Transtech Consulting Services Pty Ltd has launched eSwap - its mobile solution for tracking the delivery of new product and the swapping of it with old.
eSwap updates the corporate database in real-time with transactions from the field via a hand held computer. It has been designed to include use in the dangerous goods sector.
For companies simply delivering product and not swapping it with spent returns, eSwap can be used for real-time electronic proof of delivery and invoicing. For any business that picks up used containers and recycles them with new product, eSwap tracks inventory of deliveries and pick-ups and gives customer service a snap-shot view of planned versus actual deliveries.
Transtech has developed and completed beta testing of eSwap with a client that recycles containers of their product. It is now fully operational in a distribution operation with 3,000 transactions per day, and it is delivering sizable benefits that have significantly lowered the cost of a transaction.
The previous manual operation involved staff from approximately 30 different locations around the country. Non-standardisation, errors, lost dockets and a backlog of unprocessed dockets made the billing process a costly exercise with invoicing delays of a week or more. The manual system was heavily dependent on the drivers correctly creating dockets and returning them in tact to the Billing department.
Using the eSwap hand-held PDA, drivers now no longer have any paperwork at all. Invoicing now takes place in real-time to cut the billing cycle, and electronic signature capture provides immediate Proof of Delivery.
Accounts Receivable no longer has to allocate extra staff hours or shifts to process a large backlog of dockets. Customer Service has an accurate real-time picture of the deliveries made and the estimated time of arrival at the next location.
All this removes the processing delays and inaccurate information that are characteristic of manual systems. eSwap also adds flexibility to the distribution system.
At a glance, the fleet manager knows which of his vehicles are being under-utilised. Unscheduled delivery demands can be quickly factored into the fleet by choosing the most appropriate vehicle to divert to meet the new requirement.