Working with Van Marcke

Koen VanDamme - Quality & Change manager

Ensuring correct, on-time deliveries is crucial for Van Marcke, a leading distributor of sanitary and central heating systems. Ubidata’s Track & Trace solution not only allows Van Marcke to keep a close watch on its distribution activities but unlocks a plethora of valuable insights as well.

Van Marcke dispatches about a hundred trucks daily in order to supply both its own showrooms and customers across Belgium, Luxembourg and the North of France. "To meet our customers’ needs and guarantee excellent service, visibility in our distribution process is a must. The blind spot we used to have before, has now been filled in by Ubidata’s Track & Trace solution in a very user-friendly way," says Koen Van Damme, Quality & Change Manager at Van Marcke.

Transparency first

Van Marcke invested in Motorola PDAs, equipping its 95 drivers with the device that runs Ubidata’s Track & Trace software. As soon as the vehicle routing has been entered into PTV Smartour, the routes are uploaded to the PDAs. The drivers scan the goods on delivery and all data is sent back to the planners in real time. Van Marcke continuously receives feedback on what is happening in the field and is able to reschedule its routing on an ad hoc basis. In addition, the real-time information Van Marcke gets is vital to inform its customers accurately about the delivery. "Our customers receive a text message to notify them that their goods are on their way or we can e-mail them a link that lets them track their orders online. Another major advantage is the conclusive ‘proof of delivery'. The drivers can take a picture of the delivered goods, precluding any future discussion on the actual state in which the goods were dropped off at the customer", adds Koen VanDamme.

From data to information

A next phase will see Van Marcke further exploring the potential of the Ubidata solution. "Currently we still analyse those data in Excel spreadsheets but Ubidata’s analysis functionality allows us to automate that process and make more informed decisions. By knowing exactly what happens on the ground, we can further improve our planning – and save on fuel – and increase the service to our customers," concludes Koen Van Damme.