Atlanta, Georgia (PRWEB) August 16, 2005
GEOCOMtms, a global provider of Fleet Management solutions, announced today the general availability of A.MAZE Petroleum, the first end-to-end fleet management solution developed specifically to address the complex needs of the Fuels, Lubricants, and Fuel Oil industries. Leveraging the companyÂs extensive experience working with midsized petroleum distributors, A.MAZE Petroleum provides customers with greater visibility and control over fleet operations, enabling them to raise customer service levels and reduce operating costs.
A.MAZE Petroleum helps distributors manage the Âorder to cash cycle more effectively, giving them control over key business processes that impact customer service and profitability, including:
- Scheduled Delivery Forecasting
- Multi-Compartment Optimization
- Sequencing & Routing
- Multi-Depot Sourcing
- Fleet Tracking
- In Transit Inventory Management
- Mobile Dispatch
- Service, Sales, & Maintenance
"By working with a number of successful petroleum distributors, we've achieved a deep understanding of the fuels, lubricants, and fuel oil industries," said Michael Nark, president and chief executive officer of GEOCOMtms. "We have always focused on supporting the specialized needs of fleet operators; this, combined with our industry experience, makes us perfectly suited to deliver an end-to-end fleet management solution for petroleum distributors. Based on feedback weÂve received from the market, GEOCOMtms has the only solution that fully addresses the needs of this complex industry."
Distributors in the Fuels, Lubricants, and Fuel Oil industries have a number of common operating challenges, including a product mix that includes multiple product types and grades, time-critical customer service requirements; daily planning that includes both scheduled and "on demand" orders; and a dependence on repeat business. In addition to these similarities, each industry segment also has its own unique set of challenges, from seasonality, to product mix restrictions, to inventories that include hundreds of SKUs. A.MAZE Petroleum from GEOCOMtms supports the full complexity of these specialized requirements.
The A.MAZE Petroleum fleet management solution consists of five modules: Forecasting, Planning, Tracking, Mobile Dispatch, and Account Service. Though designed as a fully integrated system, modules may also be implemented separately, allowing customers to prioritize adoption to address their most pressing concerns.
Scheduled Delivery Forecasting
A large portion of a petroleum distributor's business comes from customers who are delivered to on a routine basis. Managing these deliveries can be difficult. Visiting frequently to deliver small quantities is inefficient. Allowing the customer to run out isnÂt providing good service. Making deliveries "just in time" is ideal. A.MAZE enables users to analyze historical data and identify optimal delivery frequency and product quantity for each customer.
Multi-Compartment Optimization
Petroleum distributors typically manage a diverse fleet of transports and tank wagons with varying compartment configurations; in some cases, they may also operate straight trucks for delivery of packaged products. Identifying the right vehicle to serve each customer and loading that vehicle appropriately is critical to success. A.MAZE Petroleum optimizes load assignment for multi-compartment vehicles, ensuring the best use of available capacity.
Sequencing & Routing
Improving efficiency depends on creating routing plans that drivers will actually follow. Achieving this requires the ability to model complex vehicle characteristics, road networks, and other business constraints. A.MAZE can process and analyze a virtually unlimited number of vehicle / sequence / timing / routing combinations to identify the best delivery territories and daily route structure. The system can also process intraday changes, such as new orders, automatically and generate updated driver instructions.
Multi-Depot Sourcing
In some environments vehicles need to be refilled within the day so more stops can be completed. Inserting these stops at the right time and sending drivers to the appropriate refill point is part of creating an effective plan. But each terminal and bulk station carries a different mix of products, so the closest one isnÂt always the right one. A.MAZE Petroleum selects the best refill points based on driver proximity and which product types are available at each location.
Fleet Tracking
The ability to monitor fleet resources is becoming more and more essential due to rising transportation costs. Fleet operators need to know if drivers are misusing company assets so they can take action. This is particularly important for petroleum distributors, whose vehicles are especially costly to operate. A.MAZE Petroleum incorporates GPS-based tracking, so managers always know exactly where each vehicle is, which stops have been completed, and how long a driver spent at each location.
In Transit Inventory Management
Completing as many deliveries as possible each day makes the best use of fleet capacity. A.MAZE Petroleum allows distributors to keep track of delivery quantities so they always know how much each vehicle is carrying. With A.MAZE, dispatchers can choose which driver to assign new orders to based on how much product theyÂre carrying. They also know whether a driver can squeeze in an extra stop before quitting for the day.
Mobile Dispatch
Managing intraday communications can be difficult. Drivers call for directions, emergency orders come up, and customers want to know where their delivery is. A.MAZE Petroleum ensures effective communication by enabling organizations to stay connected with drivers, no matter what handheld devices they are using. Turn-by-turn directions are always available electronically, when a driver needs them. And if plans need to change during the day, updated stop assignments and directions can be pushed out automatically, without dispatcher intervention.
Service, Sales, & Maintenance
A.MAZE Petroleum provides account management tools that enable distributors to deliver better service in the field. Service personnel can access account history and service contracts, complete detailed inspection reports, and document onsite maintenance activities. Drivers can help reduce billing errors by recording actual delivery quantity at each stop and confirm delivery via electronic signature capture. A.MAZE can even generate invoices automatically by synchronizing with back office financial applications like DM2, Factor, and ADD Systems.
About GEOCOMtms
GEOCOMtms gets things moving with fleet management solutions that make pickup and delivery operations run smoothly. Everyday, leading companies choose our A.MAZE suite to manage thousands of vehicles from hundreds of depots and distribution centers. Busy logistics executives choose A.MAZE because itÂs the one solution that gives them enterprise visibility and complete control over fleet operations. And that translates into greater asset productivity, improved cash flow, and increased return on capital. By using A.MAZE, customers like Lubricant Technologies, McPherson Oil Company, and Southern Maryland Oil have reduced operating costs while raising the level of customer service they provide. For additional information, please visit http://www.GEOCOMtms.com.
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