Hauling App: More Logistics Visibility Means More Profits

The construction industry has managed trucking in the same way for decades. However, demands on the industry are changing the way construction professionals want to manage their logistics. Manual processes have dominated construction and now with the introduction of logistics platforms, construction is getting more streamlined. This article looks specifically at how a hauling app could help create more visibility for your logistics management and help drive more profits for your business.

A hauling app can keep you connected to ALL of your haulers with real-time visibility, ensure hauling paperwork is on time, and help you earn more business from your existing customers.

Never Wonder Where Your Haulers Are

Most logistics managers have to pick up the phone dozens of times per day to get updates from dump trucks on the road. The dump trucks may be company owned, or hired from a third party. It is very common for construction companies to rely on dump trucks  from a fleet, broker, or an independent owner operator to complete a project. This may “work” for your business today, but is it the most efficient way to manage your logistics in the future?

We feel confident your logistics managers and dispatchers would agree that phone calls and text messages to haulers confirming ETA isn’t the best use of their time.

A hauling app that allows for real-time visibility into all of your logistics is the best way to see immediate results. And it doesn’t have to take a long time to see more profits for your business...just a few strategic decisions can make a big impact. A hauling app is one of the quickest ways to see improvement; but there are other levers you can pull as well. We explore 5 key levers in our Keys to Logistics Efficiency Series. You can check out the other articles in the series here.

What Can Your Dispatcher See with More Logistics Visibility?

If you are considering using a hauler app, you are likely thinking, “what exactly will my logistics manager or dispatcher see when they use it?”

Here is a view of the TRUX desktop application that showcases how simple it is to dispatch trucks. As you can see, dispatching no longer requires calls or text messages. Simply drag and drop a driver onto a shift.

This is what it looks like for your team to check in on job progress throughout the day. The map updates automatically with real-time location data for all trucks on the job.

If you would like to take a closer look at a particular job, you can even scroll through a timestamped view to see historical information.

This level of visibility can significantly help improve efficiency for your team.

Dispatchers using TRUX across the country are improving their productivity by up to 40%.

 

How Does Increased Visibility Transform the Role of Your Dispatchers?

The power that technology brings to construction logistics will help your dispatchers elevate themselves within your organization. Rather than focusing on manual processes, like texting and calling drivers for ETA information, dispatchers can focus on optimizing scheduling and customer satisfaction. Introducing a hauling app can help your dispatchers optimize their time, move more material, and therefore make a larger positive impact on the business.

Want to find out if a hauling app is the right fit for you? Start with a candid discussion with your dispatcher. We developed a set of questions in a free guide that will help you ensure you are asking the right questions. Leverage our free guide to jumpstart the conversation.

Streamline Paperwork To Keep the Back Office In Sync with Logistics

Increased visibility brought about by a hauling app impacts more than dispatchers. You should also expect that a hauling app will create changes in the back office. There are a few key ways that a hauling app will impact the back office. The first way is through digital load tickets or e-tickets and the second is through hauler invoice consolidation.

Looking for an eTicket Solution to Streamline the Back Office? Try a Hauling App.

Depending on which state or states you operate in, you may have started using e-Tickets for public projects. Many state DOTs have set up new procedures for dealing with paper tickets in the wake of COVID-19. Whether or not your state is requiring digital tickets, leveraging them can make a huge impact on the accuracy and efficiency of your back office.

All too often, office managers are overwhelmed with the amount of work they must complete to keep the business running. Too much of their time is spent on the manual process of tracking down load slips from haulers. Even with the best procedures in place, there is still too much reliance on one hundred percent compliance from haulers.  

With a hauling app, drivers can upload tickets in real-time via their mobile phones making it less likely that load slips will go missing. The burden on haulers is very light since they can easily take a photo in the field. Companies, like TRUX, have taken time to make sure the system is straightforward and easy-to-use, even in the middle of the work day.

Once tickets have been uploaded, it is easy for the team in the back office to access and download all the files they need, ensuring their work is complete and accurate. Not only can a hauling app help your back-office team cut down on manual processes, but it also gives them even more control of the process.

Consolidated Hauler Invoices Save You Time & Time is Money

Even if you own your own dump trucks, you may need to leverage hired hauling for certain projects. Every time you use a hired hauler to complete work for you, it means more effort by the back office team. What would it mean for your business if you could save your back office team 14 hours per week? That is what an average construction company using TRUX  sees in return.

That means 728 hours per year saved just from consolidating hired hauling invoices into one easy-to-read, easy-to-process invoice.

We should mention that your hired haulers will love this feature too. It means they get paid for every minute they work and they don’t need to waste valuable time creating invoices in order to get paid. Fleet owners don’t like chasing down hauler load slips and timesheets either!

With a combination of digital load slips and consolidated invoices, it is not hard to see how your business can save time and money by implementing a hauling app. Every dollar you save helps to increase your overall margin. The efficiency gains that can be achieved with logistics platforms, including hauling apps, are making it easier to streamline hauling.

If you are looking to increase your profits, creating efficiency is a great first step. However, what if you are looking to grow your business? Can a logistics platform help with that too?

Book More Business with A Hauling App

Logistics platforms, and more specifically ones that offer a hauling app, are poised to help you save time and money.

However, could a logistics platform help you book more business? The answer is yes.

Not only can you save time and money with efficiency gains from dispatchers and the back office, you can also outpace your competitors with superior customer service.  

Customer expectations continue to increase across every industry. Construction hasn’t had the same technology investment as other industries like eCommerce or banking. However, the demands from customers continue to increase. The need for transparency and visibility is on the rise and those that are able to provide a superior service are in the best position to earn more share of wallet with existing customers and more likely to close future business with new customers.

When you can easily provide up-to-date and accurate information about your performance, timeline, and budget, you are more likely to win future business. It doesn’t appear that the expectations of customers will decrease in the future. In fact, they are likely to increase. If your current customers have questions or concerns about their projects that you can’t readily answer, now is the best time to investigate whether a logistics platform could be the solution you are looking for.

In addition to being able to better serve your existing customers and land new business, a hauling app can also help you ensure any dump trucks you own are more fully utilized. If you have spent valuable dollars to build a fleet of dump trucks, you know the only way you make money is if they are on the road. A hauling app, like TRUX, will allow you the opportunity to subcontract  your trucks out when your project schedule is light. That means that instead of having dump trucks sitting empty in a lot, you can put them to work when you need to.

Find The Right Hauling App For You

Every hauling app is not created equally. If you are considering bringing on technology to streamline your hauling logistics, we recommend carefully considering your needs before speaking with any providers. If you would like to create more visibility in your hauling logistics, ensure all paperwork is on time, and earn more business from your customers, then a hauling app, like TRUX, may be the right fit for you.

If you could also benefit from finding more work for your trucks when your project schedule is light, one of our logistics experts can guide you to the right solution that meets your needs. A 15-minute phone call could save you and your team valuable time and money!