A new digital information hub is giving IFL customers a real-time ‘eye’ on their consignments as they are picked up, transported, trunked and delivered throughout the UK. Customers with palletised freight will also be able to access a series of freight forwarding KPIs to drive up performance levels.
First of its kind for pallet freight sector
The service is the first real-time information hub in the pallet network sector and has been launched by Palletways network, of which IFL is a platinum member. It is the biggest IT development in the group’s 20-year history.
The end result for our freight forwarding customers is not just increased transparency – monitoring vehicle locations on a map or getting an ETA (estimated time of arrival) for your delivery, for example – but greater efficiencies and even new business opportunities based on your distribution profile, and making the most of delivery ‘hot spots’. The full list of benefits is below.
The service is available to all UK customers who book online with us and send their palletised goods through Palletways’ network around the UK. It will also be rolled out to European cargo forwarding services in the future.
Seven key benefits for freight forwarders
At the heart of the system is a customer and depot dashboard, which provides extensive and network-wide operational information in real time, including the following:
- Full visibility of consignments across the network as soon as they are entered into the system, increasing the ability to plan effectively.
- Instant data on proof of delivery (POD), a key performance indicator for the group.
- Customer trading profiles, including average consignments per day and per month, as well as the number of pallets delivered.
- Consignment analytics, incorporating a heat map, to show where deliveries are currently being made and identifying opportunities for customers to serve new markets nearby.
- Mapped vehicle management data relating to collection and deliveries at depot level to enhance traffic planning and vehicle use.
- Live vehicle status screens to check upon the location and delivery of all consignments and to manage consignments at risk proactively if there are any delivery issues.
- Full tracked details of consignments arriving at the hubs on trunk vehicles across the whole network to manage inbound traffic effectively and efficiently.
New mobile app launched
A new mobile app for use by Palletways members has also been launched in conjunction with the online hub. This brings access to the data while on the move and streamlines a number of elements, such as the generating and scanning of PODs.
Says Luis Zubialde, MD of Palletways in the UK: “Information is power and our digital information hub provides instant access to data and total transparency across our operations and commercial landscape for the benefit of our members and our customers.
“The live data will provide greater operational efficiencies by reducing downtime on telephone calls, increasing vehicle utilisation and enhancing traffic management. It will also take customer service to even higher levels by speeding up the resolution of any delivery issues to ensure deliveries on time, providing real-time visibility of consignments being transported through our network and presenting new business opportunities for users of our services based on their current distribution profiles.”
How to benefit
To become an IFL customer and take advantage of the new digital information hub, get in touch with us today. Or read more about our pallet transport and services.
Images: © Palletways
