Reduce labor and time by helping drivers record orders and deliveries more quickly

How mobile printing enhances
efficiency in route accounting & DSD
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Automating route activity provides benefits both in the field and in the office by reducing the labor and timeneeded to enter data and process paperwork, cutting inventory errors, and by helping drivers record orders anddeliveries more quickly. Mobile printing is an essential element for delivering and enhancing these benefits inroute accounting and direct store delivery (DSD) operations. Supporting route activity with mobile printing letsdrivers generate accurate, updated orders, invoices, delivery receipts, settlement reports and otherdocumentation to review with customers to ensure accuracy and prevent time-consuming disputes.
Mobile printing provides a series of quality improvements and timesaving benefits that are often overlooked inroute automation, but can have a significant impact on the bottom line. This white paper will:
. Describe uses for mobile printing in route accounting applications;
. Provide return on investment calculation tools to measure the financial impact mobile printing can have;
. Demonstrate how mobile printing processes can improve billing, distribution, and customer serviceoperations;
. Detail how on-demand thermal printing can reduce forms expenses;
. Provide an overview of mobile printer and wireless communications options for route accounting systems.
Read on to see how your route delivery and sales staff can make more stops and fewer errors each day by usingmobile printing to support their work.
I n t r o d u c t i o n
Many companies have found that automation systems intended to save time on the route have also led toincreased revenue, because route drivers are able to spend more time with customers when they are freed fromtedious data entry, billing, and report preparation. United Propane Gas (UPG) provides an excellent example ofthese benefits. UPG, which delivers propane and heating oil to residential and commercial customers in eightstates, estimates the time saved by preparing and printing invoices automatically instead of manually saves threeto four minutes on each delivery. The time saved throughout the day lets its drivers make a few more deliveriesin a shift, which has produced improved cash flow and efficiency for UPG (see the complete case study atwww.zebra.com).
In DSD operations, time savings allows drivers to spend more time on merchandising and sales. Efficient DSDoperators spend slightly less time printing invoices than average performers, but significantly more timemerchandising according to Driving DSD Supply Chain Efficiencies and Profitability, a study by the GroceryManufacturers of America (GMA). The study found that some DSD drivers spent as much as six percent oftheir time in stores preparing invoices, while others spent as little as 2.1 percent of their time on the task.
1Mobile computers also give route sales professionals access to enterprise applications and valuable customerinformation. Armed with more time and more information, route sales agents can encourage additionalcustomer purchases by suggesting complementary items and reviewing new products. They can also accessrecords to quickly settle discrepancies and reduce returns.
Receipts, invoices, and other outputs from mobile printers help DSD drivers and other route professionals andtheir customers get transactions right the first time, which raises quality, efficiency, and profitability throughoutthe enterprise. Route accounting impacts sales, billing, inventory, distribution, and customer service operations.Typically, companies that have automated have increased their service area and customer base without addingpersonnel. The following section will demonstrate how mobile printing improves productivity for typical routeaccounting activities.<... [download for more]