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Towing OPerations Software – The Daily Process

By
Darian Weaver
-

As a rule, all towing operations have or should have very similar back-office processes. Drivers are deployed to work a shift and after that specific shift, the accounting team should reconcile the drivers shift. Whether that means checking out the driver’s paperwork and monies or reconciling the drivers shift from your towing management software system (or a combination of both). This activity should happen in a timely fashion at the end of the shift or the next business day.

When monies and paperwork are to be “turned in” to accounting, they should be handled in a secure fashion prior to reconciliation. Some companies have the drivers drop this paperwork into a safe. Reconciliation includes confirming all Cash is received, PO numbers are included for the invoice, pricing on the call record is correct, etc. Upon completion of reconciliation, bank deposits and credit card batch reconciliations should ensue. These reconciliations should tie to reports from your towing management software – to the penny!

This basic process is also applied to the employees managing the release window or closing out an auction.

The Back-Office

The TOPS® systems manages the back-office of your business very well and includes the controls you desire in securing your business. The accounting process within your operation will dictate the success of your business in the long run.

Figure 1

User Management – Users are granted roles which dictate the level of access they have within the system. In larger operations, user access can be very specific and in smaller operations a user’s access may include a broad area of system access. It is important to make very deliberate choices when granting systems access within your companies back office. If all users have manager-level access then all users have access to manager level operations within the system. This may include having the ability to No Charge, Cancel a call, or even adjust a payment amount.

Driver/Employee Shift close out (Z-Out)

If desired, the company can require the employee to print an employee summary for their specific shift to accompany any paperwork and or monies as they submit this detail for reconciliation. This serves as a register for the employee and a double-check of what is owed for checkout. (See Figure 1)

Driver/Employee Checkout

The TOPS® system includes a very robust module to aid in checking out an employee from his or her shift. The Checkout screen in TOPS® offers a very simple interface highlighting any outstanding paperwork or monies due from that specific employee. The process starts with the employee submitting any paperwork/monies. The accounting staff will load the specific employee into the Checkout screen and compare the specifics of the records from the system to the paperwork or monies submitted for the shift. The Checkout functionality in TOPS® includes the reconciliation and confirmation steps discussed in the next section. (See Figure 2  page 54)

Reconciliation and Confirmation

The process of locking down a call in the TOPS® system is referred to as reconciliation and confirmation. Depending on the size of your operation or the level of oversight your operation desires will dictate how you navigate this process. Larger operations may prefer a second set of eyes in confirming the details of a call where one person

may reconcile the call followed by a 2nd person to review, finalize, and confirm the details of the call record. In smaller operations the same person is likely to handle both the reconciliation and confirmation.

Figure 2

The Bank Deposit

Once monies are collected from employees then reconciled and confirmed within the software, the user is able to print a payments reconciliation report which should match the bank deposit. We typically recommend that monies collected through the towing management system have a separate bank deposit than monies collected as part of the accounts receivable process should you utilize a 3rd party financial package such as QuickBooks or Sage.

Billing

One of the most important parts of running a business is getting paid for the work that you do.  Manually creating customer billing is very time-consuming for your accounting staff and fraught with potential errors.  Making this aspect of your back office easier and more streamlined means you can send out billing sooner and get paid sooner.  Simplifying your customer billing is one of the most valuable things that properly designed software can bring to your company.

Whether your company uses an off-the-shelf accounting package like QuickBooks or Sage (Peachtree), or relies on billing generated from your dispatch software, your customers expect invoices that are readable and easy to understand.  Some also have specific requirements with regard to what they want to see on invoices and statements and where they want to see it.  A driver’s hand-written tow ticket – the industry standard for so many years – works fine for a field receipt, but is often less than effective when used as an invoice.

Computer software can be designed to generate both invoices and statements that are clear and easy to read and can include whatever specifics a customer may want and/or need.  In addition, some systems are designed to create invoice extracts that can be imported into popular accounting packages like QuickBooks to take advantage of these full-featured accounting systems.

The TOPS® system has both an on-board billing system known as Simple Billing, and extracts to the more popular accounting packages like QuickBooks and Sage (Peachtree).  In addition, the TOPS® software can be customized to extract to and interface with more robust enterprise-level accounting systems.

Whichever method your company decides to use – either on-board accounting or an off the shelf product – proper billing is critical to your business as it directly affects cash flow and is often the face of your business to the people that matter the most.  Getting it done right and getting it done fast is critical to your business, and using software towards that end is one of the best things you can do as a business-owner.

Reporting

TOPS® offers a very robust set of reports in its base configuration and range from accounting to productivity reporting for your business. If your business has very specific reporting requirements, we are happy to support you with custom reports. TOPS® reporting is available based on call completion dates or accounting confirmation dates and in most cases is selectable by date range, by customer, by sub-company (below), etc.

Multi-Company or Multi-Location Tow Operations

The TOPS® system supports multi-company and or multi-location operations. Users can assign tow requests to specific companies or locations as call records are being managed. The TOPS® system supports call taking, searching, and reporting for a specific company or location. TOPS® can even rollup reports to include ALL companies or locations.

About TXI Systems, Inc. dba towXchange

TXI Systems, Inc. dba towXchange markets and sells towing management products under the brand name of TOPS®. The TOPS® suite of products is deployed to private tow operators, municipalities and law enforcement. TOPS® software tools support towing dispatch, freeway service patrol, impound lot management, private property towing and more with efficiency, transparency, and accountability in mind. BudgetGPS fleet tracking is also marketed to the towing industry and offers a full-service fleet tracking tool with includes a visual dispatching integration with TOPS®. Let TXI Systems customize a solution for you today!

For more information or to schedule a demonstration please call 866-800-8677 Opt 2 or visit our websites – TOPS® –  www.towxchange.net  BudgetGPS – www.budgetgps.com

TOPS® is a Registered Trademark of TXI Systems, Inc.

Maximize Efficiency and Simplify Communication Using Towbook

By
Darian Weaver
-

As the use of technology continues to rise in the towing and roadside industry, so do consumer expectations. With the ability to use advanced technology at your fingertips, your customer expects to be informed and cared for every step of the way. Using Towbook facilitates this communication by doing the work for you!

Towbook not only promotes continuous communication with your customers, but also with your motor clubs, body shops, dealerships, police departments, and private property managers too!

  • Got a call from the motor club? Accept it with the click of a button!
  • Does your body shop or dealership want to send you a job? Our Web Request Portal can help them do exactly that with just a few clicks!
  • Impress your police departments with “Vehicle Lookup” technology that allows them to quickly see if a certain vehicle is on your lot!
  • Give private property managers a login to their account, so they can view all vehicles that were towed and sign for them as well!

All of the above actions and more, allow you and your staff to reduce time on the phone and maximize your performance and efficiency.

So, what does Towbook do? And why do you need it?

Improved Communication. Managers and dispatchers can communicate with drivers easily. Drivers can accept calls with all the details needed in order to do their job efficiently and update the status of the job from start to finish. You will also be able to chat with your drivers via their mobile applications or send them a text message to make them aware of last-minute changes (chat logs are always saved to the call for future reference).

Roadside.io  Towbook’s Roadside.io solution, paired with our Customer Survey feature, delivers the latest customer experience capabilities to your fingertips, allowing you to provide an “Uber-like” experience for your customers.

With Roadside.io, you have the option of sharing information with customers while the service is in progress; helping customers understand what’s happening with their service without having to call you for an update. You also have the option of sending the customer a satisfaction survey once the job is complete. You can choose to push these surveys to your website and you can also direct them to your social media outlets where they can complete a review about the service they received.

Minimize Risk of Damage Claims. Drivers can upload photos of the vehicle to a call in real-time; we timestamp and geocode these photos for you along with categorizing them according to what job status the driver was in at the time. An additional precaution can be taken by creating a “Vehicle Damage Form” if there is extensive damage to the vehicle prior to servicing it. The driver can create a report on scene, take photos of the vehicle, indicate anywhere there is damage, and have the customer sign off on the damage form. This report will be saved for future reference and can even be emailed or sent via text to the customer with their receipt.

Built-in Navigation and GPS Tracking. You’ll be able to get turn-by-turn directions to your destination right in the application with just a tap!

If you aren’t currently using a GPS solution, Towbook is equipped with built-in GPS tracking which will automatically update the drivers’ location according to their app settings.

Towbook is also integrated with leading GPS companies like AT&T Fleet Complete, DriverLocate, Samsara, US Fleet Tracking , and Webfleet Solutions; allowing you to send calls directly to the GPS unit in your truck.

Drivers can use the GPS unit to navigate to the service location, and when they update the status of the call on the GPS unit it will automatically update their status in Towbook. Your Towbook app can also use the GPS location from your trucks and display that on the map in Towbook. There are many other fantastic features of GPS units that help you manage and maintain your fleet.

Pre-Trip Inspection Management and User Check-In. If you want your team to inspect their trucks and other equipment before (or after) every shift, they can do that easily using the Towbook mobile apps and our Equipment Inspection tool. Each inspection report is time stamped, and managers will receive an email alert any time there is an Equipment Inspection failure.

Completed inspections are also available to open/view on mobile apps, so if drivers need to present a completed pre-trip inspection to a law enforcement officer they can do so right from their phone!

Our “User Check-In” feature allows drivers to check-in and out for work directly from their mobile application. This allows managers and dispatchers to know who is currently on-shift to accept jobs. You are also able to run a report to review check in/check out times for drivers.

Plate-to-VIN Technology. No VIN – no problem! Towbook’s plate-to-VIN feature saves time and eliminates mistakes. Simply enter the plate number and the state in which the vehicle is licensed, and Towbook will return the full VIN with the make, model, and year of the vehicle. You’ll also have the option of using our VIN scanner, which will populate the VIN in the call just by scanning the vehicle’s barcode.

Private Property Features.  Alongside tagging accounts, two of our most notable private property features for the mobile applications include “On Scene Call Creation” and “Stickering”:

  • On Scene Call Creation: This allows your drivers to do their job as quickly as possible by allowing them the option to create a call by simply snapping a picture of the vehicle; the call will automatically populate the address they’re located at and will allow them to update any additional details later.
  • Stickering: One of Towbook’s fastest-growing features is our Stickering app. With Stickering, you can create a virtual sticker in Towbook and “tag” those vehicles that you might be able to tow after a few hours or a few days. When the sticker expires, you receive a notification that the vehicle can be towed.

Impound/Storage Lot Management and Vehicle Lookup. You’ll be able to track and release your current impounded/stored vehicles on your lot right from the mobile application.

You’ll even be able to send the impound invoice via text or e-mail.

In using our “Vehicle Lookup” technology, your customers, police departments, and private property accounts will thank you! It makes it simple for them to look and see if you have a certain vehicle on your lot without calling.

Digital Dispatching. Whether you are a dispatcher or manager sending out calls or an owner/operator working in the field, you’ll be able to accept motor club calls while out of the office or on the road using Towbook’s mobile apps. Towbook is integrated with all the major motor clubs for your convenience! A couple of taps to accept the call and you’ll be on your way!

Paperless Invoicing. Save time by texting or emailing your customer an invoice right on-scene! If paper invoices are a must, we integrate with Zebra mobile printers to print your customers’ receipt on the spot.

Additional Information. On top of the many features we’ve already mentioned, the drivers will be able to add additional information to the call via their app according to the preferences setup by management, this includes:

  • Additional line items/charges.
  • Record payments received in the field.
  • Collect customer signatures for archiving and appearing on receipts.
  • Any additional notes regarding the service or customer.
  • Record vehicle odometer.
  • Add any company expenses, such as fuel along with a picture of the receipt for manager review.

Technology is causing a world-wide evolution and it’s important to find resources that can be of benefit to us. First it was computers, now it’s a little device in our pocket that we all rely on daily – whether for business or our personal lives.

Using software to manage your business increases efficiency and profitability but it’s also a great tool to woo potential clients; demonstrating that you are a forward-thinking towing/road service company and are interested in adapting to the ever-changing technological environment.

Towbook Management Software is the unquestioned leader in cloud-based towing software, headquartered in Michigan, and has provided service for over fourteen years. Integrating the industry’s most advanced and flexible software, Towbook supports all sizes and types of towing, recovery and roadside service operations.

We provide tools made possible by the latest technology, and we help companies to raise their level of service while lowering their operating costs.

Plus, our commitment to you will be never-ending! We take great pride in having the industry’s best customer support. Support is free and available 24/7/365—even on holidays.

What We Offer

Free Trial, Free Setup, Free Support.

Towbook offers a 30-day free trial with free setup and support, and there are no contracts. Plus, you don’t need a separate Towbook license for each employee—your subscription always includes unlimited user accounts!

Website:  www.towbook.com
Inquiries: sales@towbook.com
24/7/365 Support Line: (810) 320-5063

Auto Data Direct Offers Easy-to-Use Web-Based Tools

By
Darian Weaver
-

According to Jimmy Collins, owner of Casper’s Body Shop & Wrecker Service in Tennessee, Auto Data Direct (ADD) is a tow operator’s best friend.  With two locations in Greenville and Whitepine, he works long days, but he says his account with ADD has simplified and sped up state requirements and allows him to focus on managing his trucks rather than processing paperwork. ADD’s suite of electronic online tools, featuring DirectPost-Office (DPO) combines letter creation with state record searches and certified mail sent from the comfort and safety of your office.

For those who are not familiar with ADD’s DPO certified mail product, it was launched in 2003 to provide Florida towing companies with an easier, more efficient, and cost-effective way to send certified notification letters to owners, lienholders, and insurers and its popularity has grown nationwide. Since its launch in Florida, DPO has expanded its state-specific letters to Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas. Whether ADD has letters specific to a tow operator’s jurisdiction, its record access and letter services using custom forms are available either directly through an ADD account or through many tow management systems. ADD contracts with top integrators to provide easy access to its record service and letter tools.

Speaking of records, ADD is unique in providing real-time single inquiry access to title, lien, and registration data for qualified businesses. Under the Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) tow companies are authorized to access records in order to accurately send notification letters, required by law, to all interested parties. Instead of needing to reach out to individual states for records that may not arrive timely or at all, ADD customers can access records electronically and receive the information in seconds using its DMV123 service.  And because ADD only utilizes real-time records, you can be assured the record is the most recent available from that DMV’s database at the moment it is retrieved.

While Tennessee’s owner and lienholder notification statute requires the tow company to send the state one dollar for a Tennessee record from them, ADD’s DMV123 real-time vehicle records search provides the information instantaneously. “I have to send the dollar off to the state, but I can go ahead and pull the record through ADD and send my letter immediately. As long as the record that comes back from the state is the same as I received from ADD, which happens more than 95% of the time, I’m ahead of the game,” says Jimmy. “And if the vehicle is from another state that ADD offers, I can verify the record and send my Tennessee letter. ADD is reliable and their system has sped up the process, saving me time and money.”

Jimmy says ADD’s national title pointer is extremely helpful when the state of title is not obvious. “When we can’t identify where the vehicle is from, we use the national title pointer to find the last state of title. Then we can pull the record from the state if it’s available through ADD.” Once the record is accessed, DPO allows the data to be merged into the appropriate form, saving keystrokes and minimizing typing errors, and then electronically submits the certified letter into the USPS mail stream. DPO also allows for tracking the certified letter every step of the way, providing details on when the letter(s) was received, or if it was undeliverable. The DPO archive provided in an ADD account gives tow operators documented proof that notification requirements were followed if a question arises about whether appropriate actions were taken to find the owner/lienholder prior to holding a public sale.

ADD’s national title pointer provides a title history of the vehicle through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS.) In addition to the current and prior states of title, it offers information on any brands associated with the vehicle, and it alerts the tow company if it has been reported stolen through information provided by a national theft database. The National Title Pointer report also meets state requirements that call for a NMVTIS vehicle history to be run on vehicles prior to processing notification letters, as is the case in Florida.

ADD is also in the unique position of being the only NMVTIS history provider that is also a consolidator of JSI (junk, salvage, insurance) data for industry members, making both accessing a history and reporting data as easy as 1,2,3. Federal law requires that any entity dealing in more than five junk and salvage vehicles per year must provide specific vehicle information to the national database on at least a monthly basis. For companies who need to report junk or salvage vehicles to NMVTIS, ADD provides a solution from the same web-based account.

If your company already has an ADD account but is not using DPO, just click the orange DirectPost-Office icon in My Apps to begin processing your notification letters. If you are new to ADD, click on the sign-up button on its home page to take advantage of these valuable business tools. And, if you use the services of a tow management system, ask if you can access ADD services through your current provider. There is no monthly or annual fee. ADD allows its customers to pick and choose the services they need when they need them.

As Vice President of the Tennessee Tow Truck Association representing Middle Tennessee, Jimmy is well versed in issues facing the industry. “I highly recommend ADD to other tow companies throughout the country,” he said. “It’s easy to use, affordable, and their employees are very helpful and accessible. They listen to suggestions and are always available to personally answer questions and address issues that might come up.”

For more information or to schedule an online demonstration and training class, or to speak with one of our friendly and knowledgeable customer service representatives, call 866-693-4123 or email info@add123.com.

With 20 Years in the Industry, Beacon Software is Ready for Anything

By
Darian Weaver
-

The last six, tumultuous months have caused the professionals at Beacon Software to reflect on the past 20 years of progress and look ahead to the future. Beacon has stood alongside towing and roadside professionals during natural disasters, economic disruptions, and now a worldwide pandemic. We see these roadblocks as valuable challenges we can learn from to make our software even better for our customers. We are inspired every day by the courage and passion of the towing and roadside professionals we serve. Over the last 20 years, over 125 million calls were dispatched through Beacon Software, and we increased our commitment to customer security through our “SOC 2 Certification.” This certification makes us one of the few dispatch software companies compliant with the American Institute of CPAs’ criteria for secure, reliable software providers. We take pride in our progress and we have big plans for the next 20 years. The pandemic served as an opportunity to improve our software even further, so Beacon can benefit your business during any situation.

20 Years of Service: The History of Beacon Software

Today, Beacon Software has over 45,000 users in 30 countries, but Beacon’s advanced dispatch technology began (like most software projects) with a vision and a basement. Ignoring the warnings that the “internet was just a fad,” Todd Althouse, president of Beacon Software, brainstormed Dispatch Anywhere in 1980. After traveling the country consulting with towers and motor clubs, Althouse collaborated with real towing professionals to give time back to the dispatchers, accountants, and towers by developing the first cloud-based dispatch software in 2003. A short two years later, Dispatch Anywhere was put to the test after the levees failed in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Beacon Software worked together with New Orleans-based towing company Rudy Smith Service to manage the largest towing and recovery effort in U.S. history. It was an unforgettable experience, and it inspired us to forge forward with new, powerful software that would never fail in the event of an emergency.

Beacon Software: TowLien

In addition to advanced dispatch software, Beacon developed TowLien: Your New Impound Partner. TowLien is the towing and roadside assistance industry’s number one automatic vehicle owner lienholder search and notification software. Since its inception, TowLien has helped businesses process and impound hundreds of thousands of vehicles. TowLien recently underwent a complete overall.  This latest update means users can look forward to even more great features. Learn more about the new version of TowLien at https://TowLien.BeaconSoftCo.com.

20 Years of Data

To celebrate the last two decades, Beacon Software took a look at 20 years’ worth of data, and the numbers did not disappoint. The following statistics represent the millions of towing and roadside assistance professionals we help every year.

  • Over 125 Million Calls Dispatched
  • Over 2 Million Calls Automatically Billed to Motor Clubs
  • 2 Million Job Updates Processed Daily
  • 1.2 Million Man-Hours Saved Annually
  • 1 Million Email Invoices Sent through Dispatch Anywhere in the Last 12 Months
  • Over 250 Thousand Vehicles Currently Impounded
  • Over 600 Thousand Vehicles Processed Through TowLien
  • Over 10 Thousand Mobile App Users
  • Recent Beacon Software Updates

The programmers at Beacon Software are constantly evolving our software based upon the changes and needs of the industry. We have made many updates to our programs that are user-friendly and important to the current needs of our customers. The following are seven of the most popular recent Beacon Software updates.

  1. AAA 2-Way Integration. It is now easier than ever to complete AAA jobs without exiting the Beacon dispatch software. Beacon Software has enhanced the AAA D3 import process through its flagship product Dispatch Anywhere. Users can now import calls and send AAA clear codes from dispatch or directly from drivers in the field.
  2. Samsara and AT&T Complete Integration. Dispatch Anywhere customers can now add additional tracking to their map with our completed integration with Samsara and AT&T Fleet Complete! Their connected platforms give you the flexibility to start small and expand your capabilities as your business grows.
  3. Save Job Photos on Tow Magic. This popular Dispatch Anywhere feature has expanded to Tow Magic! You can now add photos to your TowMagic jobs from the mobile application. Photos added to active jobs are saved to the Cloud so they can be referenced at any time! Visit Support.BeaconSoftCo.com.
  4. Automatic Job Services. This new Dispatch Anywhere feature automatically adds services to jobs after they have been approved or imported on desktop and mobile! Automatic Job Services saves additional dispatch time by removing the step of opening a call and manually selecting a service. Visit Support.BeaconSoftCo.com.
  5. Auditable Text-to-Speech Job Updates for Dispatch Anywhere. Text-to-Speech will read aloud the text in Dispatch Anywhere. This is a useful feature for users who are not sitting in front of a computer but still need to hear the most recently updated jobs. Text-to-Speech is also customizable, based upon your needs. Visit https://support.beaconsoftco.com/da/notifications.
  6. Mobile Square and Card Connect Chip Reader Integration. Dispatch Anywhere now supports four different integrated payment solutions, including Square and Card Connect! Dispatchers will have the ability to take payment directly through the desktop and mobile apps. This feature is especially useful for towers on the go, who need to rely on remote payment solutions. Visit http://Support.BeaconSoftCo.com.
  7. Weekly Dispatch Anywhere Performance Reports. Dispatch Anywhere customers receive weekly reports tracking jobs, offers, and impound statistics.
  8. New TowLien web application.  We have added letter automation, batch VIN submits, improved security, new dashboard, etc.  (https://towlien.beaconsoftco.com)

Additional Updates:

  • Automatically Send Vehicles to TowLien When Time to Send Lien Holder Notifications
  • Square/Paya/Card Connect/XpressPay Email Payment Options
  • Submit Jobs to Dispatch Anywhere Through Service Request Form
  • Automatically Submit jobs to Motor Clubs
  • Automatically Add Services to Jobs Based on Reason or Defaults
  • Touchless Signature – Tow Ticket and Damage Report
  • New Private Property Impound Features
  • Over 50 New or Updated Reports

If you have any questions about Beacon’s updates, we encourage you to contact Beacon support for a tutorial.

Upcoming Beacon Software Updates

There are lots of exciting Beacon Software updates on the horizon. Our focus in the coming year is to increase Dispatch Anywhere Automation Features, expand Private Property and Police Towing Automation Features, enhance Security, increase Motor Club Integrations, and more! Visit our social media for news on the most current updates.

Beacon Software’s 16 Most Popular Features

Are you taking full advantage of our 16 most popular features? If you don’t recognize some of these features, it may be time to contact Beacon Support, so you can make sure you’re using your Beacon products to the best of their abilities!

  1. Motor Club Billing
  2. AAA 2-Way Integration
  3. Smart Assign
  4. Autocomplete Address and Landmark Location
  5. Vehicle Damage Report with Signature Capture
  6. Custom Notification Sounds
  7. Driver Pre-trip Inspections
  8. VIP Scan and Magic VIN
  9. Customer Satisfaction Survey Integration with WhiteRail, OMG, MercurySend, and LIftMarketing
  10. Dispatch to Driver 2-Way Messaging
  11. QB Integration (Online and Desktop) Lien Processing through TowLien
  12. CC Merchant Account Integration
  13. Full AR Suite with Automatic Email Invoicing
  14. Driver Commissions
  15. Customizable Price and Commission Lists
  16. Uber-Like TowStatus for Customer Location Identification and Ability to Track Driver En Route to their Location.

Working Remotely with Dispatch Anywhere During COVID-19

If there is anything we have learned from recent events, it is that you never know when you will need to unexpectedly pack up and work from home. In the era of COVID-19, working responsibly now means working remotely. Thankfully, Beacon Software was designed to be your completely remote business solution from day one. Regardless, we know how difficult it is to change your routine, which is why our developers have worked around the clock to develop customized updates that will benefit our customers during the pandemic.

  1. Email and SMS Credit Card Processing. Process payments securely and remotely with Dispatch Anywhere email credit card processing. Dispatch Anywhere supports four different integrated payment solutions, so that businesses can focus on their
    bottom line.
  2. Email and SMS Receipt and Signature. Signing on the dotted line has never been easier. Send and receive digital receipts and signatures quickly and securely.
  3. Email and SMS Tow Ticket Signature Capture. Finish the job with email and SMS tow ticket signature capture, so drivers can easily get started on their next task.
  4. Email SMS Vehicle Inspection Signature Capture. Drivers cover their bases with pre-tow inspection management reporting.

Cheers to 20 More Years with Beacon Software

We want to close with a giant “Thank You” to our customers. You inspire and encourage us every day to provide the best possible towing and account management software. It’s been an impressive two decades, and we are looking forward to 20 more years of offering solutions for every size towing and roadside company. Stay tuned for further updates as Beacon develops more programs to benefit your business.

For more information, visit www.BeaconSoftCo.com

Towing Software designed to work the way you do

By
Darian Weaver
-

The current COVID-19 pandemic has changed maybe forever, the world in which we live, and many are struggling to accommodate the challenges not only to survive, but to prosper. People are afraid, and fear of the unknown creates uncertainty and in many cases depression. None of this is good for the country, individual employee, nor for the company for whom they work. One solution is to take control, stay focused, stay positive, and stay energized!

Positive energized individuals and companies are turning to technology to solve problems, increase productivity, hopefully allowing them to do more with less. With many of our schools still closed due to the pandemic, parents often need to stay home and manage not only the task of earning a living, but the education of the children. Remote learning and remote business technology have become the norm.

I recently completed a survey on what features the average towing and VSF company needs to remain successful. Obviously, carefully structured, the intent of the questionnaire was to obtain answers indicating future preferences or needs of tow industry software. One observation became very clear, the future of tow industry software is CLOUD-based, moreover, VTS Systems CLOUD software and services must continue to offer feature-rich and cost-effective products. This caused my team to reflect on the product and services that VTS Systems offers and define operational needs versus wants. From the moment your company answers a call requesting service, collecting, and entering data defines client satisfaction, efficiency, and profitability of the work ahead.

In some states or provinces, the regulator considers towing and vehicle impoundment storage as two separate businesses, each with its own structure and rules. However, towing a damaged vehicle inevitably leads to its impoundment where standard operating procedure must ensure security of the property and the required process for its eventual release.

Before anything happens, the call taker must identify the need. Here efficiently designed software should structure the flow of information and effectively define your company’s standard operating procedure (SOP). First the answering greeting, identify your company, and then ask in a calm, clear voice, who is calling, here calls for service fall into two categories, consent and nonconsent tows. In efficiently designed software there should be no typing at this time, only a mouse point and click. Consent tows also fall into two categories, known commercial accounts and cash calls, again point and click, only cash calls may require some typing.

If it’s a nonconsent tow these also fall into two categories private property or law enforcement, incident management tows. Apart from the cash call, known customers calls should require no typing, only a mouse click in a drop-down menu to auto insert known data. It should take 15-30 seconds or less to identify a customer, obtain and type an incident or location address. To maximize the efficiency of the software it is important that information gathering flows left to right across a single viewing page, you should not have to jump from page to page and back to enter data. Such a software design structure is inefficient and increases the opportunity of errors and operator fatigue and frustration.

I referenced earlier needs versus wants, towing is by its very nature a relatively simple business. Following a call for service, (need) you identify an incident location, select the correct type and weight restriction of tow truck, and proceed to the scene, load the incapacitated vehicle, and deliver it to a predetermined destination, unload the vehicle and in most instances the work is done. I described towing as relatively simple, and it is, or it should be. Adding complexity, adds cost.

But what about the paperwork? With most CLOUD based systems, the need for paper tow tickets has all but disappeared. Even with one-off cash call customers, instead of paper tow tickets your truck operator will obtain an email address or a cell phone number at the tow scene, and with the click of a button on his/her smart phone or tablet, the CLOUD system will send an electronic tow ticket/invoice to the address or cell number provided. In addition, this process may also collect payment from the cash call customers credit/debit card. Every month we see the introduction of new features; some of these new features cater to real needs and some are just wants. Many of these wants, often described as “bling,” are nice to have but not necessary and don’t positively add to the bottom line. However, we should always remember that one man’s “bling,” is another man’s necessity.

Now let’s discuss storage lot management, without doubt software and especially CLOUD based software has and will continue to transform the management of vehicle storage facilities, known simply as VSF’s. VTS Systems is known throughout the US and Canada for its storage lot software, especially in the State of Texas, which is the most regulated state in the union when it comes to managing vehicle storage facilities. The secret of successfully managing a VSF and remaining in compliance with state or local regulators is SOP! From the moment a vehicle enters the storage facility, effective storage lot software should dictate a timeline of events, what needs to happen, and when. It is important that employees understand their job function and how the software is there to assist them, not replace them.  Your VSF operator should watch for illuminated screen icons and perform timely mouse clicks for your company to remain in compliance. Be it fully integrated access to multistate MVR’s to obtain registered owner and lien holder information, the automated creation and processing of certified mail notifications/lien letters and the other required steps through to the claiming of the vehicle or ultimately sold at a public sale or auction.

Well-designed software will instill a process into your organization, a standard operating procedure (SOP).  Most successful companies already have a process and the software SOP will only increase your company’s efficiency. Back in the day when everything was manual, often pen and paper, each employee was responsible for their actions and the good of the company. As software began to relieve the repetitive nature of work, employees learned new skills, how to operate a computer and manage the software programs within, increasing the overall efficiency of the company. VTS Systems has a five-year technology roadmap designed to increase the efficiency and features of the process. Our  only business is towing and vehicle storage management software. “Nobody does storage lot management like we do.” Period!

Is there a downside to the invasion of technology into our lives?  Could it be  there are too many distractions in our lives which also invade the workplace? The answer is yes! We as individuals must take control of what we do and when. There are constant distractions trying to take control of our time:  Facebook, social media, and text messaging invading our working hours not to mention phone calls and the business of business. The solution is to hire good people, take control, stay focused, stay positive, and stay energized!

WEBFLEET is the preferred telematics solution.

By
Darian Weaver
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Webfleet Solutions is one of the world’s leading telematics solution providers, dedicated to fleet management, vehicle telematics and connected car services. It’s main Software-as-a-Service solution, WEBFLEET, is used by businesses of all sizes to improve vehicle performance, reduce fuel costs, support drivers and increase the efficiency of your fleet.

At Webfleet Solutions, our main objective is to understand each customer’s needs and identify which software integration would work best for them then use our world-class telematics system to deliver the information they need to accomplish their goals.

Rather than hearing it from us, we would rather let the “Voice of the Customer” speak for how we have affected their business. S&R Towing and Kingsway Towing were kind enough to share their challenges and how WEBFLEET helped in making their business more efficient.

S&R Towing – “Webfleet team has never let me down”

Owners Rusty Russell and Steve Dugan run S&R Towing, a profitable and growing 45-vehicle towing business since 1985 in nine locations and is one of the largest towing and recovery operations in Southern California.  S&R Towing’s success can be attributed to its investment in the best equipment and personnel to provide customers with professional, reliable, timely service at a competitive price.

S&R Towing averages between 75 and 100 tows a day across its locations and serves a large rural population. With a large area and distances to travel, the company depends on its dispatch and fleet management technology to allow them to communicate effectively with their drivers and customers. S&R has long relied on fleet tracking and adopted WEBFLEET in 2015.

S&R Towing has been a happy WEBFLEET customer since day one. However, it has struggled to find the same kind of relationship with a dispatch vendor. “Dispatch is critical business software. We’ve tried three different software vendors,” says Rusty Russell, co-owner of S&R Towing.

The simplicity of TowBook’s integration with WEBFLEET

S&R recently adopted TowBook. Rusty loves the simplicity of TowBook’s integration with WEBFLEET. “It took 15 minutes to set up and it is so easy to use. The TowBook/WEBFLEET integration is the best I’ve seen. In the past, we would have to put the customer on hold, call up the driver, get their location and an estimated ETA. Now, that information is available in both systems. We can dispatch the closest vehicle and give our customer a precise ETA,” says Rusty.

Rusty notes he’s always able to depend on WEBFLEET. “The team at WEBFLEET has never let me down. WEBFLEET has offered an integration into every dispatch software solution I’ve tried. Our WEBFLEET sales rep was always willing to work with me to source the right vendor partner and the right dispatch application for our business. He always had our best interests in mind.”

S&R has recently implemented forward, rear and driver camera systems for its towing vehicles. It’s early days, but the combination of WEBFLEET and the cameras recently caught an incident of reckless driving. Rusty explains, “I received a WEBFLEET alert that one of my drivers was doing 40 MPH on a dirt road. I pulled up camera footage and he was clearly driving dangerously. I was able to call the driver right away and correct that behavior. Let’s just say he’ll never be doing that again.”

Webfleet Solutions helps Kingsway make better more informed decisions about his fleet.

Ken Bach, General Manager at Kingsway Towing Group also expressed his experience with WEBFLEET.

As one of Edmonton’s leading towing companies, Kingsway Towing Group has served Edmonton and the province of Alberta since 1978. Under the leadership of Ken Bach, Kingsway has continued to be one of Edmonton’s biggest and most respected towing companies in the city, offering top-notch service to its ever-growing customer base. Kingsway’s professionally maintained fleet of 34 trucks and 25 drivers are qualified to handle any circumstance that arises. The company is committed to the most up to date safety standards and operates vehicles in small, medium and heavy-duty categories, including service trucks, three-ton wreckers, and flatbeds. The Challenge with a new vehicle averaging $150,000 or more, fleet owners/operators must find a balance between old and new when building and managing a large fleet. “Do I buy new and pay high depreciation and financing costs? Do I hold onto a vehicle and pay higher maintenance costs? Or, do I replace the chassis and get more utilization out of the rig?” says Ken Bach, owner of Kingsway Towing Group. “The right answer for Kingsway lies in data captured in WEBFLEET. By fully utilizing WEBFLEET we can maximize fleet utilization, minimize downtime and make better-informed business decisions.”

When Ken acquired Kingsway Towing Group, one of his first investments was in WEBFLEET to better track and manage his 34-vehicle fleet. “WEBFLEET allows us to maximize the number of calls we can take per vehicle per day while monitoring and managing fuel and vehicle maintenance costs. For instance, I can ensure my drivers are centralized in high demand areas and available at peak times. I can also manage idling time, drive time and PTO engagement, so our drivers and vehicles are best utilized and we are not wearing out our engines, burning fuel, or putting unnecessary miles on the vehicles while waiting for calls to come in.”

Ken’s financial model uses telematics data from WEBFLEET such as miles logged, driving incidents, engine wear and PTO engagement, and other vehicle information, such as make and model, age of the vehicle, as well as tire and maintenance costs. It allows him to wisely deploy vehicles and drivers, and decide whether to sell, maintain or refurbish vehicles — all with an eye to running the most profitable towing business possible. Ken also relies on WEBFLEET’s OptiDrive 360 to better manage driver behaviors. “Every morning when I come into the office, I open up two pieces of software — our Tracker Dispatch system and WEBFLEET,” says Ken. “WEBFLEET’s dashboard allows me to keep an eye on my fleet’s daily mileage, usage per day, miles logged per day per truck, trips per day, PTO engagement that day. WEBFLEET cuts down on our overhead and helps us reduce our costs and maximize our returns. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to maximize the utilization of trucks and positioning. It gives me everything I need to know to run my business.”

At Webfleet Solutions, we specialize in towing and we understand the specific challenges that towers face. We integrate with every major towing software which will help you get more from your dispatch software. We also have integrations to help with camera systems, ELDs, reputation management and even Slow Down and Move Over initiatives.

To find out more visit us at  www.webfleet.com

Ranger SST The Requirements for Heavy Duty Operations Have Been Designed In

By
Darian Weaver
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Ranger delivers a complete tow management solution (TMS) for LD towing and roadside assistance – from call-taking (including DD connections with motor clubs), to proprietary, best-in-class GPS tracking/mapping, to storage lot management (with QR code facilitated physical inventory management) to accounting (with multiple process options to link pricing and payments to QB).  In addition, there are options for reaching your local market customers directly, by-passing those in the middle.

From Ranger’s founding in 2004, the requirements for Heavy Duty applications has been an integral part of the TMS design.  Specialized capabilities are included for:

• Transport and Heavy-Duty Hauling applications, and

• Heavy Duty Towing

Transport and Heavy-Duty Hauling

Markets: Ranger serves customers in three distinct lines of business:

Equipment Moves: This is often construction and large agricultural equipment.  However, it could also be generators or large fabrications, or “base camps” for agencies responding to a natural disaster

Vehicle Transport:  The most common application is hauling cars to a central auction location or scrap yard.  But it could also be for relocating vehicles among a network of collision repair shops to achieve their business objectives for load leveling

Containers:  With the growth of multi model transportation, there are increasing opportunities to transfer containers and specially designed shipping trailers to and from rail facilities, warehouses, and company loading docks 

The common thread among these lines of business is the opportunity for the advance planning of operations.

Benefits: The capabilities in Ranger offer customers a range of distinctive benefits

• Optimize truck utilization and scheduling, including backhauls

• Insert “last-minute” customer requests/changes – easy rescheduling

• Alert/prepare drivers the evening before the scheduled job, including implications for time of departure

• Reduce hassle for dispatchers – auto-assignment of jobs to drivers

• Track and invoice multi-task jobs leveraging the capabilities of the mobile device (load, pick-up, drop-off)

• Identify and resolve issues while they are still small, e.g., a missed on-time departure by a driver

Process: Step 1 – Planning

The drag & drop planning process aligns jobs/assignments with trucks and drivers.  New jobs are entered like other tow jobs along with the scheduled arrival time. These jobs are shown as horizontal bars in the planning grid.  To assign, the bars are moved from the top row (Unassigned) to a designated truck (then Assigned).  The “hover over” on each bar provides the Transport Manager with details on the load, required truck or trailer type, the pick-up location, and the promised arrival time. 

Where multiple loads are anticipated – e.g., cars to auction – managers can simultaneously view the pick-up location of open and currently scheduled jobs to optimize truck assignments (e.g., which cars to pick-up with the 4-car carrier vs. a rollback).

The assignment of drivers to trucks is also a drag & drop “mapping”

Process: Step 2 – Notify Drivers the Day Before

This step is “one-click”.  By clicking the “Send Notification” button, Ranger will automatically forward the calls assigned to a driver, to the driver’s cell phone – typically a text message.

The driver simply clicks on the link in the text message, logs in, and can then view his assignments for the next day.  Importantly, the driver knows both what equipment (truck, trailer) to use, and the system-generated departure time.  Most companies make on-time arrival the responsibility of the driver, however Ranger provides some guidance on the needed departure time.  For example, it would be common for the Transport Manager to configure a rule such as distance divided by 45 mph, + 30 minutes (as a safety factor). 

It is also common for the Manager to receive a customer request that alters the plan – often within minutes of sending the notifications.  While frustrating, it is not a big problem.  The Manager can adjust the schedule as needed, click the “Send Notifications” button again, and only those drivers that are affected by the change will be re-notified.

Process: Step 3 – Automatic Assignment of Calls to Drivers

Since Ranger has calculated the suggested departure time, the TMS “knows” when to expect a log-in by the driver.  The Ranger TMS starts watching for the driver log-in, and when received will automatically send the driver’s job(s) for the day to the driver’s mobile application – CommLinkTM.   This is the same mobile app that is used for other towing (with navigation and picture-taking – e.g., the Bill of Lading).   

The automatic assignment eliminates the frequent morning congestion in Dispatch.  The “routine” is handled by the Ranger TMS – dispatchers can focus on the exceptions. 

A frequent use case is the assignment of a truck/trailer to an equipment rental customer who wants the capacity for the entire day and will make assignments upon the driver’s arrival.  Ranger terms these:  Multi-Task jobs.

A Multi-Task job is indicated in the notification message to the driver, and Ranger eliminates the usual paperwork.  For each load, the driver enters the load, pick-up location, and drop-off location into Ranger’s mobile app.

Dispatch has visibility to work-in-progress, and the information entered by the driver is incorporated automatically into the invoice.

Process: Step 4 – Identify Issues and Track Progress

Ranger translates the process information into an operational dashboard for the Transport Manager.  This provides visibility to potential issues (e.g., did the driver over-sleep) before they become major problems.

Heavy Duty Towing

The basics for HD Towing are like LD Towing – e.g., dispatching and GPS tracking and mapping.  However, the handling of the unique characteristics can make a huge difference in operations.  Some capabilities in Ranger, designed specifically for HD Towing:

  • Unlimited Extras for detailed invoicing – from airbags, to forklifts, to extra labor, to pallets, to unloading, to safety supervisors – any and all services delivered can be preconfigured with different rates by customer for automatic inclusion on the invoice
  • Multiple trucks/services on one invoice with one-click – e.g., for a recovery: include the rotator to upright the 18-wheeler, the HD wrecker to tow the power unit, the tractor/trailer to tow the freight trailer, and the service vehicle for site clean-up
  • Job-related driver commissions based on their role in providing services – e.g., for the recovery – rotator vs. HD Wrecker vs. clean-up (charges for each service provided by the driver multiplied by the commission rate for each service/driver)
  • Easy split invoicing – e.g., for the carrier vs. the insurance company; for the towing vs. the storage of the power unit vs. the storage of the trailer
  •  Consistent pricing where needed, for example:

    − Regulated rates applied to the job as set by different agencies
    − Easy “smoothing” of hourly charges to avoid unwanted questions from customers on variances caused by circumstances such as traffic congestion
  •  Flexible pricing – “pricing-on-the-fly” for unusual situations – e.g., weather
  •  Differentiated pricing – by shift – based on negotiated rates for each commercial customer, both hourly, and “hook & miles”
  •  Mobile app for driver notes (voice to text) and picture-taking

Heavy Duty Reliability

Functionality without reliability (e.g., high uptime, no app “crashes”) is of little value.  Reliability is often an afterthought until the system is not working.  Ranger has more experience in successfully operating a completely “cloud-based” tow management solution (SaaS – Software as a Service) than anyone else.   Ranger has over 15 years of “lessons learned” – eliminating the “glitches” that others are still discovering.

And, Ranger has invested heavily for reliability/uptime.  The solution is hosted in a commercial data center with redundant internet, power, and cooling — with the latest in physical and logical security.  All data is backed up nightly.  There is redundancy built into each component of the Ranger infrastructure architecture.  And in a “worst case” scenario, Ranger even has a disaster recovery solution in place to fail-over to a different data center location.  Ranger HD functionality comes with HD reliability.

Ranger SST for Heavy Duty — advanced technology for superior performance.  If you are looking to grow your top and bottom lines, give us a call and let us put Ranger Service Solutions Technology to work for you!

For more information https://info.rangersst.com/ or 440.498.1495

It’s Time to Work on Words and Attitudes

By
James E. Lewis
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A middle age man yelling and pointing during an argurment. Anger Managment???
A middle age man yelling and pointing during an argurment. Anger Managment???

While we’re still dealing with limited business and strange social distancing restrictions, I’m hoping we can pass on some information that may help you be a better business owner and manager.  It’s time to work on those people who bring others down in your crew because of their words and attitudes.

In my recent book “Profit and Loss:  The High Cost of Complaining (and other negative behaviors),” I chose the term “complaining” to head up a large group of verbal negative behavior methods simply because most of what I’m going to address deals with complaining in some form or another.  There are several other verbal methods with which a person can exude a negative attitude, and we can draw a larger picture with the terms bitching, whining, and complaining.

Before we press into actual scenarios and remedies, let’s establish what complaining is, at least in the categories that I’m addressing.

Complaining is negative speech from one person to another, or it can take written or electronic form.  There are many facets to the initial complaining action, and even more divisions and tangents after the words are expressed.  In the scenarios I draw out, you’ll notice quite a few tangents that this communication can take, each with a significant impact on the individuals involved.

I’ll be referring to these “complaining qualifiers” throughout this publication, and will ask you to look back at these statements as we explore more detailed developments.

Complaining qualifiers – items that the complainer assumes when they began speaking negatively.  They are:

  1. The complainer assumes that the person or group listening to their complaints actually wants to hear their statements.

    This assumption usually transcends professionalism, character, and personal desire.  The complainer chooses to make an unprofessional move and force his/her audience into listening.

  2. The complainer assumes that their issue or issues is/are more important than anything else the audience has going on at the time.
  3. The complainer assumes that there is nothing more important to do at the time, be it work or personal tasks, that outweigh the significance of voicing the complaint.

Throughout this article, I’ll be drawing on and explaining scenarios I’ve experienced, and then explain the numerous tangents developed after the initial complaint or attitude.  These include customer perception, fellow employee perception, business owner observations, and financial impact.

Many of my scenarios involve retail experiences.  I’ve traveled for work for many years, and deal with fast food employees, those working in service stations, trucks stops, and “sit-down” restaurants.  By no means are these scenarios limited to these customer service positions.  The same rules apply to warehouse workers, folks in an auto parts store, an insurance agency, or lawfirm.

Let’s go over the general properties of the complainer themselves.  Please understand that these are generalizations, and you as a business owner, manager, or employee are encouraged to survey and determine for yourself exactly what you’re dealing with in the people you contact.

Emotionally weak – despite at times being loud and demanding of you to hear their complaints, most people who complain regularly, or as a matter of constant conversation (more later), are very emotionally weak.  This weakness can be attributed to several factors:  the person has never had serious responsibility, thus never “grew up”; the person has never been a supervisor and had to deal with the drama and repercussions caused by someone like themselves; the person simply stopped maturing, either at the point of a drastic incident or event, or just when they decided to quit taking responsibility for their actions, or were no longer challenged for accountability.

Most complainers are very insecure in their positions, insecure in their manhood or womanhood, and their only successful way of being assertive or proactive is to be negative and complain or whine.

It is often that you have grown adults who whine, complain, and throw temper tantrums, always walking around with a chip on their shoulder – I call them “Forty-year-old adolescents.”

Pettiness – being petty takes many forms.  People who you may not expect to act this way may surprise you by becoming exceptionally trivial and picky about minor details – a facet of being petty.  Ignorance on a particular subject or in general, arrogance, and a lack of maturity can all lead to the end result of petty behavior.

The competitor – many of us have seen this guy or girl.  One person whines that they had to work two hours of overtime last week, and this person jumps in, claiming that they had to work four hours.

The one-upper – this person is like the competitor, although while the competitor may be slightly reasonable, the one-upper has to go to outlandish lengths to make sure another person can’t get close to competing with him.  This usually causes huge amounts of tension and anguish in the work environment.

The game of one-upmanship is a conscious struggle for psychological superiority often employing passive – aggressive behavior to specifically demoralize or dis-empower the thinking subject making the aggressor look more knowledgeable, or having experienced more.

The know-it-all – while this person may not be particularly good at his job, or punctual, or professional, you’d never know it according to them.  They have to be in charge at every occasion making sure to boast that they know more about a job or task than others present.  This is guided by strong insecurities and can be addressed fairly easily.

The know-it-all is usually a person who constantly presents their input as though they were professionally trained, schooled, or have firsthand insight into subjects when it is evident this is not the case. Opinions, suggestions, thoughts, and commentary from everyone else is quickly shot down as incorrect, nonsensical, and disruptive.

The problem with the know-it-all is two-fold:  if allowed to run things like they want, they’ll anger and alienate your entire crew and disrespect your position usually indicating that they don’t need supervision.  If corrected, they’ll throw a temper tantrum and cause work interruptions.

Not my job – this person studied their job description with a magnifying glass and balks at any mention of helping someone with a joint task or team project, because it’s not their job or in their job description.  This type of person has little pride or honor, and has no problem watching a pregnant lady take out a heavy garbage can when they could have easily pitched in and helped out of courtesy.  Ironically, this person is also the one to scream the loudest when they don’t get a huge raise or a promotion, since they do “their job” so well.  The problem is that is all they’ll do is what is on an outline of duties.

The interrupter – the impact seen because of this person seems obvious, but it isn’t.  It is good to encourage “visiting” sessions during slow times at work, as many people pick up valuable training and information in a casual environment, and you can utilize your experienced people in this capacity.  The interrupter always jumps the gun and has to be the center of attention, and the most important person on hand – the smartest person in the room, as it were.

They’ll interrupt someone’s story or account with “That’s nothing, check out what happened to me.”  In other words, what the first person just said is worthless, means nothing, but what I’m going to tell you now is worth listening to.  Even the most courteous and patient employee will stop talking and participating after a couple of these interruptions.

The interrupter loves to hear themselves talk.  No one’s account of an incident is as good or accurate as theirs.  They’ll step on someone just to get their version in so the crowd can hear it.

The interrupter usually complains the loudest, and because they step on others’ words, their complaints ring the clearest.

The whiner – this one appears harmless, but can cause a manager or supervisor the most stress.  A new schedule will be posted, or a change in work rules, and people will talk about it in a group.  This person usually stays behind after a meeting to go directly to the manager or supervisor for their version of why this or that won’t work.

They usually have an actual whine to their voice, and wear their feelings on their sleeves.  If you dismiss them, don’t hear them out fully, or don’t address their concern(s), they’ll take it very personally…producing pouting, sullenness, anger, tantrums, or worse.  We should agree that none of these emotions being displayed in a workplace is a mature response and has any right being shown in a professional environment.

Who’s the Boss When You are Gone

By
Dan Messina
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I was doing a seminar in Baltimore several years ago and after the seminar a company owner came up to me after the class and told me he had a problem.  He said I hate my drivers and they hate me.  Obviously that’s not a good position to be in, but I find that when I talk to tow companies it’s not uncommon that owners and employees sometimes find it difficult to get along.

When I do a seminar, I tell the attendees you can go out on the show floor and find anything you need as it relates to towing.  The only thing that will make you different than your competitor is your employees. When I got into the towing business, I knew nothing about towing, but I did know a lot about business.  I knew I had to learn from my employees.  I started to define what I wanted my company to look like.  I looked at the following:

  • I wanted to play by all the rules established by the state of Texas
  • I wanted employees that I could trust
  • I established morals and ethics I wanted my employees to live by
  • I wanted the customer to come first
  • I wanted to look professional
  • I wanted all my trucks to look the same
  • I wanted my employees to wear uniforms

The first thing I did was identify who did not fit into what I wanted to establish.  I had to let go of a few people.  The rest I trained to do the work the way I wanted.  Then I hired a few positions that I felt I needed to be successful. 

After about 6 months I had the staff I wanted and was heading in the right direction.  I provided them with the necessary training they needed to do their job.  My thinking was I wanted the company to run when I was not in the office.  That’s the mindset I want you to establish in your company.  I know you think I do not have anyone you can trust, or who has the ability and knowledge to run the day to day operation.  To be successful, I feel you need to be out of the day to day operation and let your staff make decisions. 

Keep in mind they talk to your customers every day and they have established a good working relationship.  You have a dispatcher that makes $12 a hr. and talks to your biggest customer every day and with great success.   I learned early that if you show confidence in your employees they will respond with great success.  As I went through this learning process they made mistakes, but I would pick them up, dust them off and send them out again.  By the end of my training session they were doing a better job than me because they were involved in the day to day operations.

I had 35 employees in my company so I decided to take about 5 key people out to lunch and give them a little survey.  I ask them questions like:

  • Who was the best employee
  • Who was the worse employee
  • Who was the best driver
  • Who was the worse driver
  • Who was the best dispatcher
  • Who was the worse dispatcher
  • Who was the key employee of the company

When I first opened the door to my company, a sales person came to me from another company, and I would have loved to hire him but I was not sure I could afford him.  I went ahead and hired him and worked out some pay options.  He had a personality that was awesome in sales, but all my employees thought he was a pain in the ass.  Every tow company in Dallas knew of him, and they all had the same opinion. 

The survey opened my eyes to what I was not seeing in my company.  They all agreed on the best employee.  I did not agree with them on the best driver.  Their criteria were different than mine.  After they explained why their selection was different than mine, I agreed with their choice.  My choices for best driver and best dispatcher were also different from theirs.  What I found out about the dispatcher was my best choice but was their worse choice.  Again they explained to me and I agreed.  The problem was this was my highest paid dispatcher. 

I guess the biggest surprise was the key employee.  They agreed with my choice.  I chose the person that was the pain in the ass and surprisingly they all agreed with me.  That told me that as much as they thought he was a pain, they also realized the value he brought to the company.  This survey showed me a few things:

• I did not know my employees like I thought I did.   

• The people who work with each other on a daily basis will know the strengths and weaknesses of each employee.

• My employees realized the value of key employees. 

• It also told me that I have some good managers and I trained them well.

As we walked away from our lunch, I realized that I had people I could trust with my company.  We trained the employees that were the worse and placed them on an improvement program.  I took my highest paid dispatcher and told him I expected more out of him and for his performance to improve.  I also took my key employee and told him that no matter what others thought about him they all valued him as the key employee to the company.

Since that lunch, when my wife and I would go on a vacation, we would let my key employee be in charge and I knew he had the support of the other employees.  I was never afraid to go

on vacation after that because I knew I had my employees working together to be successful.   What a difference it makes knowing you can leave for a period of time and know you will have a company to come back to.

Webfleet Asset Tracking

By
Darian Weaver
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Webfleet Solutions, one of the world’s leading telematics solution providers, is helping fleets reduce the risk of equipment theft and improper usage with a new capability for asset tracking within WEBFLEET, released today to United States fleet customers and business owners. WEBFLEET Asset Tracking gives companies new ability to visualize the position and usage of their powered assets, such as trailers, generators and other equipment from a single interface with the position of vehicles and assets are displayed on a clear map view.

According to recent data, the United States has the second highest cargo theft rate in North America, and annual estimates of the cost of equipment theft vary from about $300 million to $1 billion, with most estimates in the range of $400 million.

With WEBFLEET Asset Tracking, fleet operators can choose to be alerted when an asset is being used, when it leaves a designated area or when any motion is detected. This helps reduce both the risk of theft and the likelihood of improper usage. Notifications can also be setup to alert the user when maintenance is required, which helps to preserve the value of the asset.

“Our focus is always on providing insight and making the working process simpler, safer and more efficient,” said Matt Gunzenhauser, Director of Sales of USA & Canada of Webfleet Solutions. “And that’s precisely what Asset Tracking does.”

For more information, visit www.webfleet.com

Hino L Series

By
Darian Weaver
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Introducing the all new Hino L Series trucks, replacing our conventional lineup. Now known as the L6 and L7, you will immediately see the new exterior design including a bolder front fascia and optional LED headlights to make sure you are able to safely navigate the roads in style.

Open the door and you will be greeted with a re-engineered interior with high-end automotive grade finishes built with commercial use durability and an eye towards increased functionality. New steering wheel controls, a large 7” LCD multi-information display, more storage and increased leg room all make your “office” safer and more comfortable.

Speaking of safety, the new Hino L Series has integrated an entire suite of new safety systems to ensure you and your cargo get where they need to be quickly and safely. Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Collision Mitigation System (CMS) Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Active Cruise Control (ACC) and a driver’s seatbelt sensor are all there to protect you mile after mile.

Finally, the new L series is maximizing your business’s functionality with new wheelbase options, extended cab, and crew cab configurations. No matter what your business needs, there’s a Hino L Series there to help you do more.

For more information on the Hino L Series vist:

https://www.hino.com/hino-trucks-l-series.html

Modifications to the HOS rules for added flexibility

By
Darian Weaver
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Webfleet Solutions, one of the world’s leading telematics solution providers, dedicated to fleet management, vehicle telematics and connected car services, integrates with M2mDatasmart to provide WEBFLEET customers with the technology and ELD compliance that they require to operate their fleet. The in-vehicle technology offers an accurate electronic record of miles driven, time on the road, and progress on the route.

While electronic driver logs are becoming more important, the real benefit of the Hours of Service application lies in its impact on planning and business efficiency. Jim William, VP of Sales of M2mDatasmart, explains how the updates of the HOS regulations can influence your towing business. 

The FMCSA is revisiting four of their HOS regulations. These new revisions will go into effect on September 29, 2020, at midnight. These new adjustments to the regulations will provide more flexibility without adversely affecting safety.

The first modification expands the short-haul exception. For local drivers, the distance limit of 100 air-mile radius will be expanded to 150 air miles. Previously, this exception was only available to non-CDL drivers using a commercial vehicle over 10,000 lbs. The commercial vehicle (including a tow truck) requires an ELD device and software even when the driver had chosen an exempt status. With the 150 air-mile rule, the towing industry is given added flexibility. You can cross state lines and drive in multiple jurisdictions without recording On Duty Driving versus On Duty Not Driving time. The ELD application merely records the time simply as On Duty. Property hauling and agricultural use carriers are also given the same added flexibility. Remember, this is an exception to the federal rules.  Most intrastate rule sets will eventually change to match the federal rules but may not immediately. Travel across state lines is permitted within the 150 air-miles radius exemption but if you normally use the rules for your state and you exceed the 150 air-mile radius you must continue to use Federal rules for your next complete 70 or 80-hour duty cycle. The total maximum on-duty time is also extended from 12 hours to 14 hours, but remember that the workday begins with the first DVIR inspection.

The second change will expand the on-duty driving window during adverse conditions by up to two hours. The hazardous driving exception of FMCSA 395.1(b)(1) can be used to extend driving hours in addition to on-duty hours in a single day. In the Federal system, the new totals will be 13 driving hours and 16 on-duty hours. The towing industry has long benefited from the 16 hours “Big Day” rule that is available once per week under FMCSA 395.1(o). That provision has not changed but from a practical standpoint; if you needed the 2 Hour Driving extension for Adverse Driving conditions previously, you were also forced to use that provision immediately or risk a violation.

The final rule will also allow more flexibility in breaks by requiring a 30-minute break only after 8 hours of driving time instead of 8 hours of on-duty time. On-Duty, Not Driving time will qualify for the break, allowing drivers to use the time to refuel or unload. Drivers will still be required to take a full 30-minute break at one time.

Lastly, modifications to split sleeper berth will allow the 10-hour minimum off-duty requirement to be split into a 7-hour sleeper berth break and 3 hours of off-duty time. The old rule requires 8 hours sleeper berth with 2 hours of off-duty time. Drivers will be able to choose between the 8/2 or 7/3 split. As before, a full 10 hours is still required before the cycle can be reset and the rest breaks can be taken in any order. You must be driving a truck with a full sleeper berth to use this provision.

The FMCSA has been considering updating the regulation for the last 2 years based on feedback from industry leaders. We commend them for these changes. These modifications will save motor carriers and shippers millions of dollars while adding flexibility to the drivers’ workday. Bravo

For more information, visit www.webfleet.com

GUNIWHEEL

By
Darian Weaver
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How do you tow vehicles without wheels and tires? In the world we are in today, stolen wheels and tires are a problem for tow pros everywhere. Just last year, a manager of a Louisiana car dealership started his day with 124 wheels stolen from vehicles on his lot overnight! Statistics show that the number of stolen wheels and tires is increasing in cities across the U.S. Then there are flat tire situations, blowouts, and complete tire separations. All present quite the challenge for towing professionals. Especially since 35% of all new vehicles come without spares.  As a towing professional, what is the best way to get these vehicles up on your flatbed or dolly and safely tow to the nearest shop?

We’re excited to introduce a revolutionary new tool for the towing & recovery industry. GUNIWHEEL™ is the world’s first universal-fitting vehicle mounting system in a tire a wheel design. With GUNIWHEEL™, you can safely mount and move any vehicle that has missing or damaged wheels and tires. GUNIWHEEL™ is a solid steel wheel with an airless polyurethane rubber exterior. It’s patented universal-fitting lug pattern system easily mounts on all current passenger vehicles thereby reducing the need to carry multiple spares or “donuts” to move vehicles onto tow beds and trailers.

Weighing just 34 lbs. and 22.5” D x 3” W, GUNIWHEEL™ is a compact solution to keep inside your towing compartment or neatly stacked on your tow bed. Each GUNIWHEEL™ can hold up to 2,500 lbs. – strong enough to install on all four-wheel hub locations. They can be driven at a max speed of 5mph and are primarily used to move vehicles on and off tow beds, drive on lots, and into body shops for vehicle repair.

GUNIWHEEL™ currently comes in two models: GUNIWHEEL™ 45 is for most standard size vehicles with 4 & 5 lug patterns. GUNIWHEEL™ 56 is for bigger trucks, vans, and large SUV’s with 5 & 6 lug patterns.

NEW PRODUCTS: GUNIWHEEL 80, (24” D x 3.5”) for big 8 lug trucks and vans available late 2020.  GUNISPARE, an emergency temporary wheel for standard size cars and light SUV’s that incorporates the same universal fitting technology, but in an air-filled tire. Speed rated at 50 mph – available late 2020.

At GUNIWHEEL™ we say “NO WHEELS? NO PROBLEM!”

For more information, visit www.guniwheel.com.

Jerr-Dan Parts is expanding

By
Darian Weaver
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Jerr-Dan Parts is expanding its assortment to include Buyers Products Toolboxes and Brackets. Manufactured and assembled in the USA, Buyers offers a range of toolboxes with emphasis on customer value. Brand reputation, especially one of durability and dependability is essential to Buyers, and they are proud to partner with Jerr-Dan in order to provide customers with top toolbox and bracket selections. Built with durable materials like carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and polyethylene, these toolboxes come in different styles and sizes, which are all available for purchase through a Jerr-Dan distributor.

To learn more, visit jerrdan.com or contact your nearest Jerr-Dan distributor.

Robert Young’s NRC Sales & Service – The Quick-Swap

By
Darian Weaver
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The NRC Quick-Swap is the most versatile detach unit available on the market today!  If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to grow your business, look no further.  Give Chris Davis a call today @ 540.797.2567.

Quick-Swap

Under-lift Rating – Up to 35 TONS

Tow Rating – Up to 90,000 lbs.

Basic Weight – 6,000 lbs.

Quick-Swap w/Tag Axle

Under-lift Rating – Up to 35 TONS

Tow Rating – Up to 90,000 lbs.

Basic Weight – 8,000 lbs.

Heavy Duty Quick-Swap

Minimum Wheelbase – 250”

Double Frame Recommended

Super Heavy Duty Quick-Swap

Minimum Wheelbase – 275”

Double Frame Recommended

QUICK MOVES WITH STECK

By
Darian Weaver
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Calls for quickly moving vehicles with broken ball joints continue to grow. While many use skates or Go-Jacks, many tow-ers find that due to their inability to safely load and secure a vehicle, especially on the aluminum bed roll back wreckers, they find the need for a sturdier device.

Steck’s  4th Wheel Loader is a tough 24” x 14” hardened aluminum fabricated platform with two 4” x 10” Polypropylene roller wheels, six 5/8” holes for mini-J hooks for loading assistance and 1” axles which provides a safe platform to easily hold and secure up to 5 tons while loading a vehicle.  The 4th Wheel Loader also includes two shims that allow the driver to raise the vehicle with busted ball joints, lost wheels and severely bent axles and place it at a desired height for secure loading on the roll back. The Loader is 4” high (without shim blocks) with a built in 6” X 1 ” handle which will allow you to store the 25 lb. Loader behind your seat or tool box. Quicker loading and unloading while preventing further damage to vehicles by allowing the driver to center, pull and properly secure the vehicle on the roll back bed as well as preventing bed damage to the roll back.

We have also found that the shops where the towers drop the damaged vehicle has a similar problem because Go-Jacks do not work well outdoors, which result in many damaged floor jacks trying to move the vehicle into the shop. The 4th Wheel Loader with its two Polypropylene wheels works well in gravel and dirt to move the vehicle directly into the repair bays and frame racks.

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