Providing real-time tracking, automated customer notifications and electronic proof of delivery, Podfather is helping Nippon Gases minimise its environmental impact whilst maintaining high levels of customer service.
The company has also introduced daily vehicle and driver checks to ensure the safe loading and operation of its delivery fleet.
“We introduced Podfather to support the delivery of dry ice products across the UK,” commented Joanne Rawlinson, Logistics Manager at Nippon Gases UK Ltd. “Dry ice has unique properties and specific applications and these, combined with our dedication to customer service, safety and the environment, meant we needed a solution that would help us implement health and safety controls, reduce the amount of paperwork we produced and improve communications with customers. Podfather delivered on these initial requirements and more.”
Dry ice, carbon dioxide in its solid state, has a temperature of -78.5 degrees centigrade compared to water ice which is 0 degrees.
Dry ice is non-toxic, inert, non-flammable, colourless, tasteless and odourless. It produces a bacteriostatic and fungistatic (ie stops bacteria and fungi reproducing) effect and generates no waste. Dry ice has a diverse range of applications, making it a versatile tool in various industries. Valued for its ability to maintain low temperatures it is commonly used for transporting food, medical products, and other perishable items and can also be used to create special effects. Its benefits also make dry ice ideal for industrial cleaning.
Using Podfather, integrated with its SAP ERP system, Nippon Gases has improved the efficiency of planning the delivery of around 250 orders a week using its own fleet of vehicles. Once placed, orders are automatically taken from SAP into Podfather using a simple and fast API connector. Deliveries are allocated to vehicles and drivers, based on location, volume and customer delivery windows, and detailed route information is sent directly to the drivers’ mobile device using the Podfather App.
At the start of each shift drivers are guided through a series of comprehensive checks to ensure the vehicle is well maintained and free of defects and that they are healthy and fit for work. These checks also include the capture of photographic evidence to prove the vehicle is correctly and safely loaded.
Once deliveries have been allocated and routes planned, Podfather automatically generates customer ETA notifications which can be sent via text or email. Using the Podfather app allows for live tracking of drivers ensuring customers are kept informed. This reduces the need for calls between support staff, drivers and customers, and allows for early intervention if an issue arises.
Nippon Gases also uses Podfather’s electronic proof of delivery features which include the digital capture of date, time and location stamped photographs and signatures. This information is easily shareable with customers and other parts of the business reducing the need to produce, store and interrogate large volumes of paper.
“Podfather has automated and digitised many of the routine planning and reporting functions associated with a time, load and customer sensitive logistics operation,” Joanne continued. “This has reduced the resource required to support daily deliveries and has improved the utilisation of our fleet. We are also more environmentally friendly, as we have gone paperless, our fleet and drivers are better looked after and our customers are well served.”