BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — McLeod Software has completely re-engineered its LoadMaster Enterprise and PowerBroker software, the company announced today (Aug. 17).
The Version 20.2 updates provide new capabilities for both software systems, including new internet portals that promise customers “a whole new experience,” according to a statement released by McLeod. The new portals are designed to help McLeod customers create a better branded internet presence for their company, and more importantly, create a better experience for their customers, carriers, and drivers.
Customer portal: The new customer portal provides the carrier’s or broker’s customer with real-time access to all of their load information 24/7. The new portal provides customers with assigned logins that ensure secure access to orders as well as delivered and in-transit shipments. In addition, a variety of display options enhance customers’ experience and response time, and the portals give customers the ability to easily download document images with retrieval options. Map views are available on orders displaying plotted mobile comm positions or positions from call-in records. The visibility of orders reduces the need for calls and emails into the carrier or broker’s dispatch for ETAs and “Where’s my truck?” calls.
Driver portal: With the new driver portal for carriers running McLeod’s LoadMaster dispatch system, drivers receive a secure login for instant access to settlement and pay information. If a carrier elects to use the LoadMaster Driver Choice module, drivers have immediate access to available matched loads that fit their choices in a predefined profile — a feature that can be especially useful for fleets with significant numbers of owner-operators. Carriers can more easily match drivers with the loads they want to haul and let them choose the load that best fits what’s important to them.
Carrier portal: The PowerBroker carrier portal allows a broker’s carriers to access loads that have been offered and current load information and offers flexible search options. Carriers have secure access to available and delivered loads to provide tracking, trip documents and call-in information.
Brokers can get paid faster by providing carriers and owner-operators with secure access to input information needed to complete billing. Visual indicators throughout the screens help carriers and owner-operators easily add shipping-related documents by uploading images directly to their loads, where the images will automatically be indexed to support billing. The portal also provides drag-and-drop capability for images for added convenience.
Factoring portal: For brokers and carriers that work with factoring companies, McLeod’s factoring company portal provides a new, contemporary tool that allows them to quickly find the status of movements and reduce the number of phone calls needed. Factoring companies have a clear, concise view in a payment pipeline for all carriers or brokers. Factoring clerks now have easy access to check the status of movements that have been paid or pending, in progress or delivered, and pay information, such as line haul and other pay records, including advances to better understand the overall net pay for each movement. This portal provides the ability to add images for documentation, speeding up the settlement process.
Location portal: McLeod’s new location portal provides a tool for carriers and brokers to give the shipping companies’ staff at a specific location a physical shipping site, warehouse or terminal, with visibility to loads coming into and going out of the location.
Other enhancements include streamlining the recruiting and driver-application process, a new multicurrency system, new capabilities for McLeod’s electronic data interchange modules (EDIs), new market-insight view features and more.
For more information and new features, visit www.mcleodsoftware.com.
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