March 9, 2005 | Categories: Clients
Exel has installed Paragon's Fleet Controller software to help manage 11,500 weekly chilled and frozen food deliveries on behalf of Nisa-Today's. Interfaced with TRACKER Network's vehicle tracking system Fleet Controller receives real time location and status information from in-cab units installed in the Exel vehicles. Establishing a valuable link between routing and scheduling software and vehicle tracking provides real-time visibility of how the day's delivery schedules are progressing, gives early warning of any expected late arrivals and produces a complete picture of variances, such as excess mileage or unexpected delays. As a result Exel is now able to manage its transport operation more tightly whilst raising service levels for Nisa-Today's outlets, and with the addition of automatic customer SMS text messages, customer service levels are set to rise further still.
Nisa-Today's, the UK's largest independent buying group for retail and wholesale companies, uses Exel to manage over 11,500 weekly deliveries of frozen and chilled produce to its 3,500 outlets. With each of the 130+ Exel-owned vehicles fitted with an in-cab tracking unit provided by TRACKER Network, Nisa-Today's has a simple interface between its tracking system and Paragon's Fleet Controller software which provides transport managers and customer service teams with an up-to-date picture of how the day's transport operation is progressing in relation to the planned schedules.
"The seamless integration of Paragon Fleet Controller with TRACKER's vehicle tracking system via a simple XML interface enables real time information about a vehicle's location and status to be captured automatically and fed back to the Paragon system at frequent intervals," comments Richard Street, Paragon's Software Development Director. "Fleet Controller stores the planned routes and schedules, and incorporates instant map-based routing and re-scheduling capabilities. Each time a vehicle's GPS location is received, the software re-calculates the journey from that location to the next customer, and updates all the timings for the remainder of its schedule, taking account of any additional European or Working Time Directive break requirements."
"Using Paragon's Fleet Controller software means that our transport and customer service teams get advance warning of any potential late arrivals and can deal with them promptly", explains Exel's Richard Cooper. "We also have access to another Fleet Controller facility which enables us to automatically send SMS text messages informing Nisa-Today's outlets when their delivery is approaching so that they can be ready to receive it - saving time for both the store and the driver. This is a huge customer service benefit for the operation as keeping outlets informed and providing accurate delivery times is a key objective in raising customer service for Nisa-Today's."
As well as highlighting delays or deviations from the plan as they occur, Fleet Controller also provides a complete picture of vehicle movements at the end of each day. By automatically comparing actual activity with the planned schedules, Fleet Controller can generate daily reports showing key performance indicators, such as the percentage of deliveries achieved within the promised time window, and exception reports highlighting unexpected delays, excess mileage or time, and even instances where less time was spent than planned. In this way, operational anomalies can easily be identified and resolved, enabling a process of continual performance improvement.
"Fleet Controller delivers real time visibility and reporting functionalities that are designed to benefit both transport and customer service managers," comments William Salter, Paragon's Managing Director. "For the equivalent of 50p per vehicle per day Fleet Controller can be linked into an existing Paragon routing and scheduling system or purchased as a stand alone system. The fact that we have established a simple XML interface with most leading vehicle tracking suppliers means that the software, and the benefits that go with it, are readily available."
Notes to Editors:
Paragon Software Systems is a market leader in transport optimisation with over 1,500 routing and scheduling systems installed in more than 33 countries. Paragon helps companies reduce transport costs by up to 20 per cent through more efficient deployment of vehicles and drivers. Headquartered in Dorking, UK and with US offices in Dallas, Paragon is a respected pioneer in routing and scheduling with over 30 years of know-how.
Paragon is employed by transport operations ranging from just 10 vehicles at a single site to hundreds of vehicles operating from several sites. The system is used for routing and scheduling optimisation; managing transport resources; strategic planning; scheduling home deliveries continuously as orders are being confirmed; and managing the execution of the transport plan in real time using vehicle tracking technology.
Paragon assists many leading companies with their logistics including ASDA, Royal Mail Group, Harrods, Sainsbury's, AB Agri, CEVA Logistics, Wincanton, DHL Exel, Norbert Dentressangle, Linde, Fuller's, John Lewis, Tesco, Keystone Distribution, Raleigh and many others.
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