A family-run heavy haulage specialist says HaulTech is helping it to work smarter, improve compliance, and enhance customer service.
MA Ponsonby has grown from one truck operated by founder Mike Ponsonby into a thriving business with more than 15 Scania trucks and a large fleet of specialist trailers. Mike is still managing director while his son Jack is operations director. Two more sons are specialist HGV drivers.
The Lichfield-based business recognised that its increased size and scale meant that it needed to move away from pen-and-paper administration to maintain its high productivity and service quality levels. The company invested in HaulTech’s award-winning transport management system (TMS), which has provided multiple business benefits.
“HaulTech has delivered efficiency all round for us,” said Jack Ponsonby. “It is very easy to implement and to use. It enables us to plan and manage our work in a smarter way. It also saves us a lot of time compared to using an A4 paper diary. We are a small team and run a tight ship, so freeing us up to focus on other areas of the business has a huge impact. It helps significantly with compliance, too.”
A specialist in construction plant and other heavy haulage for more than 20 years, MA Ponsonby’s trailer fleet includes HIABs, step frames and low loaders. The company has been a FORS member for 10 years and currently holds FORS Gold level accreditation.
Designed to meet the needs of independent hauliers, HaulTech’s TMS can reduce administrative processes by up to 80%. It also helps haulage companies to control and cut operational costs. The TMS enables users to seamlessly create, schedule, assign and manage jobs through a single point of data entry. It also streamlines invoicing and can integrate with accounting software such as Sage.
“Proof of delivery adds another level of professionalism to our customer service,” said Jack. “It also means that we get the data at head office quickly and in a uniform format. It means that we can shorten the time between job completion and submitting an invoice.”
Part of the attraction for MA Ponsonby was that HaulTech shares similar values. “This was our first TMS so it was an important investment for us,” added Jack. “We chose HaulTech over other providers because they run their business in a similar way to us. They have a huge focus on customer relations and are a close-knit team. You never feel like a small fish in a big pond.
“They are very personable people and have maintained the fantastic service they provided at the outset. Even though we are now an established customer we still get the same high level of support, every time we need it. I would recommend HaulTech to other hauliers in a heartbeat.”
