Case Histories › Automotive Logistics

Mistakes eliminated and costs cut in car delivery

Automotive Logistics was set up ten years ago and now moves around 600 vehicles a week with individual drivers delivering between two to three cars a day. Clients include some of the UK’s largest dealership networks. Co-ordinating the work of 60 self-employed drivers delivering cars to the motor trade the length and breadth of the UK was a major logistical problem for the Selby-based company until they integrated the Autopage File Importer system into their own booking system. “We see the drivers only periodically when they come into the office to pick up paperwork. Otherwise, all contact is by phone,” says Automotive Logistics’ Managing Director Ron Jackman.

Problem

Before Autopage was introduced, co-ordinators at Selby had to painstakingly contact each driver by ‘phone with the next day’s instructions for collections and deliveries. Ron Jackman explains: “We have a co-ordinator planning drivers’ movements and relaying instructions to three operators who are each in charge of 20 drivers. Previously, the operators had to take work home with them in hard copy format to relay the information during the evening to their drivers.”

Human error could creep into the system with drivers sometimes mishearing car registrations. “Many cars are from fleet operators and have consecutively registration numbers. One misheard number or letter and a driver could pick up the wrong car and have driven 300 miles in the wrong direction before the mistake is noticed,” Mr Jackman said.

Solution

Since integrating the Autopage File Importer system into its own job booking system six years ago, mistakes have been drastically reduced and cost savings achieved.

“Now, when we book a car out to a driver, a message comes up on our booking system prompting the operator to send an SMS message file containing all the information to the driver via the Autopage messaging system,” Mr Jackman said.

Work is allocated at the click of a button; each day’s instructions go out by close of work the previous day and office staff no longer have to work into the evening from home. Instead, the company is sending out 2000 messages a month on a specially negotiated Vodafone tariff. Using text has almost completely eliminated human errors, making the company’s service totally reliable.

Mr Jackman says that the Autopage messaging system has “revolutionised” Automotive Logistics’ business. “We have real-time information on where the car is, who the driver is and we can even raise invoices for the customer. The driver out in the field is looking at exactly the same information that we are back in the office, so it can’t be misconstrued, misheard or misread, and the driver doesn’t have to stop the car to take down the information. If there is a query, he can even show the customer his message file to ensure he is collecting the right car.”

“We would have struggled without it. I would find it difficult to continue without the system. It really has been like the re-invention of the wheel for us. The big plus is we are now getting the correct data across. The Autopage system has eliminated human errors and we have zero failures.

“If we have had the odd glitch during its use, it has usually been with our own system and a quick call to Autopage has got it sorted. Their support service has been excellent.” “The whole system is absolutely super!”

 

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