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Customer Survey Reveals Interesting Figures about Technology Solutions

There have been two significant findings from Paragon Software Systems’ annual UK customer survey. The first: integrated technology systems are being used ever more frequently in the courier industry to overcome various business pressures. The second: the transport sector is still struggling to recruit new drivers, and the skill shortage is now the biggest challenge that the industry is facing.
A Growing Concern

Delivery businesses have been struggling to recruit for the last three years. Statistics from the survey show that since 2017, there has been a significant 62% increase in respondents stating that the lack of drivers is impacting their business. This year, over half of the respondents (55%) agreed to the statement, whereas in 2018 the figure was slightly lower at 46%.

Some other issues were highlighted in the survey, and drivers were asked whether these factors were of concern. Some 13% agreed that transport costs were an issue and 12% saw the Brexit debate as a contributing factor. Urban transport restrictions were less of a concern, at 7%.

Technologies to the Rescue

Although there are still industry concerns, it has been found that many courier drivers are looking to telematics and other technological planning systems to overcome these problems. Nearly all respondents (97%) claimed to use some kind of telematics solution, whether it was to plan and schedule timings or simply map out delivery routes.

The most common technology systems in use at the moment are vehicle tracking (95% of fleets use this) and proof of delivery (over half use this). Other solutions include various workforce management applications, vehicle cameras using 4G and live temperature monitoring. Courier companies and owner drivers using these kinds of resources are able to benefit from real-time performance data, allowing them to figure out the best ways to run their businesses and make their operations more efficient.

Why Change?

Many businesses have chosen to invest in new telematics systems as a result of industry pressures. The survey showed that some of the biggest transport planning pressures came from customers – these included the demand for more accurate delivery time windows as well as more frequent communications and proof of delivery. Other pressures such as the need to maximise the utilisation of available drivers has also had an effect.

The courier industry continues to evolve as customer demands become more challenging and technologies become more reliable. The Managing Director of Paragon Software Systems, William Salter, stated that the survey’s results “suggest the road transport sector faces another tough year, with a number of continuing challenges that are compounded by the current economic and political uncertainty.”

There is hope that integrated technology solutions will eventually result in better customer communications, resource utilisation and real-time fleet visibility, but with various uncertainties still looming, only time will tell.

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Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world’s largest neutral trading hub for same day courier work in the express freight exchange industry. Numerous transport exchange businesses are networked together on their website, trading jobs and capacity through what is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange company in the UK.

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All a Fleet Manager Needs to Know about Courier Insurance

If you’re a fleet manager in charge of a courier company, irrespective of the size you probably already know that the job comes with a great deal of responsibility. You’re effectively in charge of what can often be a large number of employees and vehicles, and one of the most important aspects you’ll need to consider is choosing the appropriate insurance for a fleet that carries out delivery work.
This article will go into detail about insurance on the whole – the benefits, whether or not you need it (spoiler alert: you do), and other concerns. So if you’re responsible for multiple delivery work vans of different sizes and capacities, read on for all the fast facts.

Do I Need It?

The short answer is yes. As a manager, it may be tempting to try to save the company a few pounds by not investing in any, but this is a bad idea and extremely ill-advised. After all, if unforeseen circumstances arise and something happens to any of the vans in your fleet during the course of their delivery work, you’ll want to be sure that you are protected so that you’re not paying an arm and a leg for something you weren’t expecting.

What Should It Cover?

The exact package you choose will depend on the specifics of your operation, however it’s recommended that you pick one that will allow you to manage your entire fleet under a singular policy. You should make sure you’re insured against damage to your own vans and operatives as well as damage to other people, property or vehicles – especially if you’re running a fleet of five or more.

What Are the Benefits?

For starters, investing in insurance will give you total peace of mind. You won’t have to constantly worry about having to pay extra expenses or face legal action if an accident happens, which means you can properly focus on running the business. Other benefits include:

• One renewal date • One policy that covers all your drivers and vehicles (potentially all the different types your company has) • One point of contact to get in touch with when you have questions or concerns.

What Else Should I Keep in Mind?

As a manager, other relevant factors you should keep at the forefront of your mind when deciding which insurance policy is right for you are as follows:

• The delivery work destinations • Your drivers’ details • Each of your vehicles’ individual details (value, size, model, make, annual mileage, etc.) • How many vans you’d like to insure • What kind of goods you’re transporting

If you’re working in the delivery industry as a fleet manager, no doubt you feel passionately about the safety and efficiency of your drivers and vehicles, which is why it makes all the sense in the world to make sure they are protected by insuring them correctly. Knowledge is power and now that you know all about the benefits, coverage requirements and more, you’re in a position to make an informed purchase. Here’s to years of happy, safe and insured driving and deliveries.

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Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Courier Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Courier Exchange provides services for matching delivery work with available drivers, and is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange in the UK.

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Outfitting Your Vehicle For Work Or Play

When it comes to work or play our vehicles go with us wherever we go. If it’s a trip to the most remote areas for a camping trip or to a client or job site our utes, vans and other vehicles are there taking the journey with us. While travelling, van storage may be an issue. Many tradies will tell you that travelling from job to job with their vehicles can be a daunting task. Trying to fit all of their equipment, supplies and miscellaneous materials in their vehicles can be a chore. Then, when arriving to their destination trying to find exactly what they need takes precious time out of their day, causing their production to go down. This is why many are looking for van storage systems.
Easily Organised

When looking for van storage, tradies will typically look for solutions that give them easy access to their most used tools. Ideally, this should be a system with drawers large enough to hold the main tools, quick access release of the drawers, and deep storage so that tools can fit comfortably and reduce the likelihood of being damaged during transport.

Security

Drawers keep all your expensive tools and equipment locked away. And importantly out of sight. Most thieves are opportunistic, if they can’t see anything worth pinching, they’ll simply move on until they find a ute or van with gear on display.

Multipurpose

Drawer units for van storage should have multipurpose functionality. This refers to being able to store tools for work and items for play. Many love to take their vehicles off-road and to popular camping sites. As such, the ability to quickly store tents, food, recreation equipment and more make a van storage system ideal for everyone involved.

Customisable

No vehicle is the same and as such, no van storage system will be the same either. Having the ability to customise a system for optimum fit, function and feel will make everyone want to have a unit.

Strong construction

When riding through the countryside and off-road, the items in your drawers will likely bounce around. This can cause damage to tools and equipment that no one wants. Placing them securely in van storage drawers with solid construction behind them will protect every item from damage.

Storage

When designing your storage keep in mind that the typical drawer to hold general tools has the capacity of holding 150 kg each. Most vendors, however, have drawers with more capacity as well as slides.

Whether you are looking for something to take camping or to organise your working van, storage is a great option to consider. With the versatile functionality, design options and ease of use anyone looking to transport for work or pleasure can be assured a van storage system will fit your needs.

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