HOW TOKOPEN IS IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORTS EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS FOR TNT

- Proof of delivery capture and publishing

TNT Express, the UK's fastest and most reliable provider of nationwide door-to-door next-day delivery services is using Tokairo's TokOpen document management system to support its proof of delivery business process.

The system has been implemented at over 50 sites throughout the UK, responsible for 80,000 deliveries a day - over 18 million a year. Benefits already achieved include improved customer service, streamlined procedures, improved security, less paperwork, cleaner and more efficient invoicing and faster cashflow. Tokairo's TokOpen is recognised as a key tool for business growth and improved profitability.

In a highly competitive service market, the system is at the sharp end of TNT's drive for more intelligent, aggressive and effective use of information through exploitation of latest technology. Rolled out across the UK from last Christmas, the nationwide implementation was completed in April.

Customers can directly track deliveries by accessing TNT's Web site and view the signed proof of delivery documents on line, thanks to the TokOpen system. The scanning and indexing is tightly integrated within TNT's business and process infrastructure. The TNT Web site communicates with the TokOpen Web server which in turn talks to the TokOpen System Server to retrieve the relevant document. TNT's general Express core application is Universe, written in C with an Ingres database running on Unix HP-UX11.

The documents are stored as TIFF images and passed back to the TokOpen Web server to be converted into a format that can be viewed on a standard Web browser. The system also includes PIN security to make sure that only documents relating to individual customers can be viewed by them online. Further security to conform to data protection requirements includes the blanking out of sensitive areas of the document if an incorrect PIN is used.

The system was implemented at all 48 sites within twelve weeks from project start. Other partners involved in the implementation included Fujitsu who supplied the scanners, StreamServe who provide the print output formatting, and Dicom who provide scanner support and maintenance managed directly by the Tokairo Support Desk.
Benefits include significantly improved customer service streamlined procedures, improved security, less paperwork, cleaner and more efficient invoicing and faster cashflow.

"Improvements have been achieved in several areas," says TNT Express IT Project Manager Rob Noble. "For example, a move from expensive impact printers to more robust and reliable laser printers, and replacement of former multi-part documentation with standard A4 stationery.

"Document images can be pulled up on screen in seconds for printing/faxing/emailing - and customers can also view them online via our Web site. This means we provide swifter more accurate information, and also have more time to identify mistaken non-delivery claims - and refute them authoritatively, based on hard copy proof-of-delivery evidence, now available on-line".

"The Web site to support these activities also give us a wider public presence and underlines our commitment to providing quality service, with corresponding marketing and business edge benefits".

"The TokOpen functionality is very tightly integrated within our existing main business application and there was no need to redesign existing systems to implement the new scanning and indexing processes," says Noble. An important element of the system's success has been the commitment of Tokairo to meet identified project targets and timescales, and the ongoing partnership relation to ensure maintenance and support. Further developments of this solution are in discussion".