Unique Requirements in the Transport Industry

We have come to expect that no two transport companies operate in the same way. Management styles vary from micro-management to flying by the seat of their pants!

The different types of operation - whether full truck loads, consolidated loads or contract work create their own particular workflows and methods.

• Every transport company is unique: Some companies use sub-contractors, some only do full loads, some need a warehousing component. Many companies act as brokers for the transport industry.
• Information is power: Allowing management to be proactive rather than reactive.
• Management Information Reporting needs vary greatly from company to company: The need for up-to-date management, statistical and accounting information is a vital aspect of any transport business. How you want it, when you want it.
• Crisis-management has far-reaching repercussions. Often the "left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing" within the various divisions of the company.
• Divisions such as Operations, Warehousing, Maintenance and Accounting need to share common data.
• Every transport company operates in their own unique way, based on their management-style.
• The size and type of the fleets expand and contract constantly. Scheduling and allocation of available resources, re-routing and breakdowns are difficult to monitor.
• The availability of in-service trucks changes constantly with maintenance, delays, breakdowns, etc. - this impacts forward planning and results in lost business and poor customer service.
• Methods of fleet maintenance are different - servicing in-house or outsourced. Tracking of costs always becomes vital.
• Some companies use sub-contractors on a regular or irregular basis.
• The territorial areas differ - some only local within RSA, many across our borders with special requirements for customs, multi-currency and differing VAT / GST.
• Divisions such as Operations, Warehousing, Maintenance and Accounting need to share common data.
• Duplication and recapturing of data results in wasted man hours and human error. The number of administration staff required always seems to become "top heavy".
• Management Information Reporting needs vary greatly from company to company. Month-end consolidations are time-consuming.
• Many Transporters make incorrect assumptions about areas of their operation with regard to profitability / non-profitability - because they lack the ability to quickly produce up-to-the minute reports at any time of the month or summaries for any time-period.