Developing a new operating system for Waller Transport Services'

Waller Transport, founded in Ipswich over 50 years ago, is a specialist haulage service operating across the UK and Europe.

Specialising in return-loads, Waller also offers a range of specialist haulage services such as waste haulage, timber haulage, raw material transport, steel haulage, and container haulage. 

Waller Transport Services has been using its own in-house system for the last 15 years. Recognising the need to modernise technology, increase efficiency, and future-proof business processes.

Managing Director, Darryn Flynn, wanted to create a new mobile-friendly system that was simple and effective that includes features such as vehicle tracking and improved management of proof of delivery.

To create a new system that blends the best features from off-the-shelf solutions and the current Traffic in house system with additional enhancements. Key features for the new mobile application would consist of:

• Vehicle tracking – giving the ability to see vehicle locations for jobs on a map view.
• Assignment and tracking of a job via the app - driver confirmation of pickup and delivery, sign-on-glass (and delivery note photo) proof of delivery capture and association with job for inclusion on invoicing.
• Xero Accounts integration - ability to manage invoicing fully integrated with Xero's API e.g. view invoice data in key areas in the new system (for answering queries/reporting purposes) but manage invoicing in Xero.
• Multi-currency support - with dynamic rate conversion for major currencies (principally Euro/GBP) and rate.
• Job management - the ability to view a list of potentials hauliers for a given region using algorithms to determine suitability.
• User-friendly, uncluttered user interface.

To start with, our Project Manager undertook a ‘deep dive’ into Waller Transport Service’s existing system, working with them to identify the parts they wanted to keep and any functionality frustrations, to inform our approach.

One of the key features the ‘Traffic’ application needed to achieve was simplicity. Ease-of-use was at the forefront of the solution design process, as the app’s main goal was to increase efficiency and this simply wouldn’t have been achieved with an over-complicated design.

Using our bespoke content management system, Doddle, SimpleClick created the application Waller needed. Doddle is modular and therefore enabled us to build a system that broke the separate functions of Traffic into logical areas, making it very straightforward to use, which will help Waller achieve more efficient processes.

In addition to the core features, we built custom modules into Doddle to create a simple, user-friendly interface for Waller Transport Services to manage the following:

• Customer Management– Enabling Waller Transport to fully manage their customers.
• Job Management – A list view of all jobs with a map view of the current vehicle locations for each job. - Drilling down into an individual job will display more details and the option to view the vehicle route.
• Haulier Management – all the current features in Traffic including job management. This module will also include application access management for individual drivers – enabling configuration of PIN number access to the app Invoicing.
• Displaying data from Xero with the ability to action required processes in the admin system and triggering invoice management processes in Xero (create invoice, email invoice etc).
• Quotes – ability to create and send quotes to customers.
• Notes – ability to create and send notes/associate with jobs.
• Rate management – enabling you to manage and track changes to rates for your customers - With integration to a real-time currency conversion service to ensure accuracy.
• Reporting – we will work with you to define the reports you need which can then be exported to Excel or printed/emailed.

From concept to delivery, the whole project took approximately six months to complete.

‘Traffic’ combines a straightforward user interface with live GPS tracking and integrated invoicing to simplify every part of the freight forwarding process for Waller. It digitally tracks each job from start to finish, including compiling paperwork, such as Proof of Delivery (POD) and invoices, and includes a traffic light system that will automatically track and notify the status of a job.

The application allows each leg of a job to be monitored and allows PODs to be collected and sent to clients instantly, via Sign on Glass (recipients signing directly onto a smartphone or tablet device) or photographic evidence. Once a job is deemed complete, ‘Traffic’ automatically generates invoices in Xero’s integrated accounting system.

The system provides GPS-based monitoring of the progress of each leg of a job and enables Waller to see when a job is running late, which is invaluable for time-critical deliveries. Drivers can log in to ‘Traffic’ to see their job list for the day and ‘punch’ in and out of each stage of their journey, compiling data which is sent straight to Waller and avoids time consuming calls and texts.

The software delivers live GPS tracking updates and proactive communication regarding delays and completed deliveries, removing the need to make phone calls to monitor the status of jobs. ‘Traffic’ also supports in-application messaging, again streamlining processes.

• ‘Traffic’ has successfully streamlined Waller’s services by giving up-to-the-minute tracking capabilities and recording vital data.
• The ‘Sign On Glass’ function in particular will potentially cut out weeks of chasing paperwork and speed up their invoicing process, as well as reducing overheads.

Struggling to find off-the-shelf software that ticks all your boxes? Talk to us today. Call 0844 736 2747 or find more ways to contact us.