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 May 14, 2008
Build Profit Margin by Adding 3PL Capabilities Crawford Streamlines Operations, Cuts Fuel Costs, Increases Revenue with Prophesy Save Money on Fuel! Optimization Feature Added to Dispatch A Closer Look: Document Imaging
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Build Profit Margin by Adding 3PL Capabilities
Many successful trucking companies are looking for additional revenue sources as profit margins are being squeezed more and more. One way to secure new business and remain competitive is to add third-party logistics services to your existing operation.
One major advantage of becoming a 3PL is the high demand for outside logistics help. Organizations are struggling to manage an increasingly complex supply chain, and 3PLs are a key way to manage this complex process. With the necessary logistics expertise, your company will offer services to better handle order fulfillment and shipment requirements, inventory turns, and related procedures, increasing your customers' competitive edge and allowing them to concentrate on their critical business. Many companies are also understandably apprehensive about the overhead and other issues in hiring new personnel, and using a 3PL eliminates this need altogether.
Starting a 3PL will also produce several benefits for your organization. A 3PL will typically boast a larger profit margin than a trucking company, as it has fewer assets to manage and is more scalable. A 3PL can also drive new business to your trucking company. Many of your 3PL customers, in learning of your core services, may decide to make a consolidation move and begin using your company solely for all its outside needs.
Before implementing a 3PL service, it is important to evaluate opportunities. Profile potential customers, calling companies in your area to inquire how they currently manage their logistics operations. Find out if there are any areas for improvement with the 3PLs that they currently work with.
Also take time to survey your competitors and the services they offer, using this information to establish your own service structure and pricing. Competition can be other 3PLs but could also include companies that are not technically 3PLs but offer some logistics services as add-ons to their core offerings.
Most of all, talk to your own customers and hear what they have to say about your plans. Some customers may be excited about the opportunity to work closer with you on more areas of their operation. You may also find that some customers deal with you because you are a small, regional player. These customers may also point out some deficiencies in your operation that you should address prior to making any move onto a larger stage.
Adding a 3PL to your existing business can be quite lucrative. However, even with a full understanding of logistics management and a survey of your potential competitors and customer needs, you must have the proper tools. The ideal 3PL is fully integrated into its customers' daily processes, and the power of Prophesy's total logistics software will allow you to do exactly that.
To learn how Prophesy Logistics Software can help you transform your business into a 3PL, call (800) 776-6706 or email Sales@ProphesyLogistics.com.
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Crawford Streamlines Operations, Cuts Fuel Costs, Increases Revenue with Prophesy
Crawford Trucking of Des Moines, IA, is a dry van TL carrier servicing the US from coast to coast. Crawford has experienced great success since its founding in 1990, becoming a shining example of growth and progress in the trucking industry. Like many successful companies, Crawford Trucking eventually came to a point where it began to outgrow its once useful methods.
"It was utter chaos," said Gregg Ryan, Owner. "For so long, we had been managing everything using spreadsheets and notebooks, and lots of them. There came a point where we could no longer efficiently sustain the business using these means." Crawford's original 8-truck fleet had grown considerably and was beginning to exceed the ability of dispatchers to manage it.
By 2006, Crawford had identified a critical need to implement a new system to eliminate the bottlenecks that had recently been exposed in many of their manual processes. While thoroughly shopping around for software, Ryan found Prophesy and was impressed. "The first thing that caught my eye is that Prophesy is modular and is flexible for any type and size of trucking company. I was able to purchase only the features I needed, and the whole package was surprisingly affordable."
After purchasing Dispatch with QuickBooks® Interface, Crawford employed the help of Prophesy's expert Training & Consulting staff to implement the software on their system. "I have worked for companies in the past that required large IT staffs to implement new software," said Ryan. "But with the Prophesy implementation I needed no in-house IT staff whatsoever. Working with Prophesy's consultants we were able to install and configure the system quickly and flawlessly." Ryan subsequently worked with the Prophesy Training & Consulting staff to receive full product training by phone and Internet and was able to immediately begin using the software.
Since their original purchase, Crawford has doubled their number of Prophesy user licenses and added several additional modules and applications including Advanced Fleet Maintenance, Document Imaging, Truck Tracking, and the popular SQL upgrade. "I couldn't be happier with our relationship with Prophesy," said Ryan. "Kevin Pasternack, my account representative, is extremely knowledgeable with the software as well as the trucking industry, which is a very important benefit to us. And in the rare cases where I've needed technical support, Prophesy's Support team has been top notch all the way."
Today, Crawford has a fleet of 30 trucks and a staff of 40 employees, with plans for an acquisition in the near future that could mean an increase to 50 trucks. With the help of their Prophesy software, they have been able to grow revenues, streamline operations, combat rising fuel costs, and better handle the challenges facing today's trucking companies. Whatever the future may hold, the folks at Crawford Trucking can be sure that Prophesy will be along for the ride.
For more information about Prophesy's Total Software Solution for Trucking, email usernews@mile.com or call (800) 776-6706.
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New Training Videos Available
The Prophesy Training & Consulting team has completed a major update of its product training videos. These interactive videos cover all functionality of the Dispatch software and also include the latest interfaces and feature enhancements.
Recently added Dispatch functionalities include the new Load Scheduler and Driver Scheduler screens, recent updates to the Resource Availability screen, the popular new Document Imaging module, and much more.
"Our team has fully revamped our training videos and are eager to share this next generation of interactive training tools with our customers," said Miriam Vella, Manager of Training & Implementation. "We are especially excited that these videos will now be available on mile.com and more easily accessible than ever."
For more information on the full range of available training options for your Prophesy software, please email usernews@mile.com or call us at (800) 776-6706.
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Save Money on Fuel! Optimization Feature Added to Dispatch
Prophesy Dispatch v5.6 now generates optimized fuel plans for dispatched loads and electronically sends them to the cell phone or on-board computer of the assigned driver. As always, all customers enrolled in the Prophesy software maintenance (SIPP) programs will receive this update free of charge.
Optimal fuel solutions can be requested and quickly generated within the Dispatch booking screen. Then with a simple mouse click, the system electronically sends the optimized fuel solution including detailed information about the fuel stop (city/state, number of gallons to purchase, current price, phone number, and road/exit information) to the assigned driver.
"Prophesy saves trucking companies an average of 6-8 cents per gallon, or an estimated $1,000 per year per truck, with our industry-preferred FuelLogic solution," said Prophesy President and CEO Edward Forman. "The current and projected rising fuel prices have made this component a critical addition for many of our customers. Full integration within Dispatch adds further convenience and functionality to our total trucking solution."
To read about the 5 most common misconceptions in purchasing fuel over the road, visit:
Fuel solution report
Fuel solution email
For more information on Prophesy's Fuel Optimization Software, email usernews@mile.com or call (800) 776-6706.
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A Closer Look: Document Imaging
Prophesy's 2007 release of Prophesy Document Imaging has been a resounding success. Designed to suit the needs of trucking companies, Document Imaging contains a wealth of important features that make managing trucking documentation easy. Many users are realizing the inherent benefits of this module, which offers tools to scan, organize, and retrieve all types of trucking business documents. Here we take a closer look at the major features of this ground-breaking application.
Using the intuitive Document Imaging interface (found in the Dispatch menu under Operations > Maintain Document Imaging), you can scan images and associate them with Invoices, Master Invoices, Drivers, Carriers, Tractors, Equipment, and Customers. When you select one of these record types from the "View images for" dropdown box, a list of all records of that type appear in the list below. Select a record from the list, and you will see any images already associated with it on the Images tab. Click the Scan Image button to scan a new image to associate with it.
When you select a document on the Images tab, the image currently associated with that document will appear in the browser window at the right. Here you can zoom and rotate the image as needed.
The Settings tab allows you to configure and apply settings to control how the image will look after it is scanned. You can check the "Show native scanner UI" checkbox if you would rather use your scanner's own interface. Here you will also find options to set the locations where images are stored.
The Attach tab allows you to browse through previously stored images and associate them with any record in the system. Here you can browse to any location where images are stored, and if desired you can apply a filter to show only images of a specific format.
With the release of Dispatch version 5.5, the Manage Document Imaging interface has been significantly redesigned to streamline workflow. New features include:
Another recent enhancement gives users the ability to automatically create an image of an invoice while it is printing and automatically associate it with the load.
Document Imaging interface
Document Imaging settings
Image Types interface
To request a live demo, or for more information on Prophesy Document Imaging, email usernews@mile.com or call (800) 776-6706.
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Notes from the Training Team
Now That's Dedication!
By Miriam Vella
As manager of Prophesy's Training & Consulting team, I work to promote a mindset of outstanding customer dedication among our staff. Our main goal is for all our clients to know that we are not working for Prophesy, but for them. This can make all the difference when beginning the sometimes intimidating process of a training program. Another important advantage of using our team for your software implementation is in their broad knowledge of the product as compared to outside consultants. These key advantages allow us to directly partner with your company and set forth an implementation plan and schedule that has been proven to work and will make you feel right at home.
Prophesy has 25 years of experience with implementing software for trucking companies. We have often seen our customers so busy that they hire an outside consultant to help them implement their software. What they may not realize is that a consultant is subject to the same learning curve as their employees. In-house Prophesy Consultants have the edge over an outside consultant because we already know the product inside and out! We have had the experience of countless Prophesy implementations in all types of environments and can significantly reduce the needed consulting time. Aside from helping your implementation go more smoothly, all of our consultants are Certified Instructors for the Prophesy Dispatch Software and can offer on-the-spot advice in the everyday usage of the software.
My team works for YOU. Many companies buy business software products and then feel overwhelmed by all that the software can do, and deciding where to begin. As a training team, we go to great lengths to ensure that your company can use the software effectively and efficiently. You have made a substantial investment, and our job is to ensure that you know our solution is worth the investment. Everyone here at Prophesy understands how proud I am of my group; I am confident that the customer is in excellent hands with them. You can always rest assured that our team is committed to your success!
These are just some of the areas where Prophesy can save your trucking company time and money, and the reason we stress the importance of using Prophesy's dedicated, expert staff.
~ Miriam Vella
To learn more about Prophesy's Training & Consulting services, email usernews@mile.com or call (800) 776-6706 today!
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Ask the Tech Team
GPL Ghostscript is a free third-party utility that allows you to turn any invoice, driver settlement, or report into a PDF document. Once a PDF document is created you can easily attach it to an email or save it for later retrieval without having to regenerate it in Dispatch.
Ghostscript also allows you to maintain a consistent document format for exported data. Dispatch inherently allows you to export a document into an Excel spreadsheet but only retains the raw data values and not the document's original layout. However, converting it to PDF will retain an exact snapshot of the document to maintain consistency and eliminate the need to reformat your exported data.
For full instructions and a download link for Ghostscript, go to www.mile.com/pdftroubleshooting and refer to Question 1.
Users should note that GPL Ghostscript is a freely available third-party software application under the GNU General Public License and is not maintained or supported by Prophesy Transportation Solutions, Inc.
Ask a question! If you have a question for the Prophesy Tech Team, email it to usernews@mile.com and you could see it answered in a future issue of the Prophesy eZine.
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Copyright 2008 Prophesy Transportation Solutions, Inc.
All trademarks property of their respective owners. |
