September 17, 2008

Coming Soon! ProphesyPerks Referral Program

Barse Trucking Gets Serious, Gets Prophesy

Prophesy TrackerSeries Expands Device Offerings, Now Includes Sprint PRO-700 Phones

All Aboard the University of Prophesy Bus . . . Last Call for 2008!

Coming Soon! ProphesyPerks Referral Program

PLUS Opportunity to share your feedback!

Spread the word!
Do you know of other trucking companies who could benefit from Prophesy Software in the same way you have? We bet you do! And in the coming months we are rolling out hot new rewards just for sharing the news!

In 4th Quarter 2008 Team Prophesy will launch ProphesyPerks!

Our goals for this program are rather simple:

To generate more "Word of Mouth" referrals about our products in the trucking community
To reward our valued customers who take the time to spread the word about their experience with our products
To welcome and reward new users who join us as a result of a referral

ProphesyPerks is a system of points awarded to valued customers who refer our product line to other transportation companies. With ProphesyPerks points, our users will be able to shop our online store for their preferred rewards (ranging from electronics, apparel, gift certificates, travel, and more). Each referring company will have an online account where they can "bank" their points to save for larger prizes if desired.

Here's the plan! There are 3 basic point levels for every referral you initiate:

Simply referring Prophesy to an industry colleague

500 Points

Your referred company contacts Prophesy within 90 days with interest in a product

1500 Points

Your referred company purchases Prophesy Software within 90 days of initial contact with Prophesy

BONUS POINTS:
5000 - 75000!

(depending on purchase price)

Also there are many other opportunities to bank extra points throughout the year. Stay tuned for more details on this.

Give your industry colleagues a gift that only a Prophesy User can!

They'll be thrilled to know that there's also a significant bonus for the referred company. Because when they purchase their Prophesy Software, they will receive a 5% discount on their total purchase as a customer referred by one of our active users. That discount is not available under any other program we offer...it can only come from you!

So, tell us what you think...and earn your first points!
We want to hear from you in the coming weeks as we put the final touches on ProphesyPerks. Send us an email at perks@mile.com to let us know what you like about the proposed program, what you don't like, and what you think might make it even better! If we use your suggestion, you'll automatically get 1000 ProphesyPerks points as a thank you for your feedback.

To share feedback, get more info, or submit an early referral...simply send us an email at perks@mile.com!

Barse Trucking Gets Serious, Gets Prophesy

It is hard to imagine that Barse Trucking, with its fleet of flatbeds servicing the Southeastern U.S. and much of the East Coast, once began as a two-person operation. Raymond Barse and his wife, Sharon, built this successful carrier company from the ground up in Riverview, Florida, armed only with a single truck and sheer determination.

Like many other new companies, Barse Trucking hit the ground running but did not immediately implement comprehensive trucking software or streamlined management systems. "We started with a low-end dispatching product designed for one truck, which was fine at the time," said Barse. "But it became apparent pretty quickly that this was not going to cut it if we were to grow at all, and even with only one truck the software was inefficient and not worth the money, in my opinion." Barse also used a separate application to compute mileage and routing reports, and would then have to hand write his trip sheets and transcribe any relevant information to and from his dispatching software.

In spite of these operational hardships the company began to take off, building a strong customer base in Florida and surrounding states. After a year in business, Barse hired his daughter, Rachel, adding a bit of computer savvy to the mix. Now with more potential growth and financial success in sight, Barse knew it was time to get serious and scale up his business. He began searching for a more efficient way to handle his growing workload.

After reviewing several other popular dispatching systems, Barse discovered Prophesy in February 2007. He was especially intrigued by the company's building block approach to software, and with it, he would be able to configure his DispatchSeries software to suit the exact needs of his company. For Barse this was a clear advantage over other systems that are preconfigured and may include more or less than is needed.

After working closely with Prophesy account representative Quentin Eastman, Barse configured a Prophesy DispatchSeries suite that fully met his needs, including Prophesy Dispatch with an interface to his existing QuickBooks accounting software, Mileage & Routing for mileage reports, DriverTrax for driver management, LogPlus for driver log auditing, and TaxTally for his tax reporting. Here was all that Barse needed, in a single, powerful package.

After initial training at the University of Prophesy training center, the Barse team was able to begin dispatching loads and managing all other aspects of the business, without the hassle and stress of using mismatched third-party applications and manual methods. Now that his operation was sufficiently automated, Raymond Barse could turn his attention to upsizing his fleet and focus on his role as a business owner.

Now in its fifth year of business, Barse Trucking boasts a fleet of 12 flatbeds and a workforce of 13 employees. Barse is clearly seeing the benefits of automating his business with Prophesy, and he stresses the important part that technology plays now and in the future of the trucking industry. "We are much more efficient and productive with Prophesy's tools at our disposal, and this allows us to comfortably take steps to grow our company. In fact, a big selling point for us was the scalability of the software. It is great to know that with Prophesy our future growth and success will not be restricted whatsoever."

So what is on the horizon for Barse Trucking? The company intends to further increase its fleet and personnel, and also has plans to acquire a large client that will triple the company's revenue. "I can't say it enough: I owe it all to the software," said Barse, and added with a laugh, "When I talk to other companies still struggling because they're doing things the old-fashioned way, I say, 'Man, you've got to start using Prophesy.'"

For more information about Prophesy's Total Software Solution for Trucking, email usernews@mile.com or call (800) 776-6706.

Prophesy TrackerSeries Expands Device Offerings, Now Includes Sprint PRO-700 Phones

Prophesy has again expanded its Mobile Comm solutions, adding several new data and voice networks, GPS devices, account services, and more. The latest addition to our growing device lineup is the new Sprint/Sanyo^® PRO-700 model handset, which will give users the best of both worlds in push-to-talk functionality and broad service coverage.

All Prophesy TrackerSeries solutions are now compatible with the PRO-700. This model was chosen for its rugged design (meets Military Specification 810F; certified for dust, shock, and vibration), GPS capability, and field reliability. The phone also features a sleek clamshell design, speakerphone capabilities, and other convenient and useful features. Other handset models will be added as they become available.

The major advantage of the PRO-700 is that it is capable of using Nextel's acclaimed push-to-talk feature while operating on the Sprint CDMA voice network. This will especially appeal to users who wish to continue enjoying the convenience of push-to-talk, but also require the wider national coverage of the Sprint network. The integration of these technologies is seamless and automatic, allowing full use of Prophesy Mobile Comm features with no extra input required by the user.

Other recent and upcoming additions to Prophesy Mobile Comm solutions include:

NEW integration with Prophesy FuelLogic allows you to send the best truck stop fuel prices along each route directly to the driver's mobile device
NEW product features including Auto-completion of stops and loads (Geo-fencing), Automated Fuel Tax Reporting, and more
NEW mapping technology provided by industry leader ESRI^®, including new support for Canada and Mexico (coming soon)
NEW networks to ensure the best coverage possible - Sprint, Nextel, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Alltel. (Read more in this recent Prophesy press release.)
NEW compatible GPS devices - Sprint and Nextel phones, BlackBerry, hard-mount GPS device, Mobile Data Terminal with GPS, and GlobalWave
NEW trailer tracking via the TransCore GlobalWave satellite trailer tracking system. (Read more in this recent Prophesy press release.)
NEW account services made possible by our recent partnership with Nationlink Wireless. (Read more in this recent Prophesy press release.)

As always, Prophesy Mobile Comm solutions offer the following major features:

Real-Time GPS Tracking
Send load information to and from drivers
Track Unplanned Stops
Out-of-Route Visibility
Automated Driver Check Calls
Detention Alerts
MPH/Speeding Reports
Pickup/Delivery Status via Web
Rolling ETA's

To read about the latest Mobile Comm features and enhancements, see the latest Prophesy Mobile Comm eCard.

For more information on Prophesy's full line of Mobile Comm solutions, call (800) 776-6706 or email usernews@mile.com today!

All Aboard the University of Prophesy Bus . . . Last Call for 2008!

~ A Letter from the Dean ~

Hello Trucking Scholars!

As many companies plan January 1 as their "go live" date, the University of Prophesy experiences a high volume of enrollment between September and December. If your company has plans to go live in January 2009, time is running out to get on board and schedule your fall courses, allowing time to complete your customized training and implementation.

But rest assured…our team of expert instructors is here to help! We'll make sure you have everything you need to learn and practice using the software, enter your company's data, and put your new system into action in a live environment before your 2009 financial year begins. Take a moment to call now to beat the rush and ensure that you'll meet your target "go live" date. To enroll or get more information on our available training options, simply contact your account representative at 800.776.6706 or send an email with your preferred dates to usernews@mile.com today.

See you in class!

~ Miriam Vella
Manager of Training & Implementation
University of Prophesy

~o~

About the University of Prophesy
At the University of Prophesy, we offer a variety of programs designed to help you implement your software effectively and boost your efficiency now and in the future.

Here is what you can expect:

Comfortable, state-of-the-art training and implementation center
Customized training based on how you do business
Hands-on training using your own data
Time-tested A-to-Z workflow
Training materials for ongoing reference
Post training follow-up to keep you moving forward

And while you're here, why not incorporate your Prophesy training into a beautiful New England getaway! Autumn is the perfect time for an exciting trip to the Nutmeg State. Get outside and take in the famous New England fall foliage while enjoying our spectacular mountains, trails, parks, seaports, and beaches…or hit the town and check out our numerous retail outlets, restaurants, museums, clubs, theaters, and casinos! Prophesy is located just outside of Hartford, Connecticut's capital city, and is only 90 minutes from historic Boston and 2 hours from the city that never sleeps, New York City!

Can't get away from the grind? No problem! Prophesy also offers web-based training to suit any hectic schedule. Web training allows you to take advantage of a series of convenient one-hour training sessions right at your own desk, keeping you connected to your business throughout the training process.

Did you know? Prophesy also offers on-site and phone-based consultation services! Our expert Implementation Consultants are available to meet with your team by phone or at your company's site to assist in the implementation of your new system according to the specific goals and needs of your company. All of our consultants are also Certified Instructors for the Prophesy DispatchSeries software and can offer on-the-spot advice as needed.

To enroll in University of Prophesy classes or learn more about our available training and consulting options, you may contact your account representative directly, visit the Prophesy Training & Consulting web page, call (800) 776-6706, or email usernews@mile.com.

Ask the Tech Team

This month we will explain various important yet sometimes misunderstood routing parameters found in the Dispatch and Mileage & Routing applications. We will also shed light on the user- and application-specific nature of these parameters, and how to set them to be the same for all users.

Below is a list of several routing parameters that you should be familiar with when calculating routes, but which might not always be fully understood in regards to how they are used and how they will affect your route calculations. All of the following parameters are found in both Dispatch and Mileage & Routing:

Route Type: When this option is set to "by distance", the route will be calculated based on the fewest possible number of miles. Set to "by time", the route will be calculated based on the shortest possible time. In other words, using "by time" will favor roads with higher speed limits, arriving at the destination more quickly but possibly covering a greater number of miles. Fuel considerations are one common reason to opt for shorter distance over shorter time.
Restrict Commercial: Check this box to ensure that the route you generate only considers roads approved for commercial use. It is important that this box be checked to avoid accidentally routing large trucks into unapproved and unsafe areas.
Truck Height: Use this option to select the height of the vehicle. The calculated route will avoid any roads having bridges that are too low to accommodate a vehicle of this height. By default this parameter is set to 12.0 feet, but this may need to be increased for some vehicles. Note that the values for this parameter are in decimal form, with .5 feet equaling 6 inches.
Cross National Borders: Use this checkbox to allow or prevent the route from crossing national borders. For example, if you generate a route within the United States that runs close to the Mexican border, the best possible route may involve crossing into Mexico and back to the US. However, considering the time and hassle of crossing national borders, you may find it undesirable to do so. Therefore you have the option of unchecking this box, confining the route to the US only.
Reduce Maximum Posted Speed To: This parameter causes all roads with a speed limit that is higher than the value you've entered to be treated as if they had that limit. For example, if you set a value of "40", all roads with a speed limit higher than 40 MPH will be treated as if their speed limit were 40 MPH. This generally causes the system to use more secondary roads than highways, decrease the number of miles required to run the trip, and increase the time required. The default value for this option is "65".

Note: Full explanations of these and all other routing parameters are found in your product manual and online help file.

About User- and Application-Specific Settings
Both the Dispatch and Mileage & Routing applications feature nearly all the same parameters. However, these parameters are application-specific, meaning that if you change a parameter in Dispatch it will not change in Mileage & Routing, and vice versa. Also, the parameters in both of these applications are user-specific by default, so that each user is able to maintain his or her own set of parameters. This allows different dispatchers and other personnel to calculate routes for different purposes such as customer estimates, practical driving directions, etc.

However, you also have the ability to define "global defaults", which will give each user the same parameter settings. This feature should be used with caution, as it will overwrite any parameters previously set by users:

In Dispatch: A button named "Apply Settings to All Users" can be found on the Mileage Defaults tab of the Preferences window. Clicking this button, the current parameter set is distributed to all users of the system.
In Mileage & Routing: A checkbox named "Set as Global Defaults" can be found in the Parameters window. If this box is checked when you click the Save button, the current parameter set is distributed to all users.

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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