udget booster
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Size isn't everything, despite the latest Clio ads, and with ever-increasing pressure on vehicle management and running costs, even the smallest haulier can benefit from computer help. Robin Meczes looks at the latest addition to the pack, designed specially to help companies with up to 10 vehicles track their fleets and manage their costs.
o you know what you are spending on fuel for each of your vehicles, and how it compares to last year? Can you say how much each of your regular customers is worth this month? And can you be sure you haven't forgotten to invoice for that one-off job you did eight weeks ago?
If the answer to all three isn't an immediate "yes", you might need some help.
Traditional computer software packages to help you keep on top of figures like this have been around for years, but many are out of reach for the small operator who can't afford f2,000 or so and doesn't need half their functions.
But now software suppliers have started turning their attentions towards the smaller user (see Product Roundup, CM 5-n Nov 1998). One of the latest products is Winhaul 2000, available for under Boo and designed specifically for up to so vehicles.
It's a joint venture between Ross Computer Services and Mandata, both best known for systems for medium-sized fleets.
Despite its relatively low price tag, Winhaul 2000 covers a lot of ground, from simple job entry and tracking (with driver and
vehicle allocation), to automated invoicing and flexible reporting options that allow you to track vehicles, drivers, customers, revenues, costs and margins_ Data can also be exported into other software, induding spreadsheets, word processors, and even to fax and e-mail systems.
The beauty of a low-cost system such as Winhaul 2000 is that it can pay for itself in a short time. For Banbury-based general haulier D Wyatt & Sons, this payback takes the form of saved time. The fuel reports are particularly useful," says anet Wyatt "It used to take for ever to work it out on paper, but this way it's done in a minute."
First time
The company runs six tractors' and seven trailers; it uses Winhaul 2000 to manage the tractive units. It's the first time it has ever tried using a computerised system, Wyatt reports: "We're happy with it," she adds. "We had one or two teething problems—we weren't sure quite how to enter all the data to begin with—but the helpline is excellent."
Wyatt now uses Winhaul to record and track all jobs with automatic invoice generation. At the end of every month, she runs off reports on individual vehicle performance to pick up on any trends or problems. "It's very beneficial to have everything on there at a glance," she says. "I'd say it's paid for itself in terms of my time alone."
Others can put more tangible financial savings down to using the software. "I had a lady doing my accounts and invoice generation at her home on her own computer," says Steve Smith of the family-owned general haulier S Smith & Co, based in North London. "She was spending at least four to five hours a month typing invoices for me, working out at around £17.50 an hour. And I used to take half a day a month to physically carry information over to her— it was just a hassle."
Smith, who operates eight vehicles induding 7.5-tonners, 17tonners and attics, finds job invoicing is now particularly easy. "It's just a piece of cake," he says. "The only thing the software doesn't do is run statements of account for clients to let you know when invoices are overdue or to generate credit notes. I think the only other thing that's a bit of a shame is that if you want to print invoices out with your own headed paper, you need preprinted letter headings. That
comes out quite expensive."
But unlike D Wyatt & Sons, Smith doesn't find the fuel usage reports that useful. "[know what I spend per truck anyway, so I really don't need that in the software," he explains. "Instead, I would like to have seen some vehicle maintenance recording. It'd be much more useful for me to keep notes on vehicle maintenance and print out reports on costs every so often. Apart from that, it's really perfect for me and overall, it's a super system."
Mail delivery
Ian Bowman, proprietor of mail delivery and courier service provider Silver Express, based in central London, reckons the software is actually better than some much costlier alternatives.
"I did have a piece of software before that cost me £2,000," he says. "My wife and secretary both had a day and a half of training, which cost another Li,000, but the program was so complicated that they still couldn't use it. I've still got it on my machine, but as far as I'm concerned, that's £3,000 I effectively lost. Winhaul 2000 is much better. It's simple to use and the technical support line is free for the first six months. And then there's the low purchase price."
For Bowman, automatic invoicing is a major plus: "We aren't missing jobs on invoices now it's all computerised. I reckon I probably lost around froo a week just through that, so the software has paid for itself very quiddy indeed.
"It also makes it easy to see if we're reaching daily revenue target on the courier side," he adds. "You can just hit a button and the figures are there straight away."
With 50 or so regular customers, he finds it handy for checking up on levels of business: "I can see if a customer is falling away from the level of business each is giving me. If there's a problem, I can be on the phone to them."
These benefits make it well worth his while to run Winhaul 2000 on a dedicated office PC: "If Winhaul 2000 had cost £1,000 I'd still have bought it."