References
Ninatrans
The CarCube as missing link
The assignment
"My background is as IT specialist," remarks Benny Smets, general director of Ninatrans. "As early as the start of the 1990s we developed our own software applications and in 1999 we installed our first on-board computers. But the technology doesn't stand still. We therefore decided, based on our existing back office applications, to look for a method to optimise our efficiency and the quality of our service provision. Realtime information and efficient pay administration were key words."
The solution
All trucks were fitted with a CarCube on-board computer with integrated data communication, navigation, GPS and starter interrupter. The on-board computers were integrated with the existing in-house back-office systems, and the hours and activities recorded via the CarCube were quickly able to be processed in the pay administration.
The impact
Benny Smets is satisfied with the result: "This new system is an improvement on all fronts. After all these years, our previous system was ready for renewal. We all wanted better structures, and we achieved that. The switch to a new on-board computer solution encouraged us to put our business processes under the microscope. Our integrated transport management system and our business processes are now perfectly harmonised with each other, and to the needs of our customers!"
"The new solution also saves us a lot of time: the information provided by CarCube for the pay administration is accurate and can be processed immediately. Our efficiency has noticeably improved. For thanks to the automated data communication, we can reduce the error percentage to a minimum and we save significantly on communication costs. We can also follow our drivers better."
"And there are not only direct cost savings," he adds. "Thanks to CarCube, we can give our customers quick and efficient feedback. For time-critical loads that is a plus. And customers who wish to do so can even follow their loads real-time and request reports."
"You could say that the possibilities of our own software developments have now come fully into their own," he concludes. "The investment in CarCube was, if you like, the missing link."
The choice
"You can't underestimate the impact of such a switch-over, though. We didn't just jump straight into it," explains Benny Smets. "The simplicity and user-friendliness of the system were determining on their own. We were also convinced by the remarkably quick and simple integration with our existing back office systems. The basic principles were discussed in a few hours and the final implementation went just as smoothly. We were also taken with the professional project approach - particularly the manner in which ideas were shared - and the modern and innovative technology on which the CarCube solution is based."
The customer
Ninatrans, a Belgian family business with head office in Bierbeek and sister companies in Germany, France and the Czech Republic, has been a well-known presence in the transport sector for over 40 years. The firm is specialised in air transport and time-critical transport within the entire European Union and is a permanent partner of various providers of logistical services.