A fast-growing logistics group is rolling out Mandata GoPlus to improve productivity and further enhance customer service.
Freight 24 Logistics Group has more than 120 vehicles across four businesses: WJ Capper in Telford is one of the founding members of Palletforce; R&P Distribution in Thetford is also a Palletforce member; JMDS in Derbyshire is a general haulier; and the most recent addition is Keyes Transport in Chelmsford, which is part of the Pallet Track network.
Freight 24 wanted a transport management system (TMS) to improve productivity, enhance customer service, and create common processes across the group. James Dolan, a key shareholder and adviser to the management team, recommended Mandata GoPlus after receiving a demonstration of the platform.
“I had used older versions of Mandata’s TMS in the past and was impressed with Mandata GoPlus when I had a demo,” he said. “We are still at the early stages, but the benefits are obvious to the team. The unbilled report is already the finance department’s best friend. Our goal is to increase productivity and enable faster invoicing, which in turn will generate more cash.”
Freight 24 initially deployed Mandata GoPlus in its Capper and R&P businesses, where it replaced manual systems, then rolled it out to JDMS, where it replaced a bespoke TMS. Keyes will follow, now that Mandata GoPlus Palletforce integration is available.
Along with Mandata GoPlus, Freight 24 is rolling out Mandata’s Manifests app to its drivers, enabling quick and easy proof of delivery as well as digitising the daily vehicle inspection reports with a Vehicle Checks app. And with most of the Group’s operations focused on pallet networks, Mandata GoPlus offers Freight 24 the flexibility to manage work across multiple networks with one TMS, boosting efficiency further.
Mandata’s Pallet Network and Warehouse Management System integration enables GoPlus to automatically send and receive information including job details, pallet network barcodes, progress updates, and other documentation. The platform integrates with major pallet networks’ software systems. It enables operators to run transport in tandem with the warehouse, thanks to features like generating your own barcodes, scanning goods on and off vehicles, and integrating with Mandata’s Warehouse platform.
“It will make life much easier for us,” added James. “At the moment we export information from Palletforce, put it into a spreadsheet and manipulate the data in order to import it to Mandata GoPlus. It’s a protracted process that involves three different people, whereas once this integration is complete it will be a two-minute job for one person. Critically it will enable same-day invoicing, whereas at present we have up to a 10-day lag on invoicing Palletforce.”
The Group has plans for further acquisitions and wants a standardised system across all its businesses. “Mandata GoPlus will be standard across all of our businesses, so any new companies we acquire over the coming months and years will also move over to this platform,” added James. “Mandata will be very much a part of our future.
“Transport is a highly competitive business so you need an edge, and Mandata GoPlus gives us that edge. I have used several TMS over the past 10 years and Mandata are head and shoulders above anything else out there, in my opinion.”
