7 questions to ask when looking for an electronic proof of delivery system

Carry out a quick Google search and you’ll be sure to come up with a long list of different electronic proof of delivery systems. With similar feature lists, comparable benefits and all with the promise of transforming your operation, how do you sort the wheat from the chaff and choose the right system for your business?

Whether you are merely browsing a website, chatting to a sales person or receiving a product demonstration, getting the answers to these 7 questions will help you decide if both the solution and the software provider are the right fit for your organisation.

1. Will the system support my operational requirements?

While it might seem obvious, a lot of organisations start looking for a solution before they know exactly what challenges they are trying to solve. This can lead to problems further down the line when they either need to look for a new solution or pay for software changes to the existing system.

It’s important to set clear priorities, as well collating your ‘nice to have’ list so that you can compare each system to your business specific requirements rather than judge on generic benefits or industry generalisations. This will also help you get buy in from all of the necessary stakeholders.

Looking for a solution with flexible functionality that can be configured to your specific industry or business processes will increase the likelihood of fulfilling your requirements. For example, rather than static data capture options, Paragon’s electronic proof of delivery system fleXipod, provides the ability to create bespoke workflows and electronic forms such as vehicle checklists and risk assessments, specifically for your business.

2. Does the system provide customer service benefits as well as streamlining my operational processes?

At its heart, proof of delivery software is a data capture tool. However, as the technology has advanced many systems have developed functionality that goes far beyond the simple capture of customer signatures.

Looking out for customer service functionality such as automated ETA notifications, real-time delivery tracking portals and the ability to configure on-site customer service processes such as satisfaction surveys, will help you achieve a far wider range of benefits from your chosen proof of delivery system.

3. Is it easy for my staff to use?

Your chosen solution needs to be easy for your staff to pick up and use every day. Otherwise you could delay your return on investment and cause more problems for your staff than you actually solve.

Receiving a live product demonstration will show you how the system will work for your staff, but what should you be looking out for?

For your drivers – Ensure the mobile application provides them with quick, step-by-step processes in a user-friendly format that will make their daily tasks easier. Ease of use is particularly important if you are using subcontractors in your organisation.

For your office-based staff – Look for an easily accessible browser-based solution that can provide the relevant information to the right users, quickly and easily. For example, can operational staff view daily progress via overview screens and receive exception alerts rather than review all of the incoming data for problems? Or, can senior management easily analyse strategic data in a format that suits them?

4. What if my business processes change in the future?

Another benefit of choosing a solution with flexible functionality built in, is the ability to change your processes as and when necessary without needing to pay for costly software changes or consultancy.

For example, the fleXipod proof of delivery system allows your specified users to configure and amend mobile processes centrally and, if required, vary them across depots, customer contracts or services offered.

This helps you take a more agile approach to any changes within your business, whether that is feedback from staff, evolving customer demands, regulatory changes or company growth.

5. How will it connect with my other business systems?

The integration method you need will be reliant on your business objectives. For example, you may need to provide your finance department with completed job data for invoicing, or give your warehouse teams visibility of item level data to manage stock.

Being clear about your requirements early in the process will help you decide which integration method is most suitable and what IT resource you will require to complete the implementation so your new system is live as soon as possible.

You should ensure that the software vendor you choose provides a set of standard integration methods, with clear documentation and established support processes to help your integration run smoothly.

6. Is there an established implementation process?

Making sure that you ask this question early on will ensure you get up and running with your chosen solution – and receive the ROI you want – as quickly as possible.

As with any software project, it is important to choose a provider that can demonstrate a tried and tested implementation process. When it comes to proof of delivery software this process should include adequate requirements gathering to ensure the solution can fulfil all of your business specific needs. In addition, sufficient training and support resources, such as online help or user guides, should be provided as standard.

7. What happens after implementation?

Before you sign on the dotted line, you will no doubt want to establish that your chosen software vendor will be a long term partner and provide all of the ongoing support you require.

You can do this in various ways:

• Understand the after sales support provision – Ideally, you should look for a vendor with a team of experienced consultants that can provide telephone support and helpdesk services, which are backed up with access to online resources for your staff.
• Investigate the history of the company – Understanding how long the company has existed, its commitment to continued product development and customer service ethos can all help you ascertain if it is the right partner for your organisation.
• Learn more about the customer base – The number of customers as well as average tenure can all be good indicators of a company’s reputation. You could also ask for customer examples or testimonials from projects in similar industries or with similar business needs to your own.
• Find out if the product is still in active development – Choose a solution that will continue to grow alongside your business with additional functionality added regularly to help you tackle future transport challenges.

If you’d like to find out how the fleXipod electronic proof of delivery system can help your organisation, get in touch with one of our experienced team today.

Alternatively, you can find out more about the features of the fleXipod system by downloading our datasheet.