Quote, track and receive POD at the touch of a button

This month sees the
launch of a new road
freight app that will
enable customers
to book a truck, get a quote,
track the cargo and receive
proof of delivery at the touch
of a button.
Developed for Teralco
Logistics in response
to customer requests
for a system that offers
transparency and clear
communication lines, the
app bridges the gap between
transporters and their
customers,
says Teralco
managing
director
Terence
Odendaal.
“Customers need realtime
information flow,” says
Odendaal, “and that’s what
the app provides.
“At the push of a button, the
app picks up the customer’s
location. All he needs to do
is enter the date and time of
collection, details of the load,
click submit and he’ll get an
immediate quote. If he accepts
the quote, the truck will be on
its way. And from the moment
the truck is despatched
the customer will have full
visibility of its location and
estimated time of arrival at its
destination.”
And while it may
appear to be the
‘Uber’ of logistics,
there’s an important
differentiator,
says Odendaal
– and that’s
the human
interface.
“You can’t fully automate a
logistics system. You have to
have experienced manpower
on the back end who
fundamentally understand
the intricacies of logistics.
We have a qualified and
experienced operator sitting
in the background who is
linked to the system at all
times and can provide input
to the system and chat with
the customer online within
the app.
“A lot of customer
requirements are highly
bespoke and can’t be
automated. Our expertise
adds that extra dimension to
the system.”
And as it drives up
efficiencies, so it drives down
costs.
“Logistics costs in South
Africa are far too high –
and the main reason is
inefficiencies. We believe
this app will eliminate a lot
of those inefficiencies. For
example, if a customer needs
to move cargo from Durban
to Johannesburg most service
providers will quote a shuttle
rate because they don’t have
a truck in Durban. This app
can join the
dots between
one of our
contractors
or our own
trucks that
may already
be in Durban,
looking to
come back to
Johannesburg.
It’s a win
win for the
customer –
who pays a
much lower
rate – as
well as the
transporter who sweats his
assets more effectively.”
In terms of routing and
scheduling, the app provides
directions to the driver and
allows the customer to see
where the truck is and to
interact over the app to make
sure the driver is on time. As
soon as the load is collected
the customer gets the update.
And instead of signing
the proof of delivery
electronically,
the
transporter
will take a
photograph
of the signed
POD and
upload it to the
system so that
it’s instantly
available
and the
customer can
be invoiced
immediately.
The app,
which will
initially be
used on domestic routes, will
be rolled out in phases across
the country.
Teralco Logistics
specialises in road freight
logistics domestically and
over-border, using its own
fleet of trucks as well as
subcontractors.
INSERT
All the customer
needs to do is enter
the date and time of
collection, details of
the load, click submit
and he’ll get an
immediate quote.
– Terence Odendaal