A ?Green? Solution for Dock-Scheduling: Appointment-Plus Helps Cut Waiting Times, Emissions for Distributors, Warehouses During Busy Holiday Season

A ‘Green’ Solution for Dock-Scheduling: Appointment-Plus Helps Cut Waiting Times, Emissions for Distributors, Warehouses During Busy Holiday Season

Online Scheduling Software

Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) November 10, 2011

Increased customer demand for food, beverages, retail products and other items during the December holiday season can place a significant burden on the delivery process for distributors, warehouses, manufacturers and other facilities, which is why more and more of these sites are choosing Appointment-Plus online scheduling software as the best solution for their dock-scheduling procedures. Not only does Appointment-Plus automate, streamline and improve the way they schedule carriers and their shipments, it also helps their operations be more “green” by reducing the idling times of inbound vehicles.

Appointment-Plus, the worldwide experts in online scheduling solutions and creators of the industry’s most flexible and feature-rich application for dock-scheduling, gives these facilities the tools and integrations they need to create an efficient scheduling system whereby drivers and carriers can schedule their own delivery times online and at their own convenience, without having to call in or receive this information from a dispatcher. This helps ensure on-time deliveries and results in a significant decrease in vehicle backups, as all inbound drivers will have a specific delivery time.

By utilizing Appointment-Plus online appointment software, dock personnel can better manage the flow of inbound deliveries, while dock supervisors can better manage staff assignments by knowing specifically the times of these deliveries.

A better scheduling process also equates into a more “green” operation that helps reduce vehicle emissions. By assigning each shipment with a specific drop-off time, facilities can dramatically diminish or completely eliminate waiting times for the inbound carriers, which typically idle in line while waiting for a loading dock to become available. Facilities without a proven scheduling process may routinely encounter wait times of several hours, which results in a significant amount of emissions being emitted into the air.

“A proven scheduling system is a must for any facility that receives inbound shipments,” says Bob La Loggia, CEO of Appointment-Plus. “That’s why our premier online scheduling software is the preferred solution to this necessary, but oftentimes burdensome, task.

“Not only will it completely automate the delivery process, it also helps facilities operate more ‘greenly’.”

A provider of online dock-scheduling solutions since 2001, Appointment-Plus is the online appointment scheduling industry’s most feature-rich and customizable application for inbound facilities of all sizes, from enterprise-level corporations that manage thousands of loading docks to smaller distributors with just a handful of docks. Unlike other scheduling applications that have sprung up during the past few years, Appointment-Plus offers unmatched flexibility and customization to create the perfect scheduling solution.

Among the features popular with dock operators are:

Online carrier self-scheduling, whereby drivers can book their delivery times at any hour, day or night.
Automated e-mail and text message reminders sent prior to a scheduled delivery time.
Robust record-keeping and reporting capabilities.
E-marketing capabilities for sending mass communications to carriers.

Appointment-Plus online appointment software also provides the industry’s most complete library of integrations to help facilities operate more efficiently. Housed in the Appointment-Plus Marketplace, it includes syncs with popular software applications routinely used by dock staff.

These integration solutions include:

QuickBooks sync
Constant Contact, iContact, MailChimp and Vertical Response e-marketing syncs

Future integrations include syncs with Google and Microsoft Outlook calendars and an enhanced mobile Web app.

Because it’s Web-based, Appointment-Plus online appointment software requires only an Internet connection to use, with no downloads, installations or additional hardware required. The software is also accessible from any Web-connected device, such as laptops and smartphones, a true benefit for dock operators who need to view their schedules when away from their desk or station. Carriers wishing to schedule their deliveries simply click on the facility’s unique URL link, which takes them directly to the online scheduler.

“When it comes to your dock-scheduling processes, don’t settle for anything but the best,” La Loggia adds. “Choose Appointment-Plus and transform the way you and your dock staff manage the delivery process.”

To learn more about Appointment online scheduling software, click here.

About Appointment-Plus:

Appointment-Plus is the worldwide leader in online scheduling solutions for growing businesses, enterprises, higher education, government and logistics. With over 15 million end-users and 75 million appointments booked since its inception in 2001, Appointment-Plus is one of the fastest growing cloud-based services in the world. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., organizations ranging in size from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses use Appointment-Plus to book an average of 2.5 million appointments monthly.

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