Summer Development Plans
Further to our recent user survey (and many thanks to all that participated), we now have an idea of which enhancements are of high and low importance.
It is our aim that all 47 enhancements will appear in Move Administer, the majority during the summer period (now until end of August).
There were no surprises in that the facility to generate multiple PDF attachments on a single email was top of the list, which just goes to show that emailing stationery to customers is a huge advantage to our users. Runner up to multiple PDF attachments was a call back feature enabling reminders to be automatically and manually set (work has already begun on a prototype).
There were some surprises too, a margin report appearing to be of low importance to users, so too was the facility to share prospect addresses that were outside of their prospecting area.
An additional 15 enhancements were also provided during the survey, of which we see 10 being of benefit to others, and will probably be added to our summer development plans.
Work has now started on some of the enhancements, while the major ones will start in July, so please keep checking back for some interesting development news.
Manifests
As from today you are now able to create Manifests from Shipping Administer!
By using our Manifest Wizard you simply provide information such as Container ID, Seal No’s, Transit Agent, Origin Port, Estimated and Actual Date of Departure, Destination Port, Estimated and Actual Date of Arrival and Destination Agent details, and more.
Then you simply assign consignments heading to the same Destination Port to the Manifest. As you update the Manifest details you can simply press a button which updates all assigned consignments with the Manifest information!
A Manifest can then be printed and emailed/faxed to your Destination Agent listing all consignments heading their way.
Certificate of Shipment
We’ve gone Shipping Administer mad of late! Yet another addition is the facility to produce a Certificate of Shipment!
And we’ve made changes to all other shipping documentation by now allowing them to be emailed directly from Customer and Corporate Correspondence!
Trade Quotations
Another new addition to Shipping Administer is the facility to produce Trade Quotations.
Through a simple wizard interface basic information regarding the move is logged and priced, where the quote can be immediately printed and mailed, emailed or faxed (coming soon).
Trade Quotations can be accepted or rejected where the information is then transferred to an International or European Quotation where full shipping documentation can be produced, and now emailed to the customer too!
Baggage Enquiries
A new addition to Shipping Administer is the facility to record Baggage Enquiries.
Through a simple wizard interface basic information regarding the enquiry is logged, where it can be priced immediately or left on the system awaiting pricing.
The enquiry can be opened at any time where communication details, notes and pricing information can be viewed and acted upon accordingly.
As with all tables within Move Administer, Baggage Enquiries can be queried and exported.
I’m confident our Shipping Administer users will find this a huge help. To come is automatic emailing of the price back to the enquiry and we’re toying with an XML web interface which will automatically import enquiries from your own website!
Declared Liability
Changes in the way Move Administer handles declared liability are now complete and with our testers for their comments. When we originally added declared liability to Move Administer we simply removed all insurance fields, however since talking with our users we have made the following changes:
Liability can now be calculated and charged as a percentage of the removal charge. Yep, you did read right, charged!
For example, Move Administer allows you to produce a quotation with a Nett moving figure of £500.00. Let’s say that your rate of liability is 10%, therefore your Liability would be calculated as £50.00. VAT is then calculated on the Nett + Liability, with the Total being the Nett + Liability + VAT.
When the Quotation is printed the customer see’s the basic removal charge at £550.00 + VAT. When the Quotation is accepted the invoice generated will have a Nett figure of £550.00. There is no mention of the £50.00 Liability to the customer.
You also have a checkbox which if ticked will print that ‘extended liability’ has been included, and the extended liability can have it’s own valuation cover that is different to the standard cover on a per product basis (Inland, European, Commercial, etc).
This new way of dealing with Liability allows you, the remover, to claw back some of that lost insurance revenue. And although on the example above £550.00 would be posted to the sales code assigned to the Quotation, Move Administer will have reports to show the breakdown of accepted Quotations, so you can then see just how much Liability revenue was charged in any period, allowing you to adjust your sales turnover figures accordingly.
The ‘new’ liability rate can also be charged for additional services offered, and when it comes to Storage you can charge the Liability as a percentage of the weekly rate or a percentage of the declared valuation.
Fingers crossed that our ‘Declared Liability’ testers find this a great addition to Move Administer.
Shipping Stationery
Here’s a sneak preview of the some of the Shipping Stationery available within Move Administer.
As with most Stationery within Move Administer it can be tailored to your requirements by our development team, so just let us know if you would like your company and/or association logo’s added.
For the Bill of Lading both Ocean and Air Freigh versions are available.
Ocean and Air Freight versions of the Shipment Pre Alerts also exist.
A Shipment Status showing the current status of the customer’s shipment is also available.
And finally, for those traveling through France we offer the CMR Note .
Comments appreciated, as always.
Stationery: European Quotations
Here’s a sneak preview of the European Quotations.
Each PDF consists of 2 pages consisting of a Quotation and an Acceptance. Whilst no Additional Services are shown, you can of course produce an Additional Services Quotation and Acceptance to accompany your European Quotation.
As with Inland Quotations, free text can be supplied as Included and Excluded options.
So, first up is the layout used for those who are regulated by the Financial Services Authority and can therefore offer and charge for insurance cover. There are two layouts available here, one uses Goods In Transit insurance and the other users Marine insurance (as shown below).
Next we have the layout used for those who offer extended liability.
Comments appreciated, as always.
Stationery: International Quotations
Here’s a sneak preview of the International Quotations.
Each PDF consists of 4 pages. You’ll find an International Quotation, an International Acceptance, an Additional Services Quotation and an Additional Services Acceptance.
Again, to conform with Inland Quotations, free text can be supplied as Included and Excluded options.
So, first up is the layout used for those who are regulated by the Financial Services Authority and can therefore offer and charge for insurance cover.
Notice that you can now offer Super, Standard and Restricted insurance cover?
Next we have the layout used for those who offer extended liability.
Comments appreciated, as always.