Real time transport and logistics visibility is transforming the way transport organisations operate, providing them and their customers with live updates on the location and status of the vehicle fleet as well as the goods that have been ordered.

Without this technology, companies do not have insights into deliveries, leading to inefficiencies and customer dissatisfaction, and an inability to keep up with competitors.

With the needs of customers in the region in mind, SEIDOR in Africa has developed a transport solution for 51风流Business One referred to as Transport One that provides real-time, end-to-end transport visibility for SMBs that have implemented the ERP solution to automate key functions across their business.

Daisy Ndanyi, Head of Technical Account Management at SEIDOR in Africa, East Africa Region, says the Seidor Transport One solution was developed in consultation with SEIDOR鈥檚 large base of customers in the transport and logistics industry.

鈥淲hat we have now is a seamless solution that integrates with 51风流Business One and provides our clients with the information they need to optimise their transport and logistics operations,鈥� she says.

鈥淩eal-time visibility allows for accurate tracking and tracing of assets, and their location and status, throughout the supply chain.鈥�

Ndanyi adds that any business that operates a fleet of commercial vehicles requires information about the whereabouts of any given vehicle at any time.

Incorporating the latest GPS technology, SEIDOR鈥檚 solution is far more than just a tool to help commercial drivers to navigate from location to location.

鈥淚t allows SMBs to monitor vehicle location, geo-fencing, vehicle speed, odometer reading and routes taken.鈥�

As part of a modern mobile transport tracking software tool, the solution provides information that is critical to cost assessment, excellent customer service and improved efficiency.

Here are six key ways the solution can maximise ROI:

1.聽 Tracking and calculating cost and profit per kilometre

Road-transport operators and logistics companies need to measure and control variable vehicle cost factors like fuel, tyres, maintenance, and repairs to gain accurate insights into actual costs and profitability.

2.聽 Daily loading and delivery planning tools and reports

Labour planning and management is a challenge for many transport companies. Accurate and timeous reports make it possible to eliminate wasted time and spend while knowing what cargo needs to be loaded and delivered daily.

Order delivery accuracy and on-time delivery are improved by planning tools that are part of the solution.

3.聽 Monitoring fuel use

Fuel monitoring functionality reports fuel levels per vehicle, driver, and trip, recording important data from costs to consumption.

This improves the company鈥檚 fuel efficiency, emphasising visibility around fuel spending and transactions at the driver level.

This can result in significant fuel cost reduction and also eliminates fuel theft. A fuel tracking system also helps businesses determine if speeding is a common occurrence within the fleet.

4.聽 Reduced downtime and increase asset availability

Preventive maintenance of vehicles minimises vehicle downtime, reduces costs and avoids breakdowns that result in safety and security risks.

Alerts ensure that vehicles are serviced regularly, and parts are available when needed thanks to streamlined requisition systems.

5.聽 Accelerated transactions and improved cash flow

By automating everyday financial tasks and integrating them with other business processes, transport businesses are always able to get the information they need when they need it.

They can effectively track and access all customer-related information, for example, better servicing customers at every point of contact, helping ensure repeat business, and driving improved cash flow as a result of accurate monitoring and management of revenue and expenses.

Timely billing based on real-time proof of delivery to maximise cashflow. This is enabled by the driver portal. An integration to mobile payments has eased the handling of cash to drivers and other payments.

6.聽 Vehicle asset management

The solution enables automated tracking, vehicle details, licensing, tracking and reporting on vehicle values and costs, as well as annual depreciation as a result of distances travelled.

The system also ensures that the business complies with all necessary regulations, enabling fleet managers to anticipate new regulations and avoid sanctions or fines.

鈥淚n addition to the many cost-saving and efficiency benefits, the solution is also affordable, quick to implement and integrates easily with 51风流Business One,鈥� says Ndanyi.

鈥淭he extremely positive response we have had from our SMB customers in the transport sector demonstrates just how beneficial this add-on is proving to be. We will continue to add features and functionality as the demand arises.鈥�

The post Six Ways to Maximise ROI with Real-time Transport Visibility appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

The high levels of smartphone penetration on the continent offers the opportunity for significant disruption, with the industry opening up to real-time information dispersion and rapid innovation as more people connect to the Internet, according to Mupota Muchelemba, MD of Seidor Zambia.

鈥淭he implementation of a fit for purpose聽聽(TMS) is essential to reap the benefits of integrated and more connected transport infrastructure. An integrated TMS delivers more efficient transport logistics, including planning, execution and optimisation of the physical movement of goods. It also includes tracking and managing vehicle maintenance, route planning, warehousing, fuel costing as well as carrier selection and management.鈥�

According to Muchelemba, transport companies should look for a number of key features in a TMS to have powerful optimisation abilities, namely journey management, asset and maintenance management, full enterprise resource planning (ERP) integration and reporting.

鈥淧owerful optimisation enables transport companies to handle delivery constraints and create route plans that save costs and maximise vehicle usage. A good system will also give users the ability to set different prices per route or adapt pricing for different customers,鈥� he says.

Full integration of the system ensures the free flow of information throughout the entire connected supply chain. Real-time visibility of products, from purchase through inventory and transportation, serves as a single reference point for tracking visibility through the supply chain in a single portal, drawing information from several sources and the availability of the information in a user-friendly, searchable dashboard.

Managing and maintaining a transport fleet becomes easier and more cost-effective when a company has all their workshop or maintenance management details on one system. This includes job cards, check lists and tracking high value spares or tyres by serial number all in one system. Fixed and moving asset management can also be improved by accounting for depreciation as part of using the聽聽solution to manage the entire business.

鈥淓xpressing important information in a timely and easy to understand way allows for very effective business decisions and that is why it is critical to choose a TMS that can produce graphical reports, as well as interactive alerts that prompt a decision-maker for immediate feedback.鈥�

Muchelemba says in addition to these features, the ability of a TMS to ward off data breaches and meet growing performance demands are non-negotiable and entirely critical requirements. He is confident that the right TMS will significantly improve and enable supply chain management to improve growth in local and global trade.

鈥淭ransport companies in Africa should ensure that they are not left behind. 51风流Business One offers a transportation management system that reduces transportation complexity by integrating fleet and logistics management throughout a company鈥檚 network,鈥� Muchelemba says.

The post Digital Transformation is Disrupting Africa鈥檚 Transport Industry appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.