Sept. 13, 2011 -
PRLog -- The fall and winter holiday seasons are a busy time for the nation’s distributors, warehouses, manufacturers and other facilities that receive inbound shipments as they scramble to fill an influx of new orders from customers eager to fill their shelves for the months’ festivities. Sites that rely on Appointment-
Plus online scheduling calendars will not only improve the delivery process by allowing their drivers and carriers to schedule their drop-off times online, they’ll also be able to sync with software applications they already use, such as QuickBooks and e-marketing services Constant Contact, iContact and MailChimp.
True to its motto “We Work With What You Work With”, Appointment-
Plus online business calendar is the industry’s only Web-based booking application to marry online scheduling, payment-processing, accounting and e-marketing services in one affordable and efficient system. Upcoming features include syncs with Google and Microsoft Outlook calendars, as well as a new user interface.
“Managing deliveries over the phone and with a clipboard or paper appointment book is not the most efficient way to handle this important part of the supply chain,” says Bob La Loggia, CEO of Appointment-
Plus. “Our cutting-edge scheduling software helps simplify this process, resulting in significant time and monetary savings for dock operations.
“Plus, we work with many of the same software applications you already use on a regular basis, making it easy to transfer information from your Appointment-
Plus scheduler.”
Businesses that have recently implemented Appointment-
Plus into their dock-scheduling operations include:
• Graphic Packaging International, Middletown, Ohio
• Heatcraft, Stone Mountain, Ga.
• HenneCold Storage, Tampa, Fla.
A leader in dock-scheduling software since 2001, Appointment-
Plus online scheduler calendar gives inbound facilities the tools they need to completely automate and streamline the delivery- and dock-scheduling process. Among the functionality found in the feature-rich system are:
• Online self-scheduling, which allows carriers and drivers the ability to schedule their own delivery times at their own convenience without having to pick up the phone or send/receive an e-mail or fax. This feature can also free up a significant amount of on-site and administrative staff time; in fact, some sites that use Appointment-
Plus report monetary savings ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars weekly, as they’re able to better schedule their dock staff and reduce overtime expenses.
• Automated e-mail and text message reminders sent prior to a scheduled drop-off time, which can dramatically reduce the number of later arrivals and missed deliveries.
• Robust record-keeping and reporting capabilities that may it easy to quickly gather and analyze delivery information. It’s also perfect for recording actual arrival and departure times, a necessity when determining “hold” times at the docks.
Adding the online self-scheduling component to the docking and delivery process is easy with Appointment-
Plus, who supplies each client with a unique URL link to their scheduler and an assortment of “book now” buttons that can be added to Web sites and e-mail messages. Once the driver clicks on the link or button, he or she instantly accesses the online scheduler calendar, which can show available docks and delivery times, as well as any special instructions. Once a time is selected, the system automatically does the rest without any additional action from on-site administration.
Because it’s Web-based, Appointment-
Plus online scheduling calendars require only an Internet connection to use, without any installations, downloads or additional hardware necessary. This trait allows users to access the software from any Internet connection, a true benefit for supervisors, managers, dispatchers and other dock staff who need the ability to view their schedules when off-site or at other locations at the facility.
Pricing starts at $39 per month, with no long-term contracts. All signups receive a complementary training session with a professional set-up coach during their 15-day free trial period.
“Having a proven scheduling procedure in place is crucial in ensuring a smooth and seamless delivery process,” La Loggia explains. “Appointment-
Plus helps you achieve that.”
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About Appointment-
Plus: Appointment-
Plus is the leading online appointment-
scheduling system, serving organizations in 11 countries ranging from one-person businesses to Fortune 500 companies. With over 15 million end users across 100 industries, Appointment-
Plus is the preferred scheduler for medical practitioners, healthcare providers, colleges and universities, personal fitness trainers, spas, salons, shipping docks, government agencies, financial institutions, tour operators, and many other types of organizations. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., over 70 million appointments have been booked through Appointment-
Plus since its launch in 2001.
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About Appointment-
Plus: Appointment-
Plus is the leading online appointment-
scheduling system, serving organizations in 11 countries ranging from one-person businesses to Fortune 500 companies. With over 15 million end users across 100 industries, Appointment-
Plus is the preferred scheduler for medical practitioners, healthcare providers, colleges and universities, personal fitness trainers, spas, salons, shipping docks, government agencies, financial institutions, tour operators, and many other types of organizations. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., over 70 million appointments have been booked through Appointment-
Plus since its launch in 2001.
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