Afdil Finance

Vehicle Routing Software Keeps Glazer’s in Good Spirits

(PRWEB) December 14, 2011

Continued advancements in technology have dramatically altered the way companies operate their businesses, a lesson that is especially relevant for Glazer’s, a Dallas-based beverage distributor that originally utilized horse-drawn carriages to deliver its product starting more than a century ago. And today, with more than 40 locations throughout eleven states, the organization with revenues exceeding $ 3 billion relies on the development of new technology to shave minutes off delivery schedules which – multiplied by their more than 700 daily routes – can make a substantial impact on the bottom line.

Just as Glazer’s voice-directed warehouse picking system dramatically increased operational efficiencies, the company realized an increase of its delivery productivity with the implementation of the Roadnet Technologies’ route planning software, Roadnet. With scheduled stops in an assortment of varied locations including full-scale grocery stores, convenience markets, package stores, hotels and restaurants, Glazer’s relies on the Roadnet’s route scheduling software and MobileCast to bring consistency and reliability to its delivery schedule.

“Our interest exceeded the ability to quickly drop off the beverage products and move onto the next location, in an effort to complete the delivery schedule in the fastest time possible,” explained Glenn Barker, Supply Chain Project Manager at Glazer’s Dallas headquarters. “Instead,” he explained, “our goal was to leverage the extra minutes we gathered throughout the day, and invest it into more time spent with our customers.

“Bolstered with a more efficient and effective route schedule, our delivery drivers were transformed into customer service representatives with the ability to arrange product displays, maintain clean and organized presentations, provide inventory support, and perform customer-relations activities including the trouble-shooting of any potential problems. The addition of time also served to reduce the stress level among our driver teams,” he added.

Higher visibility – as it relates to Glazer’s employees having increased visibility and face-time with the customers – was an unintended but extremely valuable by-product of the implementation of Roadnet’s real-time GPS tracking software, MobileCast. “In the eyes of our customers, the increased presence of our drivers translates to the receipt of higher value. Plus, this extra attention comes at no extra cost to them, which makes it even more attractive,” he added.

Time is always money. Because MobileCast’s real-time delivery software, Glazer’s is able to record the reporting of employee time in a more accurate basis. Glazer’s estimates that upwards of 150 hours per month is reduced from the payroll from hourly workers. “The system records time to the exact minute and eliminates our need for the use of manual timesheets which has a high degree of error and estimation,” Barker added.    

With the achievement of so much success partnering with Roadnet Technologies, Glazer’s has now begun the deployment of FleetLoader, Roadnet’s vehicle loading software product, to optimize the efforts of its warehouse teams in the loading of trucks and the minimization of product breakage.    

“We’ve experienced the primary and secondary benefits of the Roadnet Technologies Transportation Suite and it satisfies our company philosophy of finding better ways to accomplish things,” Barker added. “At the same time, we understand and realize that there are still higher efficiencies that we can achieve and will never stop pursuing these avenues. It is what successful, long-term companies do,” he added.

Time is always money. Because MobileCast’s real-time delivery software, Glazer’s is able to record the reporting of employee time in a more accurate basis. Glazer’s estimates that upwards of 150 hours per month is reduced from the payroll from hourly workers. “The system records time to the exact minute and eliminates our need for the use of manual timesheets which has a high degree of error and estimation,” Barker added.    

With the achievement of so much success partnering with Roadnet Technologies, Glazer’s has now begun the deployment of FleetLoader, Roadnet’s vehicle loading software product, to optimize the efforts of its warehouse teams in the loading of trucks and the minimization of product breakage.

“We’ve experienced the primary and secondary benefits of the Roadnet Technologies Transportation Suite and it satisfies our company philosophy of finding better ways to accomplish things,” Barker added. “At the same time, we understand and realize that there are still higher efficiencies that we can achieve and will never stop pursuing these avenues. It is what successful, long-term companies do,” he added.

Time is always money. Because MobileCast’s real-time delivery software, Glazer’s is able to record the reporting of employee time in a more accurate basis. Glazer’s estimates that upwards of 150 hours per month is reduced from the payroll from hourly workers. “The system records time to the exact minute and eliminates our need for the use of manual timesheets which has a high degree of error and estimation,” Barker added.    

With the achievement of so much success partnering with Roadnet Technologies, Glazer’s has now begun the deployment of FleetLoader, Roadnet’s vehicle loading software product, to optimize the efforts of its warehouse teams in the loading of trucks and the minimization of product breakage.

“We’ve experienced the primary and secondary benefits of the Roadnet Technologies Transportation Suite and it satisfies our company philosophy of finding better ways to accomplish things,” Barker added. “At the same time, we understand and realize that there are still higher efficiencies that we can achieve and will never stop pursuing these avenues. It is what successful, long-term companies do,” he added.

Founded in 1983, Roadnet Technologies was acquired by United Parcel Service in 1986 and was known as UPS Logistics Technologies for more than 25 years. Thoma Bravo, LLC, a $ 4 billion private equity firm headquartered in San Francisco, purchased the UPS division in late 2010 and re-established the corporate name.

Today, Roadnet Technologies provides worldwide fleet management software tools and GPS tracking solutions for hundreds of thousands of vehicles in a broad range of industries such as foodservice, beverage, paper, medical, waste management, textile and energy. Roadnet’s fleet management applications and logistics software provides strategic territory and street-level route plans, multi-stop routing and scheduling, wireless dispatch, vehicle telematics, fuel management and real-time vehicle GPS training.

Contact http://www.roadnet.com

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