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A healthy cash flow is essential for any business to
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prosper, especially when, as now, banks are reluctant to lend money.
For hauliers, a crucial element in getting paid on time is proof-of-delivery — the longer the delay between delivery and invoicing the customer, the longer it takes to get paid. Not every vehicle returns to base each day: and any discrepancy between orders and deliveries can also hold up any payment Eliminating that lapse between delivery and invoicing is one of the benefits of electronic proof-ofdelivery (ePOD) systems. As soon as the delivery has been made and signed for, the confirmation is sent via a GPRS communications network to the office. As a result, an invoice can be issued the same day.
Signing up for ePOD Digital ePOD systems include sign-on-the-glass digital signature-capture systems and scanning or photographing a conventional paper delivery note to convert it into digital format. The key thing is that the ePOD is in a digital format that can be sent the instant the delivery is made via a GPRS network.
A big upfront investment is not necessary. Many of today's ePOD applications are available as managed internet-based services. You pay on a per-user basis. All you need is a web connection and a mobile device that can transmit data and is capable of running proof-of-delivery software. Some companies will even include the mobile terminals in the contract.
The Roadrunner Smart Driver Interface from Road Tech Computers, for example, provides two-way time-stamped transmissions of job information and ePOD to a range of devices for just £15 per device per month. Drivers can use virtually any mobile phone av ims the company.
Electronic PODs standalone web-based applications or, more typically, part of consignment track-and-trace software within a transport management or job-despatch software program. Track-and-trace gives the transport office live updates on vehicle positions, collection and delivery status.
Real-time POD delivers other benefits, too, points out Dave Upton, managing director of DA Systems, whose NX Transport software includes ePOD. "Real-time POD systems increase accuracy by delivering live updates on deliveries. It can reduce the cost of calls to drivers to check on progress. It will highlight immediately any discrepancies on the manifest, and there is no risk of that all-important delivery note going missing."
Electronic POD systems allow drivers to be more proactive and resolve any order discrepancies on the spot, improving customer service, says Chris Wright. managing director of Ski['Web, which sells the 2020ePOD software.
Wright says: "Sectors such as food service are particularly prone to customers changing the order after it has been placed and sent. Some loads are more vulnerable to damage. Bar-code scanners allow drivers to manage the situation at the delivery point, notifying the office of the actual amount delivered, and even for the company to arrange a second delivery."
Now that track-and-trace and real-time POD are technically possible and also viable options, demand for the system(s) is growing. -More customers now demand live track-and-trace and electronic proof-ofdelivery. Hauliers who don't offer it can miss out on work," reckons Derek Beevor, managing director of Shenley-based Road Tech Computers
Transport management systems
POD applications have become an integral part of many transport management systems. The electronic traffic sheet shows collection/delivery status against plan and a snapshot of scheduled activities, including planned time of arrival; estimated and actual time of arrival; and the time when POD information is received back from mobile data terminals.
Haultech, for example, offers a signature-capture module in its Traffic fleet management system.
Delivery manifests are uploaded to a driver's hand-held unit. The manifest includes delivery addresses, goods to be delivered and consignee details. Consignees sign on the device to accept the delivery. Any notes on shorts or damages can be added at the point of delivery.
Once the signature has been obtained, the driver saves the job and sends it back to a website. Users and their customers can then view delivery signatures, delivery details and GPS positioning data via a web browser. "Invoicing can be done the same day as the delivery," points out Haultech marketing manager Dean Woolliscroft. "It is also gives traceability, so it is easier to resolve any disputes."
Mandata's Advanced Services sends real-time information back to its Manpack3 transport management software. Manpack3 replaces paper-based traffic planning systems, and integrates transport planning with backoffice accounting systems. Manifests are passed to the driver's mobile device — an icon on the screen tells traffic planners that drivers have confirmed receipt.
Drivers working for UPS-Supply Chain Solutions (UPS-SCS) can use their existing mobile phones to view trip run-sheet and drop manifest details, POD confirmation and reporting of time, position and on-route delays. UPS-SCS is using CarrierNetOnline's Web Service to manage primary distribution operations to retail clients including overnight stops, trailer swaps, pick-ups from suppliers and deliveries to retail distribution centres.
• DA System's NX Transport is a real-time 'sign-onscreen' POD solution. Drivers receive electronic manifests and report progress via a handheld computer such as Motorola's CN3 or a PDA-style device such as the 02 X.DA.
• Skillweb's pay-as-you-go applications include the web-based 2020ePOD electronic proof-of-delivery application.
• Valley Technology's POD Father is also available on a pay-as-you-go basis. Jobs are captured on the web and sent to the driver's handheld device, or the driver uses a drop-down menu to find his next job. It too can capture images. "It is designed as a standalone system, but it can be integrated into back-office systems." says managing director Alastair Brown. It costs a maximum of 33p per signature captured, depending on volume. • Channel and Mobile Solutions Delivery POD 2009 provides full tracking of orders from receipt to delivery. "Hauliers can check on all the consignments they have sent with a single click. Signatures, images and details are downloaded to their PC and stored in a database. They can see what has been delivered with a signature, what's not been delivered and what could not be delivered," says director Mike Bowen. "Image capture is used as well as signature capture. Drivers can take a picture of an addressee's door, which is time-stamped and posted to the website to prove delivery was attempted."
• Mobilelogistics from Codegate is an off-the-shelf managed service that includes barcode scanning, digital signature capture, rescheduling, tracking, navigation and receipt printing.
• CMS Global Technologies Web-based Opera system combines transport bookings with job despatch and vehicle tracking. It works on any computer that has a web connection and supports PODs via signature capture, and also allows photographs to be taken on job completion.
The hardware
The sheer choice of mobile computers for delivery operations can be overwhelming. PDAs, rugged PDAs, rugged in-cab terminals and lightweight versions of rugged terminals are all battling it out for supremacy in the delivery sector. 'Rugged' simply means that the mobile terminal is more water and shock resistant than a consumer-style PDA.
"Mere is no one-size fits-all solution because delivery operations themselves are so varied," explains Paul Westmoreland, managing director of mobile computer manufacturer Psion Teklogix. He advises concentrating on what features the device needs to benefit your operation. Basic criteria to bear in mind include batterylife, screen resolution and memory, not forgetting the level of ruggedness.
Questions you should be asking include is the screen robust enough to cope with electronic signature capture? Should the unit have both voice and data capability? Does the operation require a printer and Bluetooth connectivity? Data capture options include 1D and 2D barcode readers and integrated cameras. The latest devices also include GPS and navigation. The courier sector pioneered track-and-trace and ePOD, and because many couriers are self-employed, the low-cost Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) became virtually the standard for electronic proof-of-delivery capture. PDAs combine voice and data capabilities on a single device, so you don't need a second device, and it is often included free in an airtime contract There's no reason why hauliers should not adopt the same low-cost entry solution, but POD specialists warn that for the long-term, PDAs do have some drawbacks.
Although they are cheaper, they have shorter in-service lives, so total cost of ownership can be higher. "We don't buy the argument you can buy three PDAs for the price of one ruggedised," says Motorola's Picton."Even if the replacement PDA is free, there are still extra costs in downtime and buffer stock holdings." •