EBE Technologies, a provider of business process management solutions for the transportation industry, has launched Internet Data Interchange (IDI), a web-based data entry solution that automatically populates data from carriers’ dispatch and accounting systems into and from shippers and intermediaries web portals.
The tool eliminates the need to manually re-key in required information to shippers’ Websites for the purpose of tendering and confirming loads. IDI positions carriers to reduce labor costs, deliver superior customer service and improve cash flow, the company says.
IDI retrieves the data contained in carrier accounting and dispatch systems to populate related fields in the shipper’s Website. By accessing existing data, the speed of input is limited only by the rate at which data is transmitted. Validation of data is built into the system eliminating delays made by human error.
“Having the ability to automatically enter data into and from our customers’ Websites with EBE’s IDI application has resulted in substantial improvements in productivity and accuracy. We’ve reduced our data entry man-hours per week from 100 hours to 60 hours- and that is for only one of our business partners. We anticipate even greater savings as we begin to use this tool with more of our customers. In addition to the labor savings, the costly errors associated with manual data input have been virtually eliminated,” said John Coseart, Chief Financial Officer of Heartland Express.
The ability to connect through the Internet to shippers’ Websites also enables the carrier the opportunity to leverage the data stored by the shipper to improve its own processing efficiency. A carrier can retrieve information from the shipper automatically to update the carrier’s dispatch and/or accounting systems. If a load confirmation number is needed in order for a shipment to be dispatched, the data needed to create it is entered into the shipper’s site. Once entered, the load confirmation number is automatically captured from the Internet site and placed in the dispatch system.
“Shippers are demanding more from their carriers today and have found self-service a key to improved efficiencies. Even those carriers linked by EDI are forced to re-enter data. IDI helps carriers like Heartland Express relieve that labor intensive burden. We’re excited about bringing this high value solution to the transportation industry, demonstrating once again, our commitment to providing more efficient ways of transacting business,” said Larry Kerr, President of EBE Technologies.
IDI is built with the flexibility to allow transportation companies to directly connect with virtually any business partner’s Internet site and dispatch system that provides an ODBC interface. It also handles image transfers for those customers requiring that capability. Interfaces to many of the leading shippers and intermediary providers are already developed and in production, the company says.
