Client Newsletter | Autumn 2012
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SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION INDUSTRY p.02
FOREWORD
The first half of 2012 has been an extremely busy and exciting time here at Mandata, which has seen us forging new relationships with hauliers and logistics providers across the UK and Ireland and also begin work on projects with new clients. After successful shows at the Commercial Vehicle Show and Multi Modal 2012 at the NEC Birmingham earlier this year, we have decided to exhibit at Totally Logistcs North and South this coming September and October. Along with this, we have introduced a new series of ‘Manpack3 Super User Training Days’, which will be hosted at a variety of locations across the UK, please read inside for further details. With the trials of our new In-Cab scanning software well and truly underway and new features to our PDA’s due to launch, we hope you find this edition of the newsletter insightful. In the meantime, we welcome any feedback and software suggestions to ideas@mandata.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you soon,
Neil Wilson Managing Director
INDEX FOREWORD FROM THE MD
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EVENTS P.04 ENHANCEMENT TO PDA TECHNOLOGY
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IN THE PRESS P.06 ONLINE BACKUPS P.08 NEW BUSINESS & NEW FACES
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EVENTS
We have a number of trade events planned for this autumn. Our exhibitions will include live presentations and offer you the opportunity to speak one on one with one of our sales specialists.
Mandata at Totally Logistics North Stand A20 Doncaster Racecourse 26-27th September 2012
Mandata at Totally Logistics South Stand A30 FIVE Farnborough 10-11th October 2012
The show will be a one stop shop that will enable logistics professionals to evaluate their total supply chain functions at one event thereby eliminating the costly and time-consuming need to visit other events.
IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS AND INFORM YOUR STAFF WITH ADVANCED TRAINING DAYS FROM MANDATA p.04
For only £250 per person (with full lunch provided), the training days will be limited to a maximum of 4 delegates attending each session. Each attendee will be informed of other attendees to ensure no conflict of interest. Training days will be available at the Mandata Newcastle & Ross-On-Wye offices along with venues in Cambridge and Thurrock. If you would like to attend please contact Mandata on 0191 250 2220 stating the preferred dates and location you would like to attend. *Actual dates will be decided once the number of attendees has been confirmed* To express an interest in attending, please email communications@ mandata.co.uk with your preferred dates, location and number of delegates.
ENHANCEMENT TO PDA TECHNOLOGY
MANDATA LAUNCH NEW CO-PILOT SOFTWARE TO PDA’S With the launch of new software features to our PDA’s, the ability to keep drivers up to date and reap the rewards of sign on glass technology has reached a brand new level. Our PDA software now incorporates Co-pilot Satellite Navigation Technology which can be used by the driver to navigate to each individual job loaded onto the device from Manpack3. After Manpack3 has allocated jobs and loaded onto the hand held device, drivers are now able to use Co-Pilot to plan and navigate routes to each individual job, meaning the quickest and most efficient routes are at their fingertips.
The Co-Pilot technology uses the information from the load and job to navigate to collection and delivery points, all the while planning out the best route for the job by taking into consideration the type of materials being carried to ensure the safest routes are planned. The Co-pilot software can also be set up to a pre-defined route, with any deviation from planned routes sending an alert back to Head Office to track and further investigate. The new software feature provides peace of mind for Traffic Planners as they can rest assured drivers are sticking to the most cost and time effective routes, and stepping away from typical driver habits of choosing their own routes in favour of convenience or personal preference. The PDA software monitors the driver’s journey and as soon as the route has been calculated it is easily able to determine whether the vehicle has deviated from the set route, storing information in Advanced Services for later analysis. This enhancement to the PDA’s will allow for savings in fuel, reduction in late deliveries, increased customer satisfaction and enable full visibility of fleet. Co-Pilot Professional Truck is provided by ALK which can be bought separately through Mandata for installation on PDAs’. With the truck version of the software, you can also enter the weight, axle weight, dimension of your vehicle as well as any hazardous materials for Co-Pilot to plan routes accordingly. For more information, please contact your Mandata Account Manager or call us on 0191 250 2220.
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IN THE PRESS
Our outstanding work with customers has achieved great coverage in the trade and industry press. Read here all our current press coverage and upcoming features, before they hit the press.
ELDDIS TRANSPORT TRIAL NEW IN-CAB SCANNING SOFTWARE Haulage and logistics provider, Elddis Transport, based in Consett, County Durham, are the first UK haulier to trial new In-Cab scanning software, enabling their drivers to instantly scan and email POD’s as deliveries are made. The newly developed software, provided by Mandata, has been trialled in 5 of Elddis’ rigid vehicles with POD’s being scanned as consignments are delivered, already reducing 1-2 hours of administration time per day for office staff. Debbie Hocking, Distribution Manager at Elddis says: “We welcomed the trial of In-Cab scanning software in our vehicles as we are under increasing pressure from customers to deliver POD’s within 24 hours of delivery. Under traditional methods, this was becoming difficult, as we often only receive the paper work for POD’s at the end of every working week.” “With the trial of the new software, everything happens at once and our drivers have been relieved of the old process of manually checking jobs off their paper manifests. With the new In-Cab scanning software, the full process is being completed in one action and we are now getting full POD information with high quality images as proof.” “There is no restriction on file sizes of POD’s, often with each POD containing 3 files and uploading to our TMS in seconds. We have been able to fulfil the 24 hour POD turnaround to our customers, speeding up payments and are now planning to invest in the software for installation across our national fleet.”
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IN THE PRESS
LANGDONS TO ROLL OUT NEW MAP BASED PLANNING SOFTWARE TO ALL UK DEPOTS Somerset based Langdons Industries; specialists in Temperature Controlled Logistics have announced plans to roll out Mandata’s Map Based Planning software to all nine depots in their UK network. The Map Based planning software will be an additional tool to their existing Manpack3 Traffic Management System, allowing planners to plan the most cost effective and efficient runs. Planners will now be able to view a detailed map of all delivery and collection point locations in order to plan the best route. Once they have done so; the software then calculates total mileage, cost and revenue per mile for each run to ensure the most cost effective runs. Spencer Dixon, ICT Director at Langdons has said: “We have had Manpack3 in operation since 2001 and have worked closely with Mandata throughout, taking advantage of and trialling new software from early stages of its development to help improve our planning and costing processes”. “We have been impressed with the new Map Based Planning Software, in particular, which automatically calculate mileages for planners meaning the process of costing and quoting work is quick and accurate”. The system is already running at Langdons Luton, Peterborough and Bridgwater depots, with plans to gradually roll out to all nine depots UK wide by the end of 2012.
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ONLINE BACKUPS
ENSURE YOUR DATA WITH MANDATA ONLINE BACKUPS
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Are you carrying out your backups correctly and frequently enough? Is your back up media in a safe place located off site? With the Mandata Online Back-up programme, you can ensure the safety of your data with our online real time replication service, meaning you need not worry about theft, loss or damage to your data ever again. The Online back-up services provides a fully automated, encrypted and highly secure solution for your electronic data.The online system allows straight forward and quick recovery of your entire system if it should ever become necessary. The Online Back-up programme will act as an aid to your current Disaster Recovery solution and will be managed and maintained by a Mandata Engineer. For more information, or if you are unsure about your current Backup plan, please speak with your Mandata Engineer on 0191 250 2220.
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NEW BUSINESS & NEW STAFF
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME THE FOLLOWING NEW CUSTOMERS INTO THE MANDATA FAMILY: James Lynch & Sons
A Leadbeater Transport
Spartan Warehousing & Distribution
Zenith Logistics
Surfair Global Solutions RB & Son Home Delivery Solutions Bibby Logistics
The Ice Company Lions Transport TipTrans Transvaal Heavy Transport
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS OF STAFF:
Simon Davies
Lead Developer, Warehousing Ross-On-Wye
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Christopher Pitchford Field Technician Leeds
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS ALL POSSIBLE
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www.mandata.co.uk sales@mandata.co.uk +44 (0) 191 250 2220
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