McLeod Software Releases Version 16.1 of LoadMaster® Enterprise and PowerBroker®
Birmingham, AL (PRWEB) June 27, 2016 -- McLeod IQ
McLeod’s Version 16.1 release includes a brand new data warehouse and business intelligence product, McLeod IQ, which was designed to take advantage of current Microsoft tools, such as PowerBI.
We developed McLeod IQ to provide insight into key indicators that are important to our customers’ businesses. With McLeod IQ, customers can slice, dice, measure, and report on their data in many new ways; and they can do it easily buy using simple tools, such as Microsoft Excel Pivot tables.
McLeod IQ utilizes the Microsoft Business Intelligence stack to create a multidimensional cube that aggregates customers’ important metric data in a way that is easy to understand, report, and analyze. The data cube architecture shows important KPIs against any type of dimensional data (i.e.: Customer/Location/Driver), thereby showing relationships and correlations that are not normally easy to see from standard reports.
With the ability to explore relationships between different variables, McLeod customers can take their data analysis to a higher level. McLeod IQ gives visibility into the things that should influence critical decisions about the business.
Carrier Relationship Management
PowerBroker now includes a new Carrier Relationship Management module, which works in a similar way to McLeod’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and allows a broker to focus on finding and building relationships with key carriers.
McLeod has added new features within PowerBroker to enhance and support carrier recruiting strategies. These new Carrier CRM capabilities allow management teams to establish defined action plans to contact and maintain carrier relationships. Each carrier can be assigned a salesperson and a carrier relationship manager, and the carrier contacts are linked to users based on roles. The frequency of carrier contact is maintained at the individual carrier contact level, by setting the recurring call days option.
A new Carrier Call List screen has been added to assist in prioritizing outbound telemarketing efforts and review historical call records. With each contact, users can record details of the call and view suggested next action activity. These new features provide a CRM type workflow for carrier recruitment and a way to provide consistent contact.
Carrier Onboarding Automation with LogixSolutions
Onboarding carriers has never been easier for brokers than with McLeod's new LogixSolutions Carrier Onboarding process in PowerBroker Version 16.1. This gives brokers an automated software solution that delivers carrier qualification and management in one tool. McLeod developed this solution not only to automate the onboarding process, but also to make it easier for carriers to do business with McLeod's broker customers - they no longer have to print out forms, fill them out, then fax them back. With absolutely no paper required, the solution utilizes the Carrier Packet eForm and is driven by a detailed workflow. The evaluation of prospective carriers is fully automated, utilizing PowerBroker and specific rules setup by the broker within the application to determine if the carrier meets their requirements. Criteria collected from 3rd party carrier services, as well as insurance information in PowerBroker, are all used in qualifying carriers and determining if they are acceptable within defined levels of risk tolerance.
By utilizing LogixSolutions eForms, the process of gathering carrier profile data, signed contracts, and capturing required documentation (i.e.: W-9, Cargo Insurance, Liability Insurance) is automated. Once the rules and eForms are in place, the only broker interaction required is the final approval to onboard the prospective carrier. The system is setup to automatically review, approve, or reject the prospective carriers quickly, while giving visibility into the entire onboarding process. Following carrier activation, the management solution monitors PowerBroker for expiring insurance documents, and automatically sends an eForm to those carriers, prompting them to submit the updated paperwork.
LoadMaster® Enterprise Added Integration Solutions
McLeod has further enhanced our interfaces with EFS. The interactive fuel interface now offers the ability to control the amount of fuel and related products purchased at out-of-network fuel stops.
A new HOS integration option is available with Teletrac Fleet Director and RydeSmart applications. The integration includes the retrieval of Hours of Service data from Teletrac into LoadMaster, providing near real-time updates in Order Planning and Feasibility.
The Version 16.1 of LoadMaster includes a new integration with WebTech Wireless Quadrant solution. This new integration provides the ability to retrieve positions from Quadrant into LoadMaster, the transmission of next assigned dispatch to Quadrant for delivery, two-way text and messages between dispatch users and drivers, and automated dispatch updates from inbound forms data.
With our new release, comes additional functionality for Omnitracs XRS and Enterprise Systems. New features include the ability to capture images and electronic signature capture. In the XRS Forms Administration, customers now have the option to define fields on the inbound message form to capture images and electronic signatures. These images are stored within the LoadMaster system and indexed into DocumentPower™ by document type. For the Omnitracs Enterprise Systems, the inclusion of the Media Manager integration incorporates captured images and document types from the DocumentPower solution.
Included with Version 16.1 is a new vendor interface with Pegasus TransTech Transflo Mobile+ solution. This integration provides the automated sending of next dispatch assignments from LoadMaster to Transflo Mobile+ for delivery to the driver’s mobile device.
We have also added new features and support to McLeod’s Telephony interfaces for Mitel and Shoretel. Our new telephony interface now includes support for Mitel 5000 and 3000 models, as well as Shoretel’s Sky phone systems.
PowerBroker® Added Integration Solutions
PowerBroker Version 16.1 includes a new Carrier Monitoring and Onboarding Interface with Truckstop.com. A subscription to Truckstop.com CACCI provides certificate of insurance information on over 200,000 carriers, as well as DOT Safety Ratings, CSA scores, Authority data, CPR status and reporting. The Onboarding interface with Truckstop.com has added benefit of the carrier driven registration process, in which they register with Truckstop.com and provide the necessary paperwork up front. The carriers then setup their preferred lanes, which are made visible in the interface. Information from the carrier and Truckstop.com can be reviewed, and a decision made to either add or deny onboarding the carrier.
The PowerBroker Carrier Interface with CarrierWatch has been enhanced to support intrastate carriers. Now carriers that have an intrastate code, but do not have a DOT number, can be added and updated using the CarrierWatch interface. Also as part of the Version 16.1 enhancements with CarrierWatch, an interface with DAT Onboarding has been added. As carriers register on the DAT Onboarding website, the carrier master record in PowerBroker will automatically be added or updated. To expedite the onboarding process, PowerBroker will import the contracts, contacts, preferred lanes, insurance data, and carrier documents from the DAT Onboarding website.
With the new FourKites Brokerage Tracking interface, accounting for carrier drivers has become easier and more automated. When a carrier is dispatched in PowerBroker, the dispatcher can send tracking information to begin the FourKites tracking process.
McLeod Software
Transportation companies that work with McLeod Software find the best ways to improve customer service levels and operating ratios, attract and retain the best drivers, and drive automation to destroy inefficiency. McLeod Software is the leading provider of transportation dispatch, accounting, operations and brokerage management software, and document management systems. Specifically developed for the trucking industry, McLeod Software's advanced management solutions and services enable transportation companies to increase their efficiencies while reducing costs. Visit us at http://www.McLeodSoftware.com.
Kristan Hill, McLeod Software, http://www.mcleodsoftware.com, +1 (205) 406-1044, [email protected]
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