In the ready-mix concrete industry, everything happens in real-time – as concrete will harden in a limited amount of time, Producers and Contractors must make immediate decisions about project work. Should a problem arise, it is important that concrete Producers have documentation to support themselves or they risk losing a customer. Thus, when concrete deliveries and project details are not current, things can go wrong very quickly, increasing stress and costs. It is inefficient to manage concrete deliveries via paper tickets – Electronic tickets, or e-Tickets, provide many benefits, such as improving safety, reducing errors, saving time, optimizing workflows, and storing information.
e-Tickets produced by advanced real-time delivery management tools such as the iStrada Delivery Management Platform provide information about deliveries in real-time. Paperless Tickets may include basic informative details regarding the Truck, Driver, Time Requirements, Load, Job, Order, Financial, Sales, Delivery, and more. Beyond the basic information, more specific information may be provided regarding the Customer, Mix, Ticket Acceptance, Inspection, Delivery Status History (including times), Products, Mix Design, and Photos. Businesses and trading partners can better understand project-related activities with access to such information.
In the past, Producers and Contractors did not have access to real-time delivery management tools such as the iStrada Delivery Management Platform. With a paper-based ticketing system, the Driver typically scribbles all of the required information, then somebody else jots down their name as accepted. In addition to problematic handwriting and reading, tickets are frequently lost or misplaced. Using iStrada for e-Ticketing, all of this information is captured and stored in the cloud – Drivers simply have to show up on site, take pictures (when appropriate), and get a signature with their mobile device. Afterwards, the Driver can proceed with his route, and all of this information is neatly organized and accessible online.
By incorporating e-Ticketing in the delivery process, mixers will be in and out of job sites quicker, resulting in more efficient deliveries. The amount of time that can be saved by using this feature alone is amazing. It eliminates both the risk of tickets going missing and the need for back-and-forth transactions between parties. With the iStrada platform, e-Ticketing can also serve as a stepping stone to even more functionality.