Three years ago, the survey by Teletrac Navman found that 39% of transport and logistics providers in the US mentioned reducing operational costs as their top business priority. In 2020, logistics companies affected by the pandemic are still seeking ways to cut operational expenses. That’s where technology comes in handy.
Nowadays, adopting an effective management system translates into accessing analytical information that affects the bottom line of a business directly. The management system allows you to take a deeper look at the operational activities and gain control over the hidden expenses.
If your T&L company’s operating on a tight budget, this digital strategy will certainly require a certain investment on your end which may appear a bit risky during these times. However, what’s important to realize is that the crisis provides opportunities for tech-savvy logistics and delivery businesses. With a clear picture of where your money is going, you’ll take the effectiveness of management to a whole different level.
If you want to digitally innovate, enter new markets, and have an upper hand over the competition, those investments are worth it. It gets especially obvious with the increasing digitization of the whole automotive sector.
Reducing costs
FMS is becoming an integral element of the logistics industry landscape. Using a fleet management system, the company receives processed information that impacts organizational decisions at all levels. Such solutions help companies plan transportation and create the most profitable schemes based on various specifications. The points below represent three main areas where fleet management software can make a difference straight away.
Fuel management
Fuel costs are the most expensive running costs for fleet owners. It accounts for about 40% of fleet ownership expenses. Hence, monitoring fuel consumption can ultimately reduce fuel costs by up to 25%. Using fleet management software, managers can:
- monitor information on fuel losses and consumption, fueling locations, and much more
- monitor and report fuel consumption for a vehicle
- plan refueling
- identify suspicious fuel consumption that may indicate fraud or theft.
Overall, the fuel management function results in lower fuel costs and an optimized driving experience. Fuel management is especially beneficial for large fleets and long-distance drivers.
Equipment downtime
Equipment downtime has a major impact on a transport and logistics company's spendings. A fleet management system monitors the actual progress of maintenance allowing business owners to avoid serious breakdowns and predict the order of spare parts.
- The software controls whether the vehicle is refueled at the recommended gas station network. The use of high-quality fuel increases the chances of long-term operation without repair.
- Integrated with a monitoring system, the system allows you to control the actual work in real-time. For example, when the permissible downtime is exceeded, a notification is sent.
Route optimization
Real-time route planning function using GPS trackers. GPS technology allows fleet operators to know the exact location of each vehicle at any time, efficiently plan routes, send “delay ahead” notifications to drivers, and link the closest vehicle to a job site. In other words, route optimization saves both fuel and driver’s time, thus, the company's money.
Effective route management also optimizes driver scheduling improving both driver and vehicle safety. Once implemented, the efficient route optimization results in improved customer service through on-time deliveries. Statistics reveal that companies that use a fleet management solution can reduce total miles driven by up to 5-10%.
The solution
Targeted at SME delivery and logistics companies, the Fleet Management Dashboard is a flexible open source template for a fleet management software. Connected to an open-source GPS tracking solution, Fleet Management Template provides a detailed view of business performance. The template includes 5 main modules:
- Admin Dashboard
- Revenue Analytics
- Vehicles
- Trips
- Maintenance
The dashboard includes a set of integral features making the template a solid foundation for further customizations.
Here at Akveo, we help logistics companies to automate their operations and make data-based decisions using Fleet Management Dashboard. To help you seamlessly integrate our solution, we introduce two new customization plans - Standard and Enterprise. Each plan comes with predefined options to figure out what plan is best for you. Get the full overview of the solution and the customization plans.
To sum up
Zion Market Research report claims that the fleet management systems market reached $11.9 billion in 2017 and is expected to account for a whopping $43.5 billion by 2024. The use of fleet management software is growing in the T&L domain and has an impact on the whole automotive industry. Sid Nair, senior director of transport and compliance at Teletrac Navman commented that "facing volatile fuel costs, a driver shortage, and new regulatory challenges, it's not surprising that executives in transportation are doing everything they can to control costs and boost revenue. Companies are investing in technologies to help streamline their workflow and connect drivers to the back office. This is only the beginning of a paradigm shift centered around technology adoption and use."
As a fleet manager, you know that every little aspect of the maintenance process counts. Fleet management software allows you to manage all maintenance activities, track expenses, and make informed decisions based on analytical reports. Is your T&L business interested in adopting a convenient fleet management solution? Regardless of your project’s specifics, we offer top-notch development and consulting services that concern every aspect of the solution. Check out our fleet management template’s page and contact us.
Retool Dashboards with HubSpot Integration
Our client needed a centralized tool to aggregate account and contact activity, improving visibility and decision-making for the sales team.
The solution
We built a Retool application integrated with HubSpot, QuickMail, and Clay.com. The app features dashboards for sorting, filtering, and detailed views of companies, contacts, and deals, along with real-time notifications and bidirectional data syncing.
The result
- MVP in 50 hours: Delivered a functional application in just 50 hours.
- Smarter decisions: Enabled data-driven insights for strategic planning.
- Streamlined operations: Reduced manual tasks with automation and real-time updates.
Lead Generation Tool to Reduce Manual Work
Our client, Afore Capital, a venture capital firm focused on pre-seed investments, aimed to automate their lead generation processes but struggled with existing out-of-the-box solutions. To tackle this challenge, they sought assistance from our team of Akveo Retool experts.
The scope of work
The client needed a tailored solution to log and track inbound deals effectively. They required an application that could facilitate the addition, viewing, and editing of company and founder information, ensuring data integrity and preventing duplicates. Additionally, Afore Capital aimed to integrate external tools like PhantomBuster and LinkedIn to streamline data collection.
The result
By developing a custom Retool application, we streamlined the lead generation process, significantly reducing manual data entry. The application enabled employees to manage inbound deals efficiently while automated workflows for email parsing, notifications, and dynamic reporting enhanced operational efficiency. This allowed Afore Capital's team to focus more on building relationships with potential founders rather than on administrative tasks.
Learn more about the case
Retool CMS Application for EdTech Startup
Our client, CutTime, a leading fine arts education management platform, needed a scalable CMS application to improve vendor product management and user experience.
The scope of work
We developed a Retool application that allows vendors to easily upload and manage product listings, handle inventory, and set shipping options. The challenge was to integrate the app with the client’s system, enabling smooth authentication and product management for program directors.
The result
Our solution streamlined product management, reducing manual work for vendors, and significantly improving operational efficiency.
Building Reconciliation Tool for e-commerce company
Our client was in need of streamlining and simplifying its monthly accounting reconciliation process – preferably automatically. But with a lack of time and low budget for a custom build, development of a comprehensive software wasn’t in the picture. After going through the case and customer’s needs, we decided to implement Retool. And that was the right choice.
The scope of work
Our team developed a custom reconciliation tool designed specifically for the needs of high-volume transaction environments. It automated the processes and provided a comprehensive dashboard for monitoring discrepancies and anomalies in real-time.
The implementation of Retool significantly reduced manual effort, as well as fostered a more efficient and time-saving reconciliation process.
Creating Retool Mobile App for a Wine Seller
A leading spirits and wine seller in Europe required the development of an internal mobile app for private client managers and administrators. The project was supposed to be done in 1,5 months. Considering urgency and the scope of work, our developers decided to use Retool for swift and effective development.
The scope of work
Our developers built a mobile application tailored to the needs of the company's sales force: with a comprehensive overview of client interactions, facilitated order processing, and enabled access to sales history and performance metrics. It was user-friendly, with real-time updates, seamlessly integrated with existing customer databases.
The result? Increase in productivity of the sales team and improved decision-making process. But most importantly, positive feedback from the customers themselves.
Developing PoC with Low Code for a Tour Operator
To efficiently gather, centralize, and manage data is a challenge for any tour operator. Our client was not an exception. The company was seeking to get an internal software that will source information from third-party APIs and automate the travel itinerary creation process. Preferably, cost- and user-friendly tool.
The scope of work
Our experts ensured the client that all the requirements could be covered by Retool. And just in 40 hours a new software was launched. The tool had a flexible and easy-to-use interface with user authentication and an access management system panel – all the company needed. At the end, Retool was considered the main tool to replace the existing system.
Testing New Generation of Lead Management Tool with Retool
Our client, a venture fund, had challenges with managing lead generation and client acquisition. As the company grew, it aimed to attract more clients and scale faster, as well as automate the processes to save time, improve efficiency and minimize human error. The idea was to craft an internal lead generation tool that will cover all the needs. We’ve agreed that Retool will be a perfect tool for this.
The scope of work
The project initially began as a proof of concept, but soon enough, with each new feature delivered, the company experienced increased engagement and value.
We developed a web tool that integrates seamlessly with Phantombuster for data extraction and LinkedIn for social outreach. Now, the company has a platform that elevates the efficiency of their lead generation activities and provides deep insights into potential client bases.
Building an Advanced Admin Portal for Streamlined Operations
Confronted with the need for more sophisticated internal tools, an owner of IP Licensing marketplace turned to Retool to utilize its administrative functions. The primary goal was to construct an advanced admin portal that could support complex, multi-layered processes efficiently.
The scope of work
Our client needed help with updating filters and tables for its internal platform. In just 30 hours we've been able to update and create about 6 pages. Following features were introduced: add complex filtering and search, delete records, styling application with custom CSS.
Together, we have increased performance on most heavy pages and fixed circular dependency issues.
Creating MVP Dashboard for Google Cloud Users
Facing the challenge of unoptimized cloud resource management, a technology firm working with Google Cloud users was looking for a solution to make its operations more efficient. The main idea of the project was to create an MVP for e-commerce shops to test some client hypotheses. Traditional cloud management tools fell short.
The scope of work
Determined to break through limitations, our team of developers turned Retool. We decided to craft an MVP Dashboard specifically for Google Cloud users. This wasn't just about bringing data into view; but about reshaping how teams interact with their cloud environment.
We designed a dashboard that turned complex cloud data into a clear, strategic asset thanks to comprehensive analytics, tailored metrics, and an intuitive interface, that Retool provides. As the results, an increase in operational efficiency, significant improvement in cost management and resource optimization.
Elevating CRM with Custom HubSpot Sales Dashboard
Our other client, a SaaS startup, that offers collaborative tools for design and engineering teams, was on a quest to supercharge their sales efforts. Traditional CRM systems were limited and not customizable enough. The company sought a solution that could tailor HubSpot to their workflow and analytics needs.
The scope of work
Charged with the task of going beyond standard CRM functions, our team turned to Retool. We wanted to redefine how sales teams interact with their CRM.
By integrating advanced analytics, custom metrics, and a user-friendly interface, our developers provided a solution that transformed data into a strategic asset.
In 40 hours, three informative dashboards were developed, containing the most sensitive data related to sales activities. These dashboards enable our customer to analyze sales and lead generation performance from a different perspective and establish the appropriate KPIs.
Building a PDF Editor with Low-Code
Our client, a leading digital credential IT startup, needed a lot of internal processes to be optimized. But the experience with low-code tools wasn’t sufficient. That’s why the company decided to hire professionals. And our team of developers joined the project.
The scope of work
The client has a program that designs and prints custom badges for customers. The badges need to be “mail-merged” with a person’s info and turned into a PDF to print. But what is the best way to do it?
Our developers decided to use Retool as a core tool. Using custom components and JavaScript, we developed a program that reduced employees' time for designing, putting the data, verifying, and printing PDF badges in one application.
As a result, the new approach significantly reduces the time required by the internal team to organize all the necessary staff for the conference, including badge creation.
