How your fleXipod system can help you adapt to these extraordinary times

The last few weeks have brought huge upheaval and uncertainty in both our personal and professional lives.

While many businesses have sent staff to work from the safety of their homes, that is not the case for most delivery operations. You are currently facing the extraordinary challenge of fulfilling more complex customer needs than ever before while also ensuring staff are protected in constantly evolving conditions. That’s no small feat!

And yet, the response so far has been nothing short of incredible. Businesses have evolved quickly to meet these new demands head on, competitors are sharing resources, 3PLs are collaborating with their customers to make the impossible happen and countless temporary positions have been filled to boost capacity. The industry is certainly rising to the challenge.

At Paragon, we want to help ensure that you can make all the necessary changes to your operation as painlessly and efficiently as possible.

Below are some examples of how your existing fleXipod system can help you stay both agile and in control. If you have questions about your operation or want to discuss any of this functionality in more detail, please get in touch – our support teams are ready to help you however they can.

Amend processes quickly using fleXipod forms

The fleXipod forms functionality makes it easy to amend delivery processes without any costs, change requests or delays. Forms are completely configurable by you and can be amended to suit your specific business requirements. And, once confirmed, the changes can be shared with your drivers the next time they are allocated a manifest.

Form requirements always vary from business to business and this is no different in the current environment we find ourselves in. Some examples of changes you could make are:

• Amend existing vehicle checklist forms at the beginning of the day to include hygiene reminders or check in on the health of your driver and his/her family.
• Replace the requirement for a customer signature with a form to capture photos of the items in the customer’s specified safe place or on the doorstep.
• Add a PDF document into any form (or make it accessible via the ad-hoc menu) so that your driver can read hygiene instructions or latest government guidelines easily.
• Create a form for the end of the shift to thank your driver and remind them of any key procedures to clean down their vehicle.

Whatever changes you need to make to your delivery processes, the fleXipod form functionality gives you the ability to stay agile and respond to circumstances as they change without placing your staff under any more pressure. Even if you are not a big fleXipod forms user at the moment, our support teams would be happy to walk you through the quick and simple steps required to manage your new workflows.

Ensure compliance across all drivers with the fleXipod app

Whether you are amending your standard processes in response to current circumstances or supplementing your regular workforce with temporary staff, your drivers may be struggling to keep track of all the new information and processes.

The user-friendly fleXipod app guides them through the expected workflows, even if they vary by customer, delivery or product type. So, all of your drivers, whether existing, temporary or agency, can quickly get to grips with the easy formatting of the app and follow the step-by-step instructions without lengthy training.

No matter how many drivers you are now employing, you can rest assured that with fleXipod they are all following the same processes out in the field. And, as always, this ensures that consistent data is visible to your operational teams in real time.

Increase visibility with the fleXipod console and track my driver portal

The fleXipod central management console is easily accessible via a browser so office-based teams can access it just as easily from home. From the console, teams can monitor progress and respond proactively to any issues that may cause delays. In addition to standard progress screens, you can utilise the exception alerting functionality to flag any high priority issues quickly. For example, if on a start of shift form a driver recorded that a close family member is self-isolating or displaying symptoms, this could be flagged directly with operational teams for follow up.

With the additional fleXipod track my driver functionality you can also provide increased visibility to your customers. They can access accurate and timely delivery updates themselves without any demand on your staff. Particularly useful if your customer call centres are running a reduced service.

This functionality is valuable no matter who your customers are. For example, a busy supermarket awaiting a bread delivery will be able to arrange for staff to be free at the correct time. Equally, a stressed parent trying to juggle remote working with home schooling is likely to want accurate visibility of when their prescription or grocery delivery is going to arrive. While you may be offering longer time windows than usual, fleXipod track my driver functionality can still offer transparency and provide confidence in your ability to deliver on the day. All without increasing the workload for your already stretched staff.

We know these are difficult times, particularly for delivery operations. Now, more than ever, correctly employing the right technology solutions to simplify processes and increase efficiency wherever possible is critical in helping you rise to the challenges the industry is facing.

As always, our support teams are here to help you get the most from your Paragon software. Whether you need to discuss how you can tailor your fleXipod system to your new requirements or would like to enquire about adding fleXipod to your existing Paragon systems, get in touch and we will be happy to help.