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What is Proof of Delivery? How to Choose the Best Method

A driver takes photo proof of delivery

A lot goes into a delivery. When a delivery finally arrives at its destination, there’s just one more thing to do.

Proof of delivery (POD) confirms the time, condition, and the exact recipient of a delivery. POD also gives customers peace of mind knowing that they received their delivery.

There are a few different POD methods—each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Which method should you use? Different industries have different needs, but there are commonalities regardless of the industry. In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each of the most common proof of delivery methods.

Signature Collection

The concept of signing for a package is nothing new. Signature capture rose to popularity in the late 1800s and remains the most common POD method today.

Unlike other POD methods, a signature can be used to identify the person delivered to. So, when an item is age restricted, or needs to be delivered to a specific person, signature collection is your best option.

Photo Proof of Delivery

Photo proof-of-delivery has seen an increase in popularity in recent years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and an increased need for contactless delivery. With photo POD, drivers can now include a picture of the location delivered to and the package when collected. Customers often appreciate having this added level of assurance.

Barcode Scanning

Barcode scanning is a simple and accurate POD method. Businesses often require that drivers scan a package before it can be marked off as delivered. Barcode POD can be paired with location confirmation. This not only confirms that you’re delivering the right package but that you’re delivering it to the right place.

Time Stamp

Although time stamps aren't a POD method, they are an important element of a good proof of delivery strategy—especially in certain industries. For example, most deliveries in the medical industry require that a time stamp be associated with a signature for auditing purposes. Timestamp information can also help you find more effective ways to use scheduling and route tools.

What is Proof of Delivery Software

Proof of delivery software helps you collect photo and signature POD data quickly and easily. In years past, proof of delivery required a signature capture device, barcode scanner, camera, and somewhere to store all this information.

With OnTime, you have access to all these POD methods in one central location. OnTime Mobile is fully integrated with OnTime’s cloud-based data system, allowing POD to be uploaded automatically. OnTime also has a customer web portal where your customers can see signatures, photos, and time stamps for delivery.

With an OnTime subscription, you gain access to advanced features for proof of delivery along with all the tools you need for your courier service. Ready to try it out? Contact us for more information.

4 Keys to Increasing Delivery Revenue in 2022

Courier service delivers package to home

2022 is coming! During this time of year, it’s common to reflect on lessons learned and to plan for the next year. Businesses in the delivery industry have a lot to think about. You’ve dealt with a variety of challenges in the past year, from rising shipping costs to changing customer expectations.

Last mile delivery is getting more time-consuming and expensive. If you don’t optimize your process, inefficiencies can lead to high costs — driving up your overhead and cutting into your profits.

Here are four ways that you can increase delivery revenue in 2022:

Reduce Failed Deliveries

According to one study, about 5 to 10 percent of all last mile deliveries fail. That’s why shipping accuracy is such an important thing to prioritize. If you could decrease that number by just one or two percent, it would result in thousands of dollars of savings every year.

There are a number of reasons why deliveries fail:

  • The customer is not expecting a delivery (no prior notification)
  • No delivery scheduling options (no time windows)
  • Mistaken address

The right courier software can help you with each of these challenges, with features such as automated notifications, route scheduling, and address validation.

Optimize Routes

Nothing slows a delivery business down more than inefficient routes. Route optimization software can help you get the most out of your drivers. It’s common to see a 50% to 70% increase in daily capacity when delivery businesses start using route optimization. These improvements result in savings on vehicle maintenance, fuel, and personnel costs. 

Smart route optimization takes a variety of factors into account, including weather, time windows for collection and delivery, up-to-date traffic data, and more. Route optimization is quick to implement and is one of the easiest ways to save money and increase capacity.

Increase Pricing

Increased pricing isn’t for everybody. If you’re starting a new business and plan on using low rates to undercut the competition, then this may not be the best option for you. But if you’ve been around for several years and haven’t increased your pricing recently, then there’s a good chance that you are leaving some money on the table.

Since March 2020, the cost of delivery has skyrocketed. There are a variety of factors involved, such as increased labor and fuel costs, and growing demand. If you haven’t raised your pricing in several years, now might be the time to give it some careful consideration.

Finding the Right Software Solution

Finding the right software for your business is one of the biggest things you can do to increase your profits in 2022. In addition to automated notifications and route optimization, delivery software can help you to organize your billing and invoicing. Billing procedures that used to take days to complete can be automated. This is just one of many time-saving features.

OnTime 360 is a trusted last mile delivery solution for thousands of companies across dozens of industries including logistics, food, pharmacy and more. It has all the tools you need to complete your delivery routes more efficiently and accurately.

To learn more about OnTime 360, book a live demo or contact us.

Essential Features for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Software

Non-emergency medical transportation service takes an elderly man to doctor’s appointment

There is a growing need for non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services. NEMT providers give transportation to individuals who are not in an emergency but need more assistance than a taxi service can provide.

As demand continues to grow for these services, so does competition. On top of that, you often have to deal with cancellations, vehicle breakdowns, inefficient driver scheduling, and more. To get a leg up, NEMT companies need a medical transportation software solution with the right tools. Here are four essential features that can enhance your workflow.

Driver Route Scheduling

Assigning the same routes out every week is a huge waste of your dispatcher’s time. But with the right route scheduling tool, you only have to enter in your schedule once, saving your dispatcher’s time and sanity.

Schedules constantly change in the medical transportation industry, so it’s also important to be able to build efficient routes on the fly. OnTime can make suggestions for schedule changes, helping you to optimize delivery routes quickly when updates are flooding in. On top of that, you can set up OnTime’s GPS connectivity so that it will transmit your drivers’ positions to dispatch throughout the day. This information allows you to make decisions based on your drivers’ current locations.

Route Optimization

Route optimization can help your NEMT service to work more efficiently. For example, you can put together routes that make the most of your drivers’ time and ensure that no patients are left waiting.

OnTime’s route optimization takes into account a variety of factors, including up-to-date traffic data, time windows to get to and from your patients’ appointments, weather, and more. Not only will patients arrive on time, but you’ll also see a reduction in drive time and fuel costs.

Reporting

Regardless of whether you are paid by hospitals, third parties, or passengers themselves, OnTime’s reporting tools can help. The OnTime Report Builder and invoicing tools allow you to generate custom invoices so that you can bill the way you need.

Regulatory Compliance

Compliance with regulatory standards, such as HIPAA in the United States, is a requirement for many NEMT providers. OnTime can help you maintain compliance. Data being transmitted to and from the OnTime Mobile app is encrypted for security. Your customer data is always kept private.

Experience the Benefits of NEMT Software

Over the years, we've helped many NEMT providers implement and experience the benefits of OnTime. Contact us to learn how OnTime can work for your business.

Your Guide to Getting Started with OnTime

Getting started with courier software

You’ve decided that OnTime is the best choice for your business. Now what?

It’s time to set up your account. You’ll have a couple of options depending on what your business needs from OnTime. But whatever your situation, you’ll need time to set up the software, transition from your current system, and train your staff. In this guide, we will go over four things to consider when getting started with OnTime.

  1. Preparing to Use OnTime

As with any business software change, expect to spend some time setting up OnTime before launching it to your customers. For regular accounts, we typically recommend setting aside one to two weeks for setup, but it could take as little as a day of planning or up to a month if you want to take your time. Knowing which customers and employees you want to onboard first can be helpful.

Then, choose a plan that’s going to support your needs. If you’re not sure which one you should try, check out the enterprise plan. It's our most popular subscription level and it provides automation and customization tools such as a custom report designer, customer web portal, and API.  

  1. Subscribing to OnTime

Signing up for OnTime only takes a few minutes using a credit card or PayPal. If you have a trial account that you’ve created in the last 30 days, you can activate it and quickly turn it into a paid account. Once it’s activated, you can start where you left off in your trial.

  1. Initial Setup Call

When you sign up, you’ll receive an email with a link for a setup call with one of our support representatives. You can then pick a time that works for you.

Once scheduled, ensure that you have the software downloaded. If you have a list of customers, locations, and a price sheet, bring them to the setup meeting. Here’s what you’ll cover in this hour-long call:

  • Creating users
  • Adding locations and customers
  • Configuring pricing
  • Setting up notifications
  • Testing

Once your setup call is complete, you’ll have all the tools you’ll need to start using OnTime. Keep in mind that you gain unlimited access to our tech support team when you sign up. When you have more questions or need help, we’re just a phone call away.

  1. Additional Projects

Now that you’ve set up the basic features of your account, you can look into additional projects. This might include taking advantage of advanced route optimization, integrations, or custom reporting. You could also connect the OnTime Customer Web Portal to your website.

After you’ve gone through these steps, your OnTime account will be set up and ready to go! Then, it’ll be time to start taking advantage of all the benefits that OnTime offers. Call if you have any questions about this process or if you’re ready to get started. We look forward to working with you.

How to Adapt to a Changing Industry (Case Study: Best Delivery LLC)

 

The delivery industry has become more and more competitive in recent years, but there are still opportunities for growth—whether you’re part of a new business or one that’s been around for a while.

Every delivery company is different, and what works for one business, won’t necessarily work for another. Even so, there’s still value in learning from the example of successful enterprises. One such example is Best Delivery LLC.

An Introduction to Best Delivery

Best Delivery LLC has been a leader in Southern California transportation and warehousing since 1997. In the past 20+ years, Best Delivery has experienced remarkable growth, and today has a diverse fleet of vehicles and over 120,000 square feet of warehouse space.

Today, they provide services in three segments of the logistics industry: courier, trucking, and warehousing. Best Delivery’s multi-industry appeal is evidence of their strong infrastructure and ability to adapt. Whether it be medical delivery for pharmacies, delivering parts for heavy duty trucks, or third-party warehousing, they’re willing to branch out into new areas of the industry.

Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges to the delivery industry, including unpredictable demand, driver shortages, remote work, etc. On top of that, there was also concern for the safety of employees and drivers. Here’s what Anastasia of Best Delivery LLC had to say:

“There was the challenge of the simple stuff, from where can my drivers use the restroom, to [how can I keep] my drivers safe and healthy.”


Despite these concerns, Best Delivery was able to stay adaptable and respond to new demand.   

“We already did a lot of medical work, but we picked up a lot of new work storing and moving personal protective equipment (PPE).”


Along with the challenges, the pandemic opened up new opportunities. Best Delivery was able to overcome the obstacles and adapt to new demand.

Over a Decade with OnTime

Before subscribing to OnTime, Best Delivery had no software solution and relied on an outdated program to record their deliveries. In the words of Anastasia:

“We could enter orders and we could print orders, but that was about it.”


Best Delivery needed an upgrade.

When they transitioned over to OnTime, their staff was a bit skeptical at first, but according to Anastasia, when they saw what the software could do, they were won over.

One feature in particular has changed the way that Best Delivery operates: pricing.

“[We have] yet to come up with a crazy pricing scenario that I haven’t been able to do in OnTime. . . . You never know what’s going to make a contract workable by pricing. So, the flexibility is really important.”


Not only has this proven to be a helpful feature for dispatchers, it also helps customers.

“There are two really important things for us as a smaller company. The ability for customers to submit their own orders and get pricing as they do it.”


OnTime has worked with Best Delivery for over 10 years, and we look forward to serving Best Delivery as they continue to grow. If your business is interested in partnering with OnTime, check out our demo.

5 Strategies for Surviving the Driver Shortage

Businesses across the country are struggling to find workers, and the delivery industry is among the hardest hit.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020 the average age of an employed delivery driver in the United States is 46.5 years old, which is four years older than the average for the overall workforce.

There are simply not enough qualified drivers to replace those who are retiring or leaving the profession. As a result, the competition in the industry is steep for companies who want to attract and retain experienced drivers.

There are two primary ways that delivery companies can keep up with their workload—attracting new drivers and retaining current drivers.

Attract New Drivers

To find reliable new drivers, it’s vital that you know your audience. Gone are the days of writing up a quick posting in the classifieds section of your local paper. In today’s market, to find high-quality prospects, you must have high-quality listings.

For example, if you are looking to target younger people, you have to use new ways of recruiting. Here are two best practices:

  1. Finding untapped potential

To target younger audiences, you might try to include listings on newer online job boards in addition to more conventional options. Craigslist can still bring in good workers, but at times it fails to reach younger people. So be sure to also include listings on sites such as Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and Monster.

Most ads are targeted towards prospects who are already delivery drivers. However, there are many prospects who have little experience in the industry that could be valuable workers with a little bit of training. If you’re struggling to find new drivers, try to advertise to a new demographic.

  1. Driver compensation

What kind of drivers are you looking for? Your answer should affect the type of driver compensation that you advertise. Experienced drivers are typically looking for good hourly pay, benefits, and long-term contracts.

However, due to the driver shortage you may need to look for new talent. To attract younger workers, you might want to look into more immediate compensation plans. This includes competitive pay, sign-on bonuses, and shorter pay periods.

Driver Retention

It’s been said that prevention is better than cure—and that’s definitely true in the case of drivers. During this season, it may seem that driver retention is largely out of your control, but there are a number of things that you can do to increase driver loyalty.

 Here are three best practices:

  1. Ask for driver feedback

Make your drivers feel like active contributors to the company by engaging them in problem solving and actively look for feedback. When you show your drivers that their feedback is important it builds loyalty and trust. There’s no doubt that engaged drivers are more likely to stick around.

  1. Driver Rewards

Drivers who feel appreciated and rewarded are more likely to stick around, so don’t be afraid to set metrics or milestones for your drivers and offer incentives. To motivate your drivers, tie performance to data-driven measures such as:

  • Number of positive customer reviews
  • Miles driven
  • Orders completed

When you reward your best drivers, the entire fleet can become more motivated, efficient, and goal-oriented. 

  1. Make your drivers’ lives easy

Improving driver experience can go a long way towards keeping your drivers loyal. One of the best ways of doing that is by making their jobs easier using technology.

You might try to consolidate your tools. Many drivers are carrying around multiple items including barcode scanners, pricing sheets, order lists, GPS devices, and phones. A smartphone can accomplish the function of all these items. There are mobile apps with built in GPS tracking, barcode scanning, and signature capture.

Another option is to optimize your drivers’ routes so they don’t have to figure it out for themselves. Not only does that save you money, but it also takes a big load off of your drivers. There are route optimization tools that make this possible in one click.

Driver satisfaction is the future of the industry

If the industry is going to meet increased demand—now and in the future, it will have to address the driver shortage issue.

To find new drivers, delivery companies will need to continually improve their advertising and driver compensation strategies. It’s also vital that organizations invest in the well-being of their drivers to increase loyalty and improve retention. At the end of the day, delivery businesses rely on their drivers, so be sure that you’re doing all you can to give them a positive experience—and you’ll see returns.

OnTime 6 Now Available

We are happy to announce the release of OnTime version 6! This major update is packed with new features and quality of life changes, focusing on core system improvements, an improved interface, bolstered security, and implemented feedback from passionate OnTime users.

Download and try the new features today

 

This update is available without additional charge as part of an active OnTime subscription. Here are a few of the new features and improvements:

 

New Custom Report Designer

Now anyone can design custom reports using the all-new Custom Report Designer engine and interface. While previous versions of OnTime had the tools to build custom reports from scratch, those tools often required an experienced report author who could create SQL database queries. Starting with OnTime 6, the custom report authoring environment has been rewritten to be easier to use.

Open up a new report, and be guided through the process of creating a new report by the new report creation wizard.

There's no need to understand SQL queries, and all available database fields are presented in a visual click/drag-and-drop interface.

The new report designer is both capable and blazing fast. Over 500 pieces of information are available when designing a custom report, and additional functions and scripting exponentially increase the possibilities. Through the use of graphics card acceleration and extensive data access improvements, performance is outstanding. A 2,000-page report can be generated in less than 10 seconds.

 

Keep Multiple Reports Open in the Tracking View

Boost productivity with the ability to open, and keep open, multiple report previews at once within the Tracking view.

 

Simplified Ribbon Toolbar

Sometimes less is more. The new simplified toolbar can reduce visual clutter, allowing focus to remain on the data. Toggle the simplified toolbar by clicking the "up arrow" on the right side of the ribbon toolbar.

 

Modify Orders from the Unassigned Orders List

This is a small thing that will make a big difference to Dispatchers: View order details and save changes right from the Unassigned Orders list of the Dispatching view.

 

Global Setting Indicators

If you've ever wondered which OnTime settings apply to the entire company-wide account and which ones applied to your PC only, global setting indicators remove any doubt. Global company-wide settings are now clearly marked with a blue globe next to the setting or section of settings. This helps clarify which settings affect the local PC and which ones affect the entire account.

 

Full Support for Windows 11

Windows 11 will soon become the standard operating system for business computers. We've been developing and testing for months to ensure OnTime 6 works seamlessly on Windows 11 from day one. When your business starts using Windows 11, rest assured that OnTime 6 is 100% compatible.

 

Improved Performance and Faster Processing

Experience up to 20x faster performance and increased data file sizes with the new OnTime data access advancements. OnTime stores information locally within a data file to ensure quick access to your data, even without an internet connection. We are happy to introduce a new data file format that provides several enhancements:

  • Significant improvements to data access speed. In some cases, you'll see a 20x speed increase. This makes using OnTime faster and smoother than ever. Even PCs with slower hard drives will see a jump in performance due to specialized optimizations for non-SSD equipped PCs.
  • Access all records without data file size restrictions. Users with large amounts of data will appreciate this enhancement since there had been a 4GB limit to the amount of data stored locally, and now there is no such limitation.
  • Added protection against data loss or corruption. Enhanced logging helps ensure that all data is safe and recoverable, even in the event of a power failure.

 

Visual Improvements

Users of OnTime Management Suite and Dispatch spend most of their workday within those applications. Our users have logged over 60 million man-hours (that's 6,900 years) within these two OnTime programs alone! Any changes we can make to improve the visual design of those applications have a powerful impact on our users' day-to-day work.

Refreshed iconography across the applications brings a more modern and cohesive look. Special attention was given to ensuring that users can easily recognize icons in a busy and chaotic environment.

Improvements were made across our four color themes: Colorful, Light, Gray, and Dark. Icons have been remastered to look great across all themes, and the consistency of dark themes has been improved application-wide.

The login window has been refreshed with a modern look that greets you.

The Dispatching view now shows more information at once. Improved docking controls allow you to see everything in one view, use a tabbed view, or move panels across multiple monitors.

 

New Installer and Updater

This quality-of-life update allows you to install new versions 2-3 times faster than before. More importantly, this installer does not require that the previous version be completely removed before installing the update. This means that shortcuts on your desktop or pinned to the taskbar or start menu stay right where you left them.

 

Advanced Address Lookup

OnTime can help you find and resolve hundreds of millions of locations around the globe. We've made several improvements to international address lookup and geocoding that now factor in business names, making the job of order entry faster than ever for your customer service representatives and dispatchers.

 

New Look for Order Entry

Subtle changes were made to the layout and design of the Order Entry view. A special effort was made to group information logically while making it easy to read, even at a glance. Data within text boxes and controls is easier to read, and important information is highlighted. Pricing and service level information are now grouped under a new Service Level group.

 

More Information

To see a comprehensive list of our new features and enhancements added in OnTime 6, check out the release notes page. If you have any questions about using these new features, feel free to contact the OnTime customer support department, where a friendly support representative will be happy to assist you.

A Beginner's Guide to Shipping Labels

Small business owner creates shipping label

Shipping labels are a small but vital part of logistics. Accurate labels allow you to direct and track packages through each stage of the shipping process. Without detailed labels, you risk losing or mishandling your customers’ orders and damaging your brand reputation.

Whether you’re looking to create your first shipping label, or you already have some experience and are looking for some tips, our guide has got you covered. In this article, we will take a look at the elements of a shipping label, three best practices, and how you can make one yourself.

The Elements of a Shipping Label

Shipping labels vary depending on the carrier—between UPS and FedEx for example—but they all share some common elements like addresses, weight, and tracking information.

Here’s an example of a shipping label that includes many of the elements you’re likely to see:

  1. Sender name and return address
  2. Recipient name and address
  3. Service level, i.e., standard, express, priority, etc.
  4. Tracking barcode and number
  5. Package dimensions and weight
  6. Descriptions and receiver information
  7. Branding

Courier software shipping label

If it seems daunting to have to enter in all of this information on each shipping label, don’t worry—much of it can be generated automatically by the courier/delivery software you’re using.

Now that you have a basic overview of what information you should include on your labels, let’s look at three best practices for making your own shipping labels.

3 Shipping Label Best Practices

Extra labeling

Sometimes it’s necessary to add extra labeling to inform drivers of any special requirements for a parcel. For example, it may be necessary to include a label with a reminder that the contents of the package are fragile, perishable, or flammable. You may also need to label your parcel “This Way Up” to ensure that a package is transported safely.

Making shipping labels printer friendly

Make sure that your shipping labels are easily scalable so that your customers can print them out without a hitch. If you decide to use a unique aspect ratio, try printing it out at the standard page size to see if your barcode is still scannable when printed. Also, it’s a good idea to make your shipping labels generally accessible by having them printable in PDF format.

Creating shipping labels with a software solution

The right software solution can greatly simplify the label creation process, and most of these solutions do more than just provide labels. For example, if your courier software can also create shipping labels, you can set it up so labels are created automatically whenever a new order is submitted.

The OnTime Report Designer allows users to make custom modifications to their shipping labels. There are an astonishing 520+ fields available. Quickly access the editor in OnTime, add in the needed fields, and click save. Now you have a custom shipping label!

TMS shipping label desgner

Ready to try out OnTime? Get started with a free demo.

How to Start a Courier Business: 5 Point Checklist

Courier sorts packages in the back of his delivery van.

The demand for fast, efficient, and reliable courier services is soaring. As the popularity of last mile delivery continues to grow, there is increasing reliance on small, flexible courier companies.

With just a cell phone, a vehicle, and a passion for working with customers, you can establish a courier startup with minimal additional expenses. If you are thinking about setting up your own courier delivery service, take a look at our 5-point checklist for getting started.

1. Find your business model/niche

The first step in creating a new courier service is finding the right business model—not every model has the same profit potential and scalability.

Instead of trying to be all things to all people, most new services are better off finding a specific industry niche. Then, you can differentiate yourself from the competition with additional high-quality services, such as order tracking, custom packaging, etc.

2. Finding customers

Having a few core customers when you first launch your business is helpful, but it’s okay if you don’t. When you’re first starting your business, you can likely offer a competitive edge when it comes to rate.

You might even offer potential clients a free delivery or a discount to get your foot in the door. Be sure to create a website, as this is how people will likely book your services. Make it as easy as possible for them to make instant bookings.

3. Licensing and insurance

It may be advantageous to meet with a business advisor in your area before making any major decisions. That way, you can determine what types of insurance and licensing your new business will need. For example, a vendor’s license, vehicle insurance, or cargo insurance may be necessary. An accident or unexpected occurrence can cause major problems for a new business, so it’s worth your time to consider your insurance options.

4. Develop a pricing structure for items delivered

First things first, figure out how much you need to get paid to make it worth your time. Next, calculate out your expenses. Estimate your first year’s earnings as part of your business plan and work out how many assignments you will need to make a profit. Don’t make the mistake of undercharging because you didn’t take into account all the smaller costs involved in parcel delivery, such as fuel costs and vehicle maintenance. You'll benefit in the long run if you do your homework now.

Finally, choose how you want to get paid. There are thousands of ways you can do your pricing, whether you choose to price by weight, dimensions, distance, etc. Find the one that works for you, and make adjustments as you gain more experience.

5. Optimizing your business with software

Managing your new business can be overwhelming. There are hundreds of things to supervise. The right software system can help organize and keep track of this information. For example, courier software can help you to manage route optimization, price quoting, driver tracking, billing management, notifications, and more. Find software that has the tools to grow with your business.

OnTime 360 is an excellent choice for new delivery businesses. OnTime has both low startup costs and the ability to scale up as your business grows. Ready to try it out? Contact us for more information.

Earn More Business with Automatic Delivery Quotes

TMS pricing, quotes, and costing

Every courier company has its own unique pricing structure—it’s one of the things that defines your business. And it’s also one of the reasons why you might be skeptical about implementing automation.

But with new technology it is possible to automate your estimates, no matter how complex your pricing structure is. For example, some of OnTime’s customers have as many as 500 pricing sheets, and others have just one. The right software can handle both, factoring in all the elements that can affect the cost of shipments, such as package dimensions, service levels, weight, location, and more.

Here are five reasons why it’s worth your time to implement automatic online estimates:

1. Customized pricing

Some shipments are best priced by distance, others by weight, and most by a combination of charges. OnTime's price modifier system gives you the control to choose what factors you’d like to use in your pricing and build as many unique levels of service as you need.

2. Levels of service and budget options

Now more than ever, customers are interested in taking part in the quoting process. Online price estimates allow you to give them a more personalized experience. With the OnTime Customer Web Portal, every one of your customers can have unique price sets that have been negotiated ahead of time with any optional add-ons that you provide.

3. Saved quoting time

Many find that they simply cannot keep up with the demand when manually writing bids. Not only is automated quoting faster, but it is always consistent and accurate, saving the time you would have spent on making corrections.

4. Automatic confirmations and notifications

Customers want instant status updates on their deliveries. When a customer enters an order online, you don’t need to send out manual notifications. Your customers will automatically receive confirmation that their order has been received and will be notified automatically when their order is on its way and delivered.

5. Offer estimates from anywhere

Drivers or sales representatives can access online quoting tools from anywhere, even when out in the field. And the same goes with customers, who can get a quote or submit an order from a phone in seconds.

It’s clear that there are some significant benefits to using online quoting. If you’re thinking about using OnTime’s Customer Web Portal for automatic quoting, contact us to learn more about how OnTime can work for your business.