\u201cWith PTV, we have a solid partner with a strong long-term vision,\u201d says Frank Baudet, Development & Innovation Manager at NABEK. Thijs Postma, who is involved in market development within the PAX Group, adds:
\u201cThere\u2019s room in the partnership to experiment. Whether it\u2019s our own ideas or those coming from our clients, PTV is always willing to listen, think along, and innovate.\u201d
It works both ways, explains Postma: NABEK also acts as a sounding board for PTV.
\u201cWe regularly provide feedback. Our route planning is technically quite complex, so the software needs to be spot-on. We push it to the limit\u2014100% reliability is a must. If something\u2019s not working as expected, we take it to PTV, and they handle it well. That\u2019s how this constructive partnership leads to optimal results.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Frank](\"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frank-Baudet-Thijs-Postma-PAX-Groep-Marketing-1920x1406.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n400 sheets of paper<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
To illustrate how far NABEK has come, Baudet recalls how route planning was done around 15 years ago.
\u201cWhere everything is now integrated in one system, back then it was all paper-based. The planner could be dealing with up to 400 sheets of paper in a single day. Clearly not ideal, or efficient. That\u2019s when PTV came into the picture, and we started automating step by step.\u201d
Especially in the early days, the progress was huge.
\u201cWhat used to take a full day now gets done in just a few hours, thanks to automation\u2014a major leap forward. Since then, we\u2019ve been continuously fine-tuning the system. Customer expectations are constantly rising. In fact, what was once considered exceptional is now simply the norm. As a logistics service provider, you have to keep up\u2014and that process never really ends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shorter timeframes
<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Beyond customer expectations, other developments are pushing NABEK to further automate.
\u201cWe\u2019re seeing a gradual shift toward smaller shipments and increased delivery frequency,\u201d says Postma. \u201cTo respond, we bundle goods from various customers to reduce the number of drops and kilometers driven. Plus, we often deliver directly to construction sites.\u201d
This makes the process more complex\u2014and more time-sensitive.
\u201cTimeframes are getting shorter,\u201d Baudet notes. \u201cAnd without smart ICT solutions, it\u2019s simply not doable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NABEK has opted for fully web-based software.
\u201cThis ensures strong performance and lets us take advantage of PTV\u2019s server capacity,\u201d explains Baudet. \u201cIt also guarantees we\u2019re always running the latest software versions. We\u2019ve deliberately placed certain responsibilities with PTV so we can focus on our core business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Essential insight<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The software NABEK uses allows for highly accurate delivery time predictions.
\u201cThis gives us great oversight for each day and helps us keep customers fully informed,\u201d says Baudet.
Constant updates ensure the planning stays realistic and up to date.
\u201cAccurate delivery time predictions are vital to us. At a glance, we can see whether we\u2019re on track. Sharing the estimated time of arrival with our customers is now expected\u2014it\u2019s become standard service, and we\u2019re happy to provide it.\u201d
Because the system is directly connected to the drivers\u2019 onboard computers, there\u2019s far less need to call them during the day.
The combination of TomTom navigation and the PTV xServer provides a highly reliable view of the operation.
\u201cWhen delays occur, we can inform customers right away and adjust the planning accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Geocoding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Being proactive rather than reactive is a major advantage, say Baudet and Postma.
\u201cIt helps us stay ahead of potential problems,\u201d says Baudet.
But there\u2019s always room for improvement. That\u2019s why NABEK and PTV keep working on refinements.
Postma: \u201cTake address data, for instance. When customers send us an order, the address isn\u2019t always complete or accurate. That can lead to delays\u2014navigation might send the driver to the wrong spot because the address format was incorrect.\u201d
PTV\u2019s geocoding component helps solve this issue.
\u201cIt checks addresses for accuracy and offers suggestions where needed. The correct coordinates are then used for route calculation and passed on to the drivers. This also allows us to check whether the delivery location is actually accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reliable predictions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
NABEK is continuously improving its delivery time forecasts.
\u201cIt\u2019s already very accurate,\u201d says Baudet, \u201cbut there\u2019s always room for more precision. We’re always working toward the perfect balance between input and output.\u201d
Big data is fascinating, but it needs to be used effectively.
\u201cWhat does it really take to make the ultimate prediction? I think it\u2019s about identifying the most impactful variables and putting those to work. For instance, how long does an average stop take in relation to the drop size? How can we best factor that into the predictions? And how do we incorporate real-time data, like traffic jams, into our calculations?\u201d
\u201cWith PTV, their xServer, and our TomTom navigation, we\u2019ve got all the right tools to power our control tower and keep the planning under control.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still plenty of potential<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Clearly, Baudet and Postma aren\u2019t done yet. \u201cStill plenty of potential\u201d NABEK, a company specialized in the distribution of construction materials among other things, uses the PTV xServer for its transport planning. The experience so far has been very positive\u2014but of course, there\u2019s always room for improvement, which is why NABEK and PTV continue to look ahead. The partnership between logistics service […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5538,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7707"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8365,"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7707\/revisions\/8365"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\u201cThere\u2019s still plenty of potential,\u201d says Postma. \u201cAnd we want to make the most of it in the near future.\u201d
Baudet adds: \u201cThere\u2019s still so much we can do within the software. We already calculate CO\u2082 emissions for every trip. That lets us give customers valuable insights and work together toward greener logistics.\u201d
\u201cIn short, we\u2019ve already achieved a lot within our company and in our partnership with PTV. But we\u2019re not done. We keep challenging ourselves to go further\u2014there\u2019s still more to gain from the tools we already have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"NABEK](\"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/2013-08-08-Foto-MBM-2013-08-08-080kopie-1920x1214.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Nabek](\"https:\/\/www.pax.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Nabek-Henk-Walda-4.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"