Proof of Delivery

A number of customers and prospects have asked for help in calculating the Return on Investment (ROI) for mobile Proof of Delivery, Inspections or Field Service.   We are providing our ROI Calculator to help you understand how our mobile software helps with:

• Labor savings – drivers, dispatch, accounting/data entry
• Fleet – GPS mileage reduction, idling fuel savings and route optimization
• Sales – more stops per day and reduced customer credits with Proof of Delivery
• Inventory – reductions and better management

A few notes….

• There may be other ROI factors that affect you – if your factors are not listed, please give us feedback.
• Enter your contact info and email to get the results sent via email.
• The ROI calculator requires Microsoft Silverlight (you will be prompted if you don’ t have it installed).
• Mouse over the ‘i’ to the right of each field for a description and standard input values.

Click here to launch the ROI calculator.

A key step in managing service and delivery organizations is knowing where your customers are.  In addition to our batch customer geocoding tools, we can geocode individual customers, view them on a map, and view groups of customers on a map.

goRoam.MobileHub users  can simply load the customer edit form and click the ‘geocode me’ button to get a geocode based on the customer’s address.  As always, you can enter detailed routing as well as tags. One or many tags can be assigned to a user to allow grouping and sorting according to your business rules.

We have also added a new ‘Customer Map’ control that takes advantage of geocoding to select groups of customers and view them on a map.  The typical use would be to view and confirm customers by route, delivery sequence, tag, city, etc.

Notice that you can select one or many customers to view. When you move your mouse over a customer, the customer details are shown.  Note that the customer map can be printed.

For customers who need more accurate geocodes than street maps provide, we have added the ability to synchronize goRoam mobile deliveries with vehicle GPS systems such as GEOTAB. This is important when you have a customer’s  geocode at the street address, but in fact deliveries and service are away from the street. For instance, with customers such as Wal-Mart or HomeDepot, the typical geocode is at the street but service and deliveries are at the back dock which may be 400+ yards away. If you set a geofence alert at the street, you will not have accurate alerts or time on site reports.  

We now support this in batch for large scale GPS geocode updates/corrections.  Customer GPS coordinates can be updated in batch or exported to a CSV file for other applications.

In order to efficiently route deliveries, customer addresses must be geocoded. Geocoding is the process of taking an address and translating it into GPS coordinates – latitude and longitude.  The GPS coordinate is what all route optimization and territory planning tools use to develop routes.

BizSpeed has updated our geocoding toolkit to use Microsoft MapPoint 2010, Yahoo Maps and Google Maps for geocoding. Whether you are delivering to a commercial customer or a residence, we can help you geocode your delivery addresses.

The geocode toolkit allows you to load a CSV data file and process each record to calculate the geocode.  A typical problem is that customer addresses are not entered correctly – according to US Postal Service Carrier Route convention.  For example, when entering a customer address, your customer service may enter:

995 Highway 20
MIDDLEBURY, IN 46540

However, the correct address is.

995 U.S. 20
MIDDLEBURY, IN 46540

BizSpeed’s geocoding tool uses MapPoint for the initial geocoding pass. If unsuccessful, we use a customer’s Yahoo API key and attempt to geocode with Yahoo Maps.  Yahoo Maps does a better job interpreting street name differences. If still unsuccessful, we write an output file that lists all the variations of potential addresses along with a link to the address in Google Maps.  For each address, we provide a link to show the address in Google Maps or to show the GPS position in Google Maps.

To perform customer geocoding, you simply:

1. Load the geocoding toolkit.
2. 
3. Load the CSV file containing the delivery addresses (address, city, state, zip and customer ID)
4. Process the file.
5. For each record processed, whether found or not, you can click and launch Google Maps with the address or with GPS coordinates to  find or confirm the lat/long and location.
6. If a correction needs to be made, find the right address update and simply copy it into the geocoding toolkit to save the changes.
7. 
8. To View in Google…
9. 
10. To view in Google Maps by GPS…
11. 

Accurate geocoding is critical to developing optimized routes and optimize distribution territories. BizSpeed provides our toolkit for existing distribution customers, and for more complex solutions provides geocoding by recording GPS from our Proof of Delivery software or by matching POD delivery times with GPS coordinates from on-board GPS solutions such as GeoTAB.

The most efficient bulk distribution companies have used technology and business process changes to drive significant distribution efficiencies.   We have seen reductions of 30% of total distribution costs  versus manual systems – less trucks, labor and miles.  Additionally, we have seen increases in delivery efficiency for keep full accounts where the best companies deliver > 90% of contracted amounts versus averages of manual systems at less than 70%.

With margins often being fixed, especially on national accounts, companies must improve distribution efficiencies in order to be competitive and profitable.  This roadmap outlines the business processes and technologies BizSpeed has seen have the highest impact or interest. For each area, we present:

• What the efficiency is
• Why it is important
• Where it fits
• Symptoms for investigation

The areas addressed include:

• Distribution Efficiency Assessment – analysis of actual orders, distribution centers and efficiency
• Keep Full Analysis – analysis of auto-replenishment efficiency
• GPS – tracking, exception reporting, engine diagnostics, directions and plan-vs-actual analysis
• Wireless Tank Monitoring – remote tank monitoring
• Mobile – Proof of Delivery and automated field data capture
• Route Optimization – optimizing the scheduled stops for fewest miles, least trucks, least labor
• Dispatching – electronic dispatch board for managing deliveries and pickups
• Metrics and Data Warehousing – monitoring and analysis of current and historical distribution

While the characteristics of pickups and deliveries range bulk distributors (fuels, lubes, chemical and hazmat), there are common threads to achieving an efficient distribution network. BizSpeed provides solutions through our own software as well as through partner software and hardware to address all of the areas listed. For more information please contact us at:

• Toll free: 866.270.0541
• sales @ bizspeed.com

For access to the full whitepaper, please register below.

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BizSpeed has released support for wireless truck scale integration with Mettler Toledo and Fairbanks electronic scales. According to Chris Henry, BizSpeed’s President, “We’re excited to provide support for truck scales. This is particularly helpful for bulk customers, as the wireless integration with our goRoam mobile allows fully electronic integration where a driver can roll over the scale, print a ticket from the scale and have their volume calculated automatically by goRoam when they weigh heavy and weigh light.”

From a driver standpoint, the wireless integration allows drivers to have their volume calculated automatically without having to rekey or manually calculate. From a management standpoint, we electronically capture truck weight from the scale in near real-time, so you know when and what the truck plus product weighed.  For single product deliveries, such as bulk bleach, we calculate volume based on the product density and product weight, minus the weight of the truck and trailer. This allows management to know exactly how much product was loaded.

Each delivery in the goRoam mobile application records quantities delivered per tank, along with stick readings. Drivers know exactly how much inventory is left on the truck at each stop, and management has the same visibility in near real-time. When drivers return to the plant and weight light, we calculate the remaining product and can compare that against deliveries for exception reporting.

With the goRoam and MobileHub architecture, BizSpeed has a straightforward model for additional scale model integration. The current models supported are:

• Mettler Toledo IND780 for existing Model 7560 MTS
• Fairbanks FB 3000 Series Instrument

For more information on bulk scale integration and wireless mobility,  please contact BizSpeed here or at toll-free 866-270-0541.

BizSpeed and RedPrairie worked together to deliver the goRoam mobile solution at Petroliance, and East Coast fuels and lubes distributor.  Petroliance uses RedPrairie’s FleetCtl  for scheduling and route optimization.  FleetCtl is integrated with BizSpeed’s goRoam mobile solution for a complete wireless delivery system.  Optimized orders are pushed wirelessly to drivers and once delivered, returned to the dispatcher electronically in near real-time. 

We are rolling out Liquid Controls LCR-II meter integration which captures exact amounts of product delivered for fleet fueling and sends updates wirelessly to the goRoam server.

The complete press release is available at Business Wire  (here).

We updated the BizSpeed website with more details on goRoam for Bulk Pickup and Delivery. Key customers types include:

• Fuels
• Lubes
• Chemicals
• HazMat pickup (Hazardous Materials)

The update includes a number of screenshots of key components such as:

• Forecasting
• Dispatch and Scheduling Board
• Dashboard Metrics
• Meter integration (Liquid Controls LCR II meters) for fleet fueling

For a full review, visit the site http://www.bizspeed.com/products/goroam-for-bulk-pickup-and-delivery/

USI Services is a pioneer in providing market-leading automated solutions for the utility industry. The company was founded by a management team with over 150 years of utility industry experience.

Water, Gas and Electric utilities upgrade their meters every 15+ years to replace existing infrastructure or implement new capabilities such as wireless automated meter reading (AMR). These upgrades often involve upgrading 5,000-50,000 meters and AMR units per project.

Meter and AMR installation projects require appointment setting, work order dispatch, removal of existing meters and recording all new meter and AMR information at each home.

USIServices uses USIConnect, a web-based solution, to manage projects from multiple locations. USIConnect allows project managers, utility managers and customer care to access the same installation and project information. Home owners can log on to USIConnect to schedule, cancel or reschedule installation appointments.

Web service dispatch scheduling – USIConnect

The traditional means of installation was for installers to take digital pictures of the old and new meters. Installers would then record the picture numbers, address, meter and AMR information on paper. At the end of the day the information would be entered into USIConnect’s web-based service management system from multiple field locations.

According to Tom Otto, Vice President of Sales at USI Services, “I knew we had to automate our proof of delivery and service installation. The manual processes and paper work order systems were time consuming and prone to error. I knew there had to be a solution that integrated our paperwork, GPS, pictures and our web-based scheduling system. We contacted Nick D’Uva at Compsee due to Compsee’s reputation as a Mobile Systems Integrator. Compsee helped bring the concept to reality by recommending the appropriate hardware mix and by introducing me to BizSpeed, a software company specialized in proof of delivery mobility solutions.”

BizSpeed worked with USI Services to automate the technicians work order system by integrating the goRoam mobile delivery software with USI Services’ service management solution. Through USI Services, work can be assigned to installers or to crews with the service delivery tickets wirelessly sent to the goRoam mobile software.

Crews now have all work order information on Motorola MC70 ruggedized handheld devices. The old meters and new meters are individually confirmed with integrated barcode scanning and pictures of each meter. Pictures are taken with the MC70 imager and attached to the individual work order. The installers no longer have to write down picture numbers, meter numbers, readings, etc. In addition to the integrated imager and barcode scanner, installers now use an integrated TLS GPS device to record the GPS coordinates directly on the ticket. (Note: Motorola MC75 devices now include built-in GPS.)

As soon as a work order is complete, the goRoam software uses the AT&T data network to upload the information, pictures and GPS to the USI Services server. USI Services allows municipalities to logon via the web to monitor project status as well as getting new meter data within seconds of installations.

Mobile utility screenshots

According to Jim Coughlan, Vice President of Operation at USI Services, benefits of the goRoam mobile software and USI Services dispatch system include:

• Seamless integration with the USIConnect web scheduling solution
• Ability to re-assign tickets on the fly and have all ticket information transferred wirelessly to the new installer or crew
• Paperless work orders – no re-keying of data
• Accurate data – meter barcodes are scanned versus hand written, pictures can only be attached to the current work order and the GPS coordinates are captured directly in the ticket so there are no transcription errors.
• GPS integrated confirmation of delivery
• Faster and minimal data entry – installers use a touchscreen, barcode scanner and number pad
• Eliminated re-keying of paperwork – we get paid to deliver, not to re-key data
• Eliminating lost and late paperwork – work orders are wirelessly updated as soon as the status is changed and sent to a secure central server
• Flexible dispatch – since tickets can be assigned and sent wirelessly, installers don’t have to wait on paperwork or phone calls
• Faster billing – no waiting on paperwork or re-keyed data
• Better forecasting and management – work orders are time stamped and tracked electronically so management has the tools to accurately track and manage jobs. This in turn has helped estimate new projects.
• More business – our automated mobile solution is a competitive advantage that has helped win new business
• Customer confidence – the automation in the field has given municipalities improved confidence

USI Services web scheduling and goRoam based mobile solution are available for use as a hosted solution or on-site installation.  For more information, contact:

USI Services: Tony Anderson at tanderson @ blutrend.com

BizSpeed: Doug Hollowell at dhollowell @ bizspeed.com