Tuesday, January 31. 2012
Have you ever wondered how to bring the same level of tracking and tracing of packages that the major carriers provide into your organization? Mail delivery software is available to businesses of all sizes. Whether you are receiving hundreds of packages per day or only a few precious items, the need to track the receipt and delivery may be a important part of your business operation. Tracking packages internally starts with the receiving process. The carriers drop off packages and collect signatures for their system. Although this is the end of the process for the carriers it is actually the beginning of the process for receivers. First the package tracking number must be recorded. Typically this can be accomplished through the use of a bar code scan. If a tracking number is not present or is unreadable then the receiver must generate unique identifying number to track the package through to delivery. Next, any additional information required must be recorded against that package such as recipient's name, location, who the sender is, and possiblly the type of or condition of the package. Once the package detail is recorded, the package will either be stored or routed for delivery. This is were the application is specific to each organization. Depending on how the package is to be handled will determine the follow steps in the process. Ultimately the package must get in the hands of the end recipient. Whether the package is delivered directly to that person or delivered to a location, the mail clerk must account for delivery either through a signature or a short note that the package was delivered or dropped off. Although this may sound like a difficult process for most businesses; through the use of technology it can be quite seamless. SQBX inbound package tracking system can help automate the steps listed above to provide the level or package management your business requires. Call today to witness the strength of SQBX.
Tuesday, January 24. 2012
Delivery management software has been around for decades, unfortunately some of the delivery software is starting to show its age. Many makers of mail tracking and parcel tracking software simply do not update their products on a regular basis so if you are in the market for a bar-code application look for some of these new features. Improved delivery route planner, a feature allowing a company with multiple hand held devices to be able to use any of the hand held devices to work any route. Scheduling of e-mails is a huge improvement, allowing you to receive a parcel and schedule sending of an e-mail when you decide. This gives you time to process packages and prepare them for delivery. Alerts are available not only at the receiving station but on the delivery tracking devise as well. One of the newest features in mail delivery software as well as parcel delivery is the ability for messaging between hand held devises. One last new feature is the request for pickup of packages for internal destinations or for processing outbound through a shipping system. There are many more features available for mail tracking and parcel tracking. For more information visit WWW.SQBX.COM
Monday, January 23. 2012
We're frequently approached by small
and mid-sized businesses who find themselves facing an unusual but
positive challenge – trying to keep up with their own growth.
Several things tend to occur in a growing business: inventory levels
rise, shipping activity increases, increasingly complex transactions
involve more people, and the need for inventory management software
becomes obvious. The problem is, many shipping businesses think they
have to chose between good software and affordable software, since
they must be two different things.
I'm often surprised to find out how
long a company has held off acquiring inventory control software. By
the time they talk to me there is usually a noticeable weak point in
their operation because they have little or no inventory controls,
slowing them down greatly. That's hardly a good thing for a small
business whose main advantage is to be faster than their larger
competitors. It's easy to recognize a business stuck in this
stage....a receiving desk surrounded by file cabinets, sticky notes
everywhere, lots of double-checking, UPS drivers waiting around for
someone to hand log all the packages they just delivered. Frantic
rush orders are placed with a supplier because an employee went to
ship an item and discovered it was out of stock.
Can you imagine running your bank
account this way? You wouldn't know you were low on funds until
checks started bouncing! Yet, many companies manage their own
inventories in this haphazard fashion. More efficient inventory
control practices, such as JIT (just in time) ordering are out of the
question for these companies, since that requires precise, up to date
knowledge of your supply/demand chain. Without a system to monitor
inventory closely enough to do this, companies have to resort to the
opposite: what I call JIC – just in case - ordering. They have to
overstock and pay for inventory NOW, just in case an order comes
through tomorrow. If there's no order, they end up paying for stuff
they don't need, and may lose track of in a couple of weeks!
But until recently, adapting a
full-blown bar coded inventory system was a huge step, requiring a
lot of capital and several days of interrupted work flow to install.
In addition, companies hope and plan for growth, and they know their
needs will change. Companies at that exciting boom stage need a fast,
inexpensive, computerized inventory system - but they also need a
system that can expand as business grows. After all, it's hard to
justify paying for 10 years on software that will be obsolete in 4 or
5.
Cloud computing is the answer. Like
most technology, software tends to get better and cheaper with
time. That's why cloud computing offers such an advantage over PC
based software. Instead of purchasing the software, users typically
pay a monthly access fee. The software requires no installation,
eliminating work flow stoppages when implementing the system..
Keeping cloud based software updated is a natural process that
happens behind the scenes with no stoppage of work flow and no
additional expense. Web based software evolves; self hosted software
ages.
Zenventory is a prime example of the
advantages of a web based inventory management system. The safety,
affordability, and flexibility are what it was built on. More
information on our web based products are available at
www.ubiquia.com.
Friday, January 20. 2012
Receiving can be broken up into two main categories. First, is receiving items that are not tied to a purchase order. These would be packages sent to an individual or department that are not purchased from the organization. Items like over nighted documents, contracts, samples, payments, gifts, etc. Although the items may not directly impact the companies bottom line, it is still important to track these packages once they are received from the carrier through delivery to the end recipient. SQBX inbound package tracking system can help automate that process through the use of mobile computers to scan the bar-code on the package and capture the signature upon delivery.
 The other category of receiving would be receiving items that are purchased from your organization and have a PO number that needs to be reconciled with the receipt of the item. This will alert the accounting department to release payment for that item. This is a practice that should be done with all businesses small and large. Purchase order management can be a daunting task if the proper integration is not in place. Quickbooks, the very popular accounting system, does a great on the accounting piece however on the receiving end it is quite limited. SQBX package tracking system has the ability to pull the PO numbers down from your Quickbooks accounting and populate the fields automatically in the receiving system to eliminate key strokes increase productivity. Once the items are received in SQBX the status will be posted back to Quickbooks for accounting to pay that invoice.
Friday, January 20. 2012
The hospitality industry
-Your receiving area as a profit center-some helpful tips-Part 2
A complete chain of custody
of a guest's package from reception in your receiving area to their
room with a captured signature provides peace of mind for everyone
involved particularly, the guest. How will you offer the same peace
of mind for packages sent out by the guest or group? Reverse package
tracking with delivery management.
You can provide outbound
package tracking with the same software solution and increase
profits. The delivery management software will allow for the creation
of a bar code label for the package. The pick up person can scan in
the bar code and also take a photo to capture the image for the
guest. The package can then be processed by the shipping/receiving
department and require that the carrier (UPS/FedEx) representative
sign for the item, completing the chain of custody. From guest pick
up to carrier signature; the package is trackable. The package can be
searched in all of the many ways any package can be searched, guest
name, tracking number, carrier, date, notes, location, etc. This
information can be searched by any of the property staff who have
authorization for the package tracking software.
In addition, an outbound
shipping module can be added to efficiently process the outbound
packages for any carrier, determined by the guest or the property.
This system will rate shop, add handling charges and track the
packages. It is an effective way to add income, improve the guest
experience and provide an end to end solution.
Find out more about package tracking, delivery management and proof of delivery at SQBX.com.
Tuesday, January 17. 2012
The hospitality industry -Your receiving area as a profit center - some helpful tips -Part 1 Many properties have a small handling charge for receiving and delivering packages for guests. Managing these charges can be challenging, time consuming and possibly a point of contention with the guest. The income potential is significant and should not be discounted because of these concerns. Best methods would include acquiring a software solution for tracking packages that minimizes these issues and understanding the best ways to reduce the time spent on tracking guest packages based on your property's package tracking and package delivering procedures. A package tracking software program will pay for itself if it will: billing detail for the guest by package with time, date, received by, etc. Other solution suggestions include ensuring that the software is simple and easy to use as well as simple and flexible to adapt to your property and changing procedures. Plenty of meaningful reports is also a recommendation. be sure to try out the system live to better understand its capabilities, features and ease of use. State of the art systems now utilize robust handheld devices that will capture signatures as well as photos (of damaged or mystery packages). They are easy to use, very reliable and will hold up after being dropped or with other minor abuse. Maintenance should include software and hardware coverage. The ability to receive or deliver or receive and deliver without returning to the dock or receiving area will save a lot of time and better serve everyone. Newer technology will also be completely web based, (cloud based is the best) eliminating the need for any software to be loaded on the properties network while requiring zero IT department involvement for the installation or after the sale support. A faster, smoother installation will result and the support will be of the instant chat variety vs. waiting for an day or more for a local repairman. Since, the income and savings form the system will accrue monthly; a monthly lease will better serve cash flow than an outright purchase and eliminate annual maintenance increases. Will your property also produce income and increase guest service with an outbound shipping system for shipping packages out for your guests? Now is a good time to explore this income source utilized by many well managed hotels and resorts. Part two discusses how to take advantage of this frequently overlooked potential. Find out more about how package tracking for inbound items can work for you at www.SQBXcloud.com.
Monday, January 16. 2012
It's a the dirty little secret that UPS and FedEx don't want you to know about.....or is it? Did you know that you can achieve next day delivery by using UPS or FedEx Ground? Yup that's right! In many cases a ground package will get to its destination in one day GUARANTEED. In fact by using the ground delivery map you'll notice that ground packages can get to their destination for the most part between 1 and 5 days. This is very useful knowledge whan comparing next day air, second day air, and three day shipments to ground shipping. By doing so you can save several dollars on overnight and second day air packages. 
Typically warehouses are in the know about this. But you shouldn't leave this to the warehouse to make the decision. These rules should be built into your busines systems. For example, our solutions automatically rate shop and provide a list of carrier services that will meet a specified delivery date.
Perhaps the biggest offender of overspending on shipping is the office worker unfamilar with delivery comparison. Giving office workers the capability to prepare shipments from their desktop is a license to spend money. So if you're going to do this, ensure that business rules are enforced through your business systems. Most carrier provided systems don't offer this level of control. Ensure your range of shippers from office staff to warehouse operators use systems with business controls built in.
Get you ground delivery maps here:
http://www.fedex.com/grd/maps/ShowMapEntry.do
http://www.ups.com/maps
Friday, January 13. 2012
 What happens when a package comes into your organization that is clearly damaged. Do you accept it, refuse delivery, notify the recipient of the condition or just proceed with your normal receiving process as if nothing were wrong? It is important to log the condition of damaged package as soon as possible, so that there is no confusion as to who was responsible for the damage. One way of documenting the damage is to create a written note that travels with the package to illustrate that the package was received in this state. Another more effective way is to photograph the package, so that the recipient can actually see what has happened to their item. These processes can be automated through the use of a package tracking system that has digital photo taking capability. Here is how the process should go. The damaged package is received by the clerk with a mobile handheld scanner, a photo is taken on the handheld and a quick note is keyed into the device outlining the condition of the package. Next, an email notification is sent directly to the recipient stating that they had received a package and it is in a damaged state. This entire process will take only seconds to complete through SQBX our inbound package tracking system and will remove the liability from the receiver. Parcel tracking systems like SQBX will give you greater control of your mail and receiving centers and provide a greater visibility for your recipients that are expecting packages.
To learn more about how SQBX can assist you in the receiving and documenting of damaged packages please contact us.
Wednesday, January 11. 2012
The hospitality industry - Your receiving area as a profit center - some helpful tips -Part One. Many properties have a small handling charge for receiving and delivering packages for guests. Managing these charges can be challenging, time consuming and possibly a point of contention with the guest. The income potential is significant and should not be discounted because of these concerns. Best methods would include acquiring a software solution for tracking packages that minimizes these issues and understanding the best ways to reduce the time spent on tracking guest packages based on your property's package tracking and package delivering procedures. A package tracking software program will pay for itself if it will: billing detail for the guest by package with time, date, received by, etc. Other solution suggestions include ensuring that the software is simple and easy to use as well as simple and flexible to adapt to your property and changing procedures. Plenty of meaningful reports is also a recommendation. be sure to try out the system live to better understand its capabilities, features and ease of use. State of the art systems now utilize robust handheld devices that will capture signatures as well as photos (of damaged or mystery packages). They are easy to use, very reliable and will hold up after being dropped or with other minor abuse. Maintenance should include software and hardware coverage. The ability to receive or deliver returning to the dock or receiving area will save a lot of time and better serve everyone. Newer technology will also be completely web based (cloud based is the best), eliminating the need for any software to be loaded on the properties network while requiring very little to zero IT department involvement for the installation or after the sale support. A faster, smoother installation will result and the support will be of the instant chat variety vs. waiting for a day or more for a local repairman. Since, the income and savings form the system will accrue monthly; a monthly lease will better serve cash flow than an outright purchase and eliminate annual maintenance increases. Will your property also produce income and increase guest service with an outbound shipping system for shipping packages out for your guests? Now is a good time to explore this income source utilized by many well managed hotels and resorts. Part two discusses how to take advantage of this frequently overlooked potential. Find out more about how package tracking for inbound items can work for you at www.SQBXcloud.com.
Tuesday, January 10. 2012
If you're the type of company that ships mostly the same type of item or perhaps you have batches of shipment that are similar, a batch shipping module in your order fulfillment process might just be the ticket. Our objective is to process shipping labels for multiple, nay, hundreds of packages with a few clicks, than collect the labels from our printer and apply them to the packages. To determine routing and shipping rates, carriers are primarily concerned with four main factors ; delivery location, dimension, weight, and contents. So for batch shipment processing we need to ensure that the packaging and weight are all the same. The contents may be different as long as no special services need to applied to any particular package i.e declared value. It's ok to apply a special service to a batch process. Just remember that in the batch we assume all packages will get the same special service. For example, it's ok to ship 100 smart phones to 100 different customers and to add declared value (insurance) to each one for $200.00. That means that each package in this shipment have the same packaging, same weight, and same value. Some may have different versions of phones but it doesn't change the weight or value (for shipping purposes). Some systems can print separate packing slips and shipping labels. In many cases it's even more clever to have the packing slip and shipping label combined in one document. So a batch shipping process might flow like this in Zenventory: 100 customers order Samsung Galaxy S2 Cell Phones 1. Group the cell phone orders for picking and packing in Zenventory. 2. Print the picking slips. 3. Pick the phones into the boxes. 4. Pack verify the orders in Zenventory. 5. Group the packed orders for shipment processing in Zenventory. 6. Acknowledge the weight and special services. 7. Press ship and collect your combination packing slips/shipping labels. 8 Distribute them throughout the packages.
Friday, January 6. 2012
Over the past twelve months our development team has been
hard at work in labs designing the most comprehensive package tracking system
on the market. SQBX. Our web based
application has came leaps and bounds from its inception. We have bolted on a multi-carrier shipping
system, so that SQBX can now handle both inbound receiving as well as out bound
shipping. This is not the ordinary
multi-carrier shipping system that resides on a computer. This is an enterprise web based application
that can be accessed at the desk tops of unlimited amounts users. SQBX will provide the global visibility to
track and manage all shipments both inbound and outbound in addition to
enforcing your business rules to ensure the best possible rates are being
selected when a shipment is being generated by the casual shipper.
We have also be redeploying our inventory management
software Zenventory to the smaller business segments. Zenventory provides the robust features of an
enterprise inventory management solution at an affordable price for the small
business owners. For those that need an
enterprise system with shipping integration, we have that covered as well. Our shipping experts can work with your team
to establish business rules to minimize your shipping expenditures while
integrating every thing seamlessly through your inventory and purchase order
management system Zenventory. Give us a call today to learn more about the power of SQBX
and Zenventory.
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