I would definitely recommend taking advantage of the takeITon programme, because it allows companies like mine to expand their business by investing in technology that would otherwise be beyond our reach

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Owner Len Fraser was keen to expand the amount of work he could take on from these companies — and also wanted to be able to offer a courier service direct to businesses in and around the home counties.

He knew that in order to grow the business, he would need a sophisticated tracking system which would help streamline the admin and give customers peace of mind about their delivery.  But the industry-specific packages that were on the market were too costly for the business at its current stage of development.

Seeking Professional Advice

Working with a specialist Business Link adviser, Len was able to identifiey a package which would give the business the ability to log and track all its delivery jobs on-line.

The system equips drivers with hand held devices (PDAs) which allow them to register when a package has been collected and is in transit — and when it is subsequently delivered and signed for.

The information is transmitted instantly back to an on-line system, which customers can log on to at any time to track the whereabouts of their job. This brings significant administrative benefits such as using the data to generate invoices and log driver hours.

The Business Link adviser also helped Len draw up a business plan which demonstrated how the IT package would support the company’s future growth as well as helping him successfully apply for a £4K grant to help purchase the necessary technology.

Reaping the Benefits

Three months on, and the tracking system is already reaping rewards.  It has led to a significant increase in business with existing clients — who now have increased confidence that Len’s Solutions is able to handle their work efficiently.

Having made  significant savings in overheads,  Len’s Solution now handles anything between 50-100 jobs a day and uses a team of up to 20 employed and self employed drivers.  Handling the admin associated with this manually had been a significant and time-consuming task — but now that the key data is being processed electronically, Len has been able to reduce the number of back office staff.

“I would definitely recommend taking advantage of the takeITon programme, because it allows companies like mine to expand their business by investing in technology that would otherwise be beyond our reach,” said Len.