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Data driven
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To succeed in the modern road transport industry it is necessary to deliver against exacting customer demands. Colin Ferguson heads up a company committed to helping operators do just that. Andy Salter gets his story.
Understanding the business needs of a 21st-century road transport operator is a tough challenge. With evertighter margins, endless reels of red tape and increasingly demanding customers, the pressure is on operators to react quickly and smartly.
Many have turned to the IT sector for computer applications and software to automate some of the more labour-intensive areas of their operation, or to short-circuit bottlenecks in the organisation. Those who have not embraced the new technology risk becoming marginalised as customers make demands that can only be delivered with the help of computer systems and the internet.
Colin Ferguson, managing director of Database Business Systems (DBS), is well placed as an ex-transport operator to understand the needs of a modern road transport enterprise. His decision to form DBS was based on his experiences in transport when he couldn't get a software supplier to address his needs.
"I was operating a small transport concern in the early 1990s." says Ferguson. it was clear to me that to be successful in this sector we needed a means of automating much of our office operation. but when 1 researched the market there was nothing out there that met my needs, expectations or budget. It seemed absurd that I could buy a Sage accounts package for £500, which was a lot more complex than anything the transport software providers were offering, yet the transport software was 400 times more expensive."
Commercial opportunity "lo cut a long story short. Ferguson commissioned a software developer to build a bespoke system for his transport company and carried on with the truck business. But when his customers, who were used to their transport suppliers manually faxing or e-mailing job confirmations. began to take an interest in the automated processes it was clear there was an opportunity to commercialise the software.
Ferguson promptly sold his shares in the transport business and set up DBS in 1997. "When we started to canvas other transport operators we found the interest was massive,"he says."We made a major marketing investment in 2002 to kick-start the business and we've not looked back."
Ferguson is a fast-talking, fast-thinking individual with a solid grounding in road transport: as well as his own first-hand experience, his grandfather was a lorry driver and his uncle operated a fleet of trucks. And while he is unlikely to pass up the opportunity to make some money, he does appear to have the best interests of road transport at heart as he develops his business.
"We've got over 5,000 customers in this narket and I'm meeting and talking with them :very week," he says. 'Everyone is looking for t simple yet flexible solution to the business weds of their operation.
-in terms of the development and 'unctionality of the systems from our end, these ire highly complex applications But transport Terators aren't interested in our problems hey want a system that'sstraightforward to use ind can be adapted to their specific needs."
iespoke product
Elie DRS software is built around a basic emplate that will, says Ferguson. satisfy 700% of business requirements. This package akes users from scheduling jobs to invoicing It the push of a button, and monitors costs along the way. From this template we will then customise the system for the individual customer, subject to their requirements," says Ferguson.
Some of the bespoking options involve routing and mapping or the use of PDAs. handheld mobile devices for automatic and remote POD capture. A strategic venture with Navman hasjust been agreed which will seethe DBS system able to integrate with Navman's tracking software and vice versa.giving further customer benefits.
"We try to make the system as easy to integrate into an existing operation as possible, automating those manual parts of the business as appropriate. so you don't end up paying for features you don't need or want,Ferguson continues. It is a product he is very proud c and one that was shortlisted for the Sundt Times in Scotland Best Product 2006 troph "Furthermore,as the customer's business grow and their customers get more clemandirk this system will grow with them continual] optimising the business."
Big player
DBS is a company that is literally on the mov the firm, which has a £3m turnover, will b relocating to new purpose-designed premise in Livingston next year.
"We're arguably one of the biggest playet in this market; my goal is to offer premiur products and make them affordable for th customer base," says Ferguson..