Striking a balance between hi-tech and the human touch, Auckland-based cartage company A J Tutill has embraced technology on its own terms.
With a staff of 50, it offers transport, storage and logistics services and operates 42 vehicles working across the greater Auckland area, as well as Tauranga and Hamilton.
Its fleet includes a mix of crane trucks, 8-wheelers, curtain siders and flat decks.
Integrating systems for better service
A J Tutill has been in business for more than 90 years and its focus on customer service has remained constant. But the technology has changed a lot.
“We’d been managing jobs on cardboard since 1921 but we needed a better way,” operations manager Neil Bowman says.
“Times have changed and our customers expect the functionality to log in and place their job bookings online.”
The company installed iCOS (Internet Cargo Operating Solution) LIVE for freight and logistics management in 2011.
The system allows clients to place job orders online and track and trace consignments from pickup to delivery. The freight and logistics management software is linked with the iCOS warehouse and dispatch system, which sends the jobs to iCOS LIVE once orders are picked.
In 2013, as a result of fleet expansion, A J Tutill decided to install the Teletrac Navman GPS fleet management system. It has Qube tracking units and MNav messaging units in each truck and the dispatch office uses DIRECTOR fleet management software.
“You could probably manage 20 trucks in your head. But with the number we have that’s impossible if you want to consistently provide exceptional service,” Bowman says.
“Tracking with Teletrac Navman, you can see where the trucks are, when they got there, what they’re doing and why.”
Integrating the iCOS LIVE system with the Teletrac Navman system provides a more efficient service to customers all the way from job bookings to delivery.
“The customer logs in to iCOS LIVE and places their job booking. We see the job come up on the big screen on the wall,” Bowman says.
“The jobs are dispatched out of the iCOS LIVE system to the Teletrac Navman device to the drivers. The process of choosing the driver is done by the dispatcher and things change rapidly as we are very responsive.
“Somebody could have an urgent job and we have to prioritise. Even if four jobs have already been allocated to a driver, we would change plans and send them to the priority job.”
It’s that attention to detail that sets the tone for the business and keeps the focus on customer service sharp.
A point of difference
“The only thing I’m selling is a service,” Bowman says.
“There are lots of freight companies in Auckland, lots of trucks and lots of drivers. But service is our point of difference. No one beats us on service.
“iCOS LIVE integrated with Teletrac Navman provides a timeline for customers from pickup through to delivery.
“Customers don’t have to phone or email us; they can just log in and check on their delivery themselves any time they want to.”
If a customer says something hasn’t been delivered, Bowman can use the integrated systems to check what has happened.
“If a customer says they haven’t received their freight, I can go into the Teletrac Navman system and use the ‘Replay a Day’ function to satisfy myself that the goods were indeed delivered.
“If our truck had that customer’s load on board and I can see it was in that customer’s yard in Takanini at 2.20pm, then I can be certain that the delivery took place.”
Claiming back RUC
A J Tutill trucks are sometimes on the road seven days a week and rack up a lot of road user charges. Bowman uses the Teletrac Navman system to claim back charges for off-road use.
“It’s been a revelation for us! Now by using the Teletrac Navman system suddenly we’re getting money coming back. That’s not a bad idea,” Bowman says.
“Our guys are out at the airport a lot. Say they do 1km on a private road a day, five days a week and I’ve got four trucks doing that. It sure adds up quickly.”
Integrating the two web-based systems has delivered significant benefits in terms of better service and more efficient deliveries for A J Tutill. That, and the human element in customer service, should keep the business humming for another 90 years.
