hang up, call the driver to find out where he was, and call the client back. Now, the Navman OnLineAVL application will monitor and track each vehicle in real-time, allowing the operations team to stay abreast of all the latest movements without having to constantly make costly calls to the drivers. So now when clients phone in, not only do they find out what they need to know instantly, they are also the ones paying for the call.
And for any busy courier company, keeping track of time is almost as important as keeping track of the drivers. Navman’s vehicle tracking software takes the hassle out of delivery reports, creating accurate time sheets in minutes. Now when a client queries the times of arrival, Over C’s can provide precise data supplied by Navman’s GPS tracking solution.
Navman’s tracking solution is saving us call costs, increasing efficiency, and reducing unnecessary fuel consumption
www.navmanwireless.co.uk
COST-EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
For Over C’s, the cheap cost of pan-European
communications was one of the main attractions of the Navman Wireless vehicle tracking solution. Previously, the company was not only paying to make expensive calls to drivers, it also had to pay for the drivers to receive the calls on their mobile phones abroad. The communications system provided by Navman Wireless uses a GPRS connection over the Vodafone network, which is available to Over C’s at a fixed monthly price. Messages are sent directly to the
driver’s screen, and drivers can return messages using a keyboard without incurring any extra costs. This has led to a reduction in mobile phone bills from £100 to under £20 a month per driver. “This saving alone has made the tracker invaluable,” explains Mark.
INCREASING EFFICIENCY
Over C’s no longer have to worry about wasting money on running empty vehicles unnecessarily. As Mark Senior explains, “Navman’s tracking solution means that if a driver is coming back from Germany with an empty van and a job comes in, we can divert him simply by sending a message to his screen, saving us call costs, increasing efficiency, and reducing unnecessary fuel consumption.”
Plus, now they know where all the vans are, the team can always dispatch the nearest vehicle to a job. And it is this – combined with a GPS satellite navigation system that helps the driver to find the fastest and most efficient route across Europe – that makes Over C’s whole service faster and more cost-effective.
Over C’s
KEY FACTS
• Reduction in mobile phone bills from
£100 to under £20 a month per driver
• Provide accurate ETA to customer
• Reducing unnecessary fuel consumption
• Efficient route across Europe
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www.navmanwireless.co.uk
Chris Bennett Heavy Haulage Ltd
Even more satisfied customers and a much more
efficient workforce
Until the introduction of Navman Wireless’ satellite tracking technology around 18 months ago Chris Bennett (Heavy Haulage) had to communicate with its drivers via mobile phones to find out exactly where they were. Now transport manager Andy Greig can pinpoint the exact location of all 40 of the firm’s vehicles in an instant.
This has helped significantly with management control of the company, providing Chris Bennett (Heavy Haulage) with 100 per cent peace of mind. “It certainly means reduced stress levels which has saved me a few grey hairs,” admits Andy.
Importantly, the Navman Wireless solution has also helped the Stockport-based firm to provide customers with the exact location and ETA of the expected delivery. “For us customer satisfaction is paramount to business success,” explains Andy. “If I think there’s a problem I can phone the client and say it is going to be late. Alternatively if they phone me I can say where it is and provide an accurate ETA for the customer”.
ACCURATE MAPPING
As well as improving customer relations, and therefore helping to generate repeat business, the Navman Wireless Solution also enables the company to work more efficiently. If the company receives a call from a customer wanting a pick-up straight away then it is able to direct the nearest vehicle to the location, saving both time and money. Using the street map provided with the OnLineAVL solution in conjunction with the satellite tracking facility, Andy can also help drivers if they can’t find a given location.
For Chris Bennett (Heavy Haulage) another major benefit of the Navman Wireless technology is being able to plan journeys online. Because the company operates mainly ‘abnormal loads’ for blue chip construction, plant hire, manufacturing and demolition companies (“the kind of vehicles that hold you up on the motorway”, says Andy) it is necessary to submit route plans to the police, local councils and various utility companies. They will then suggest alternative routes if they are not happy. “The advantage of the Navman Wireless Solution is
“Without doubt it’s the best investment the company has ever made. We’re absolutely chuffed to bits with it.”
Andy Greig, Transport Manager, Chris Bennett heavy Haulage
www.navmanwireless.co.uk that, unlike some CDRoms you can get, the online map
is bang up to date. This means we can make sure we choose the best routes for our drivers to take.”
VEHICLE TRACKING MAKES FOR
EFFICIENT WORKFORCE
Chris Bennett uses the Navman Wireless ‘geofencing’ function (where an alert is sent if a vehicle goes outside of a certain area) to highlight unauthorised usage of vehicles. This has made large savings in diesel costs for Chris Bennett and improved the efficiency of their workforce. OnLineAVL also allows Chris Bennett to monitor hours driven and breaks taken.
Explains Andy: “Using Navman Wireless we know exactly when the key was put in the ignition and
therefore how long a driver has been driving for without a break.” He adds: “If necessary I will tell them to take a 45 minute break before they hit the maximum four and a half hours driving time.”
For Chris Bennett’s (Heavy Haulage) Andy Greig introducing Navman Wireless’ satellite tracking technology has proved an overwhelming success. It has improved customer relations, made the company more productive, generated more business and helped to provide much more accurate routing. He concludes: “Without doubt it’s the best investment the company has ever made. We’re absolutely chuffed to bits with it.” “Without doubt it’s the best investment the company has ever made.”
