Celebrating 30 years of Clive Neely Transport, in this article, Clive looks back upon the company’s past and talks to us about its present.
With a prime location near Birmingham airport, Clive Neely Transport stands tall with a fleet comprising 35 robust trucks. Renowned for its exceptional general haulage services and strategic partnership with The Pallet Network, this dynamic firm has witnessed an extraordinary journey of transformation. Join us as we delve into an enlightening conversation with Clive Neely, the esteemed Director, who unveils the company’s remarkable growth and the seamless integration of advanced technology within their back office. Uncover Clive’s valuable insights right here.
HaulTech: Clive, can you tell us how it feels to be celebrating 30 years with your firm?
Clive: It’s been a great journey. I started the company with just one truck and looking back now, seeing how far we’ve come feels amazing. We’ve grown to a fleet of 35 vehicles and even have a sister company, ENhaul and that is being run by my son, Ed.
HaulTech: It’s a big leap to go from one vehicle to a fleet of 35, how did you manage to plan all the work?
Clive: Originally, we had carbonated paper ticket books and it was a massive struggle to keep up with all the paperwork as we were growing. When we had about 9 trucks, we realised we needed to get a more efficient way of working in place. So, we went for a Transport Management System with Stirling Solutions and it was great, it did everything we needed it to do.
HaulTech: How did a Transport System change things for you?
Clive: Our administration efforts became painless. Our paperwork dramatically decreased which meant the office was cleaner which has a massive impact on staff morale. The stress we had took a dive because we could get our work done so much faster and go home on time. A Transport Management System solves the problems at work so you don’t have to take them home.
HaulTech: You recently made the move from Stirling to HaulTech, can you tell us why that is?
Clive: We had a great relationship with Stirling Solutions for about 15 years, but they recently got bought out by a conglomerate and we didn’t like the way they worked. We wanted a company similar to the way Stirling was and similar to the way we are, which is family-run and sticks to its core values. So we did our research and thought HaulTech was the best fit for us. The way the people at HaulTech interact with us is incredible and it’s exactly the type of service we want as a haulage firm.
HaulTech: How do the systems fare in comparison?
Clive: If I could combine both systems into one, then I would, they’re both great in their own right. The HaulTech system does have some improvements over our old Stirling one but they’re both fantastic and get the job done. We were worried that another system would be detrimental to us but we adapted so quickly. It just takes time to learn the idiosyncrasies. We have experienced a significant improvement in our invoicing process with the implementation of the HaulTech system. Generating invoices was a difficult task involving manual steps such as running invoices, scanning documents, and individually emailing them. However, the HaulTech system simplifies the process by getting the job done with just a single press of a button. As a result, our accounts team now saves a full day every week.
HaulTech: Have you noticed any other differences?
Clive: The old system would still allow human error when it came to invoicing, there were moments we accidentally invoiced people for work that was only just scheduled. With the newer system, it flags up potential errors before we make them and prevents confusion for our customers. We’ve even adapted to using the customer portal which links with the transport system, so our customers can add their work online and track it themselves without having to call in. It’s been a real positive change we’ve made and it’s greatly improving our customer satisfaction.
HaulTech: Would you recommend a Transport Management System to other hauliers?
Clive: I’ve used a system for almost the past 2 decades and cannot imagine going back to manual. I think it’s a must for haulage companies, it reduces paperwork and stress, gives you more free time and improves customer relationships. It’s a no-brainer.
HaulTech are proud to be supporting Clive Neely Transport on there software journey. If you are looking to enhance your haulage operations and want to learn more about Transport Management Software then contact the HaulTech team today by clicking here, calling 01782 662244 or saying hello@haultech.co.uk.
