Background

In early 2009, the enterprise was acquired by current managing director David Nothdurft. An experienced businessman, who was intent on re-focusing the operations in a way that would drive the business into its next phase of solid expansion.

As Mr Nothdurft explains, “our aim was to position KURTZ so that it would become a highly attractive partner of choice for those with transport needs. We wanted to maintain our regional roots. But we wanted to be more attractive to a wider range of clients.

“And one essential part of that was to very seriously ‘over deliver’ in the arena of government regulation compliance.

“As most everyone knows, these regulations can now have very serious implications for the end user as well as the carrier itself. So our objective was to ensure that in these, and other matters, our customers could be totally assured of our standards.”

Hence KURTZsafe was born. A safety management program that is based on the view that ‘safety is a journey not an event’. And a program that was also about NHVAS accreditation for fatigue management, maintenance management and MASS management.

To underscore all of this, the company is fully committed to regular independent audits, including those that customers are welcome to carry out.

With over 180 key accounts, including an increasing number in Queensland’s resources sector, KURTZ new management quickly decided that substantially enhanced IT tools were going to an essential part of its re-focusing.

As Mr Nothdurft explains, “there was no way we could achieve our compliance goals without appropriate systems.

“Nor could we meet ever increasing, and essential, customer demands for such things as track and trace and online facilities.

“In this context, we clearly recognised that transport is no longer about simply taking something from point A to point B at the lowest cost. Certainly competitiveness remains an obvious necessity. But the range of additional services that one offers, including many that are IT based, is now equally pivotal.”

In looking at new software requirements, KURTZ additionally looked at its then current solutions that delivered ‘back office’ help with for its billing, payroll and general ledger processing.

But as Mr Nothdurft records, “these were seen to be cumbersome, they were not integrated and often crucial IT supplier support was far from adequate.

“What’s more, we had no real visibility of our business on a day-to-day and customer-by-customer basis. Which is not the way you run a successful business in this day and age.”

Such then was the list of computing concerns that led the company to comprehensively examine a range of new computer options.

Partnering with Jaix logistics Software

After a period of rigorous review, KURTZ opted to install the fully integrated software solution designed, developed and supported by Jaix Logistics Software.

An IT package that was able to meet all of the company’s operational and customer service requirements, while equally managing all back office and management demands.

An integration, Mr Nothdurft stresses, that was most important.

“In making our decision, we were also impressed with the Jaix team. They come across as very real people who intimately understand the transport business and who are very easy to deal with. That made a real difference.

“Now, in hindsight, I’d say that was a good call. Experience shows they provide very real support. Which to our way of thinking is as important as the software itself. When they say something is right, it’s not just hyperbole. I’ve also been used to a scenario that when ever I get on the phone to my IT supplier I get a bill. That’s not the case with Jaix. With these guys we have a true working relationship.”

Perhaps, most importantly for KURTZ, their new software – implemented in just six weeks and involving no customer disruption – quickly delivered major client benefits.

On the compliance front, the application has helped the company quickly gain full maintenance management accreditation, conditional MASS accreditation (as at September 2010) while fatigue management accreditation is progressing to plan.

“What’s also been key, is our ability to offer other significant benefits to our customers. Jaix, for example, offers solid track and trace capabilities, which most any user demands today.

“We have also worked to start utilising the system’s web and internet capabilities.

“That spans a range of options, including our client’ ability to access track and trace and proof of delivery information on line. Additionally, there are basic but very helpful things like contributing to our users’ cash flow management. Here they can now log onto our system and look at their current con notes and account. Or they can opt for us to email this data to them on a weekly basis.

“Which means, of course, that they can always have an up to date view of the payments they will have to make. Which may be a small thing but which is all about that all essential service dynamic.”

“Internally, one of the real benefits with the Jaix solution is the plethora of rich management information and reporting that we now get at the press of a button. So, for example, we can very simply look at each and every customer account on a daily basis. And ‘tweak’ things if that’s necessary.

“And as well as individual customer analysis, we can also look at things on a load-by-load basis. It’s things like that which you really need to run a business.

“My bank is very happy”, quips Mr Nothdurft.

From a day-to-day operation’s viewpoint, it is noted that KURTZ software suite pivotally drives accurate and automated consignment rating and streamlined manifesting.

Future Directions:

As Mr Nothdurft suggests

“right now, we are probably using only about 50 percent of what the Jaix system offers. We have certainly installed all of the basics. But it may well be about two years before we are doing everything with the application that we could. That said, we’ll absolutely be taking up those additional options.”

The Last Word:

“In today’s business environment, you have to have appropriate and very good software. Without it, you simply don’t have a ticket to get into the game.”

Mr David Nothdurft, Managing Director, KURTZ Transport.