A complete range of secure services for managing express deliveries using GPRS-enabled PDAs hasbeen announced by British technology company NetDespatch. It is the first mobile service in the UK
that manages both shipping and delivery requirements.The ‘Velocity Unwired’, offered in cooperation with Cognito, can be used by drivers as areal-time Proof of Delivery (POD) and data entry system and by shippers to arrange and managecollections and deliveries away from the office. The NetDespatch Velocity service is wholly webbased and the ‘Unwired’ edition gives courier and parcel companies mobile wireless access to theircentral management systems using a choice of Cognito-powered mobile devices.
“This innovative development with Cognito has yet again put us at the fore-front of innovation.It gives both carriers and their customers live access to NetDespatch web services so they canmanage their businesses in real time, 24 hours a day from absolutely anywhere” says Becky Clark,CEO of NetDespatch.
Users can quote, book, track and record PODs through on-screen displays with easy touch-screenactivated forms. This allows drivers and field staff to request quotes, and book and trackcollections and deliveries, receive detailed job information, and update and capture PODsignatures; all in real time ensuring that central systems are continually up-to- date.
For shippers using courier and express parcel services, the service enables staff to arrange andkeep track of requests for collections and deliveries without having access to the Internet or evento a PC. By providing total mobile-office capability, personnel can rely less on back-officesupport, allowing them to do many day to day tasks themselves. This cuts operational costs andincreases efficiency and accuracy by saving telephone calls and ensuring that information isaccurate and timely. The mobile service is aimed at engineers, sales staff, retailers and businessmanagers who rely on urgent collections and deliveries of equipment, parts, goods anddocuments.
NetDespatch provides a wide range of e-commerce applications for transport companies and theircustomers which are designed to be incorporated seamlessly into existing websites so companies canoffer own-brand web booking, pre-labelling, systems integration and parcel tracking services.NetDespatch makes it cost-effective for any customer irrespective of daily volumes, to book onlinewhether through systems integration, using the simple web forms, or through the new ‘Unwired’ PDAservice.
