The last 5 years has seen many businesses transition from paper-based to digital technologies, with many companies now promoting (some enforcing) no printing and clean desk cultures.
But what happens when your business operates in an environment where paper is essential for proof of service and/or proof of delivery (POD)?
Without that signed piece of paper your invoices may be challenged, your payment delayed or maybe worse…. So when paper forms the backbone of cash-flow in your business should you consider options to move to a digital delivery E-POD system or should you stay put?
Let’s explore some of the misconceptions of why going digital may not be right for your transport/haulage business:-
- Cost: Sign on Glass tech used to be beyond the realms of most budgets, but today things are very different. Capable handsets/smartphones now start from just over £45 and with protective/rugged cases starting from £10. The financial fear of onboarding is no longer applicable.
- User education: With 85% of UK households having access to a smartphone the use of this type of tech is now common place, so the question of user competence/education is a thing of the past!
- Customers insist on their own paperwork: There’s nothing stopping you from continuing to use your customer’s paperwork – but that doesn’t mean you also have to create your own or take copies/scans of theirs. Our experience shows that those customers who insist on seeing a proof of delivery signature on their own paperwork soon come to realise the benefits that come with a connected E-POD system far outweigh those of having to wait for a hard copy POD to come back to them days (or weeks) later.
So what’s involved in moving from paper to Electronic Sign-On-Glass Driver Proof of Delivery?
It’s really simple.
- Subscribe to HaulTech’s E-POD (Electronic Proof of Delivery) App service
- Install the E-POD app onto each driver’s smartphone
- Drivers log in to the app to download their Job/Load manifests. Your drivers can then see their next job and/or their full day’s workload as and when it’s allocated to them
- Your driver selects their next job from the list and navigates to the collection or delivery location
- Once goods are collected/delivered the app enables the driver to take photos of the collection, delivery, product, boxes, pallets etc, together with any supporting collection/delivery documentation – including customer paperwork 🙂
- Your driver hands the smartphone to the customer who signs to approve collection/delivery of the goods
- At the point of E-Signature the job status within your HaulTech TMS is automatically updated
- Within seconds the E-Signature is transferred into your Transport Management System allowing you quickly view and forward the E-POD as and when require
And the productivity, safety and compliance opportunity, efficiency savings and customer success tools don’t stop there…..
- All of this can be made available in real-time using HaulTech’s industry leading customer connectivity portal
- The E-POD app includes vehicle and trailer checks too
If you’d like to know more why not reach out to a member of our team by calling 01782 662244 or say hello@haultech.co.uk
