Improving Operating Efficiency Using Depots

For medium to large installation companies that maintain several locations in their service area for storing panels and riders (i.e., multiple depots), or for real estate enterprises operating across many geographies, the problem of having the system locate the desired inventory item for the installer can be problematic.

SignTraker addresses this issue by enabling the operator or dispatcher to stipulate the depots that they manage, and then associate their installers to the default depot that they work from. Inventory for each installer will be pulled from that installer's default depot.

If the operator is using SignTraker’s auto assignment, when a new service or installation order is presented the SignTraker will already know who will be performing the work. SignTraker system will look at the service order (installation or otherwise) and pull the desired inventory from the depot associated with that installer. If the desired item is not at that operator’s depot then the dispatcher will have to direct SignTraker to choose the appropriate item from one of the other depots using situational knowledge and an understanding of the installer’s whereabouts for that day. This avoids the situation were the system arbitrarily selects and inventory item regardless of depot, which would then necessitate the installer editing the order to indicate which item he used from his local resources.

Additionally, the SignTraker system will automatically start and stop the installers route from their default depot, when using SignTraker’s integrated Driver Routing module.

The operating efficiencies can be significant. If the installer’s labor rate is $18 per hour including all taxes, fees, and benefits, and the installer saves just 10 minutes per day in retrieving or updating just a couple of work orders to show the inventory being used, the savings per month (200 minutes or more) adds up to $60 or more per month—almost $1,000 per year.

By using this capability, installers can minimize the amount of time that they require to prepare orders for installation, particularly with respect to locating necessary inventory to complete their routes.

If you have any questions on SignTraker’s QuickBooks integration capabilities, please contact SignTraker via our helpline, 443-938-9178 Option 1, or email us.