“I’M GLAD WE MADE THE DECISION TO SWITCH FROM QUICKBOOKS TO AXON BECAUSE WE ARE NO LONGER A VERY SMALL COMPANY.” “IT HAS SAVED A LOT OF TIME FOR US AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY.”
HK United Trucks operates dump trucks for various purposes – asphalt, sand, gravel, even snow – in the Toronto, Canada area. As they expanded, they felt the need for better organization and efficiency. They needed a system that could handle growth.
In this recent interview, we spoke to them about their experience with Axon Software.
We are located in Mississauga, Ontario. We haul asphalt, sand, and gravel in the Greater Toronto Area. We also have a snow-hauling contract with Pearson Airport.
We started using Axon software in April 2016. We were using QuickBooks before and, since we have dump trucks and all the tickets we use to bill and pay, Axon has helped us sort through that problem. Axon works through the ticketing system. We really love it. The more we use it, the more we like it.
I’m Sarah Farooqui, accounts control manager with HK United Trucks Ltd. I’ve worked with the firm for the last five and a half years.
It has made the process much easier for us. The equipment statements, the way tickets get entered. If there are any queries by the customers or by vendors, it’s very easy to find in the system.
It makes everything more organized, I must say. It has saved us a lot of time, especially for filing and going back into cabinets to find everything. This has become much easier with Axon.
We used spreadsheets and QuickBooks before. Axon is pretty nice software and it’s organized for the trucking industry.
Since we’ve used Axon, we’ve increased our fleet by 20 trucks. We haven’t increased our staff, so we are pretty much good. It’s because Axon has eliminated the processes we used in QuickBooks – they aren’t required in Axon.
If we increase our workload by 25-30% more this year, then we might need help. Not because of Axon, but because we deal in manual paperwork a lot. That’s why we might hire one person.
Yes. If you take it as an investment, it’s a good investment. Definitely when you are growing. When we talk about growing in this industry, we do not just grow by revenue or by sales, but also by technology. I think in that regard, Axon is the best option.
It has been excellent. We are able to handle the customers’ queries with any ticket-related or load information. Whatever we need to find out, it’s much easier. And the receivable reports are really self-explanatory and very quick to run.
I like the statistics tab in the customer page. You can easily find out when the last payment was received and how much they still owe us. It’s very easy to find out in Axon. While you’re on the call with a customer, you can see things on your tabs. You don’t have to shuffle around to find out or go through any reports.
It’s very easy. If a person is computer savvy, then it’s very easy to use.
At the reporting end, when we say that we need to design reports according to our requirements, we always get Axon to help us out.
I love their customer service as well, because whenever I leave them a message, they call us right back and help us out. They get connected remotely and sometimes design for us and sometimes guide us through.
I would say that I’m glad we made the decision to switch from QuickBooks to Axon because we are no longer a very small company. We are mid-sized, as per the revenue. When you have such a big fleet, I would recommend Axon, because it has solved a lot of problems. It has saved a lot of time for us and I would recommend it highly.
SAVE TIME & MANAGING USED CORES
Axon helps you keep track of core parts that have been used and are ready to be returned to a Supplier. Here’s how to manage the returns.
Choose the Work Orders > Inventory > General tab to designate used core parts. You can either set up a used core by choosing the Create Used Core Part button or you can specify an existing part as a used core by choosing the appropriate Part #.
Use Work Orders > Inventory Counts to enter a manual count of your used cores
If you enter a part that has an associated Used Core Part # on the Work Orders > Parts tab, the system will automatically add a line item on the Returns tab to indicate that the used core is returnable.
You will need to update the Unit Cost and Price of the used core. The Part History can help you determine its value.
Once the work order is completed, the used core will be listed on the Inventory Used Cores Report
Choose Payables Invoices and use the Inventory Used Cores button to determine which used cores are on hand and available for a rebate. If you enter a supplier, the report will only list used cores for that particular business.
Enter a negative Quantity and Amount on the Payables Inventory tab.
The Inventory and the Inventory Used Cores Report will be updated to record the return.
ONLINE & MOBILE—AXON LINK APP
The Axon Link app is an add-on to Axon’s trucking software, making it easy for you to connect with your drivers via Apple or Android phones and tablets.
The app is completely integrated with Axon’s trucking applications, so you enter information once and it’s available throughout your trucking and accounting system.
Trucking transactions can be sent to your drivers directly from the dispatching screen.
You can send free-form messages, including attachments, from both the Driver Call-Ins and Driver Service Hour screens.
Drivers can capture and transmit images, signatures, and PODs back to the office as soon as they’re obtained, allowing you to invoice the order before the driver is back in the office.
Existing orders and tickets can be updated by either you or your drivers using order and ticket templates.
Include Latitude and Longitude in your message, and your drivers will be able to click on a location to view a map or get directions from their current location.
If the mobile device is set up for a piece of equipment, Axon Link App can regularly send the GPS location back to the Axon software. As long as the device is online, you’ll know where it is and can keep your customers informed.
INVENTORY LABELS & BARCODES
Inventory labels can include a wealth of information: To reverse an entire direct deposit, choose Payables/Payroll > Void Direct Deposit File.
- Serial numbers (useful in tracking the actual purchase cost of a particular item).
- Bin location showing where the part is stored in your facility.
- Additional fields (e.g. minimum quantity, maximum quantity).
You choose what information to include on each row of the label.
You can create labels for parts in Inventory as well as in Payables Invoices and Receive Purchase Orders.
Trucking transactions can be sent to your drivers directly from the dispatching screen.
Contact Axon if you need help using a barcode scanner or barcode labels with your inventory
