Duratuf leverages low-code on their journey to resilient logistics management

Summary

Duratuf implemented a comprehensive logistics management application for their company, to streamline their operations and enhance efficiency. This solution enables them to have simpler coordination amongst their vendors and warehouses and streamline material transportation. Their switch to low-code from manual processes has resulted in a remarkable 10x reduction in time spent on task management.

The company

Founded in 2010, Duratuf is a contract manufacturing company specializing in a diverse range of rubber and PVC products. Over the years, they've served 3,000+ customers across 47 countries, swiftly growing into a leading industrial rubber item manufacturer, supplier, and exporter that provides over 50 types of products worldwide. These include electrical insulation mats, cow mats, rubber sheets, and various other rubber and PVC products.

Their core values revolve around the durability and toughness of their products and services. Driven by a mission to deliver cost-effective solutions, Duratuf is committed to meeting the industrial needs of both domestic and international customers, ultimately helping them increase their profits.

The challenge

When using Google Sheets and Excel, Duratuf faced transportation challenges due to manual handling, particularly in coordinating with multiple vendors and warehouses. As a contract manufacturing company, they recognized the need for a simpler process to streamline logistics—and that's where low-code came in.

The solution

Duratuf, a long-time Zoho One customer who extensively uses Zoho Analytics, Zoho CRM, and Zoho Books for comprehensive sales and accounting purposes, decided to implement Zoho Creator to overcome their logistics hurdles.

With Zoho Creator, Rishav Singh, consultant of business processes and systems, along with the help of a Zoho developer, created a seamless and intuitive logistics management application that delighted his team.

The solution was quickly integrated with Zoho CRM, Books, and Analytics, becoming an integral part in the operational workflow. It has 30 users at different levels, including warehouse executors, store executors, and operational managers who are involved in the logistics process.

It's comprised of three modules—Pre-Dispatch, Dispatch, and Delivery—which efficiently addresses their logistics needs.

Pre-dispatch

The pre-dispatch phase involves a series of checks, including estimating costs for transporting materials from point A to point B. There are various aspects that require thorough checks, such as material inspection, confirmation of sales orders by the sales team, and finalizing transportation costs provided by transporters—determining whether they're fixed or negotiable.

The Pre-Dispatch module of the logistics management application calculates distances and estimates delivery costs efficiently. This allows them to obtain actual-versus-estimated reports to pinpoint areas of delay and continuously enhance their operations.

Dispatch

Once the invoicing process is done, all the transport-related documents get attached to this module. The Dispatch module captures all the crucial details, such as the payment terms for a specific transport, the pricing basis, the docket date, and the weightage assigned to the particular group. This module ensures that the information regarding the dispatch is efficiently recorded and readily accessible.

Delivery

In the Delivery module, when the customer receives the order, the status is updated as "delivered", while those still on the way are labelled as "in transit". Within these modules, the number of orders in transit, the number of completed deliveries, and the instances of delayed or expedited deliveries are noted. Essentially, this module allows them to track and evaluate their performance.

In addition to these three primary modules, their solution also allows automation for various other tasks. The solution includes document automation, seamless conversion of sales orders to invoices, a PIN code list, and a built-in cost calculator. The application also handles the creation of pallet labels, helping in multiple aspects of their logistics processes.

In comparison to their manual processes, Zoho Creator stood out with its extensive range of features, including powerful workflows, insightful reports, and customizable dashboards.These capabilities make it an ideal tool for streamlining complex business processes and boosting overall productivity.

Benefits and ROI

Singh specifically expressed his admiration for Creator's schedule and payment workflow functionalities and emphasized the capabilities of Deluge. The switch to Zoho Creator also brought with it significant time savings.

The team is now able to work more smoothly and confidently, knowing that their orders are accurately processed and there's no need for tedious manual tasks.

Before implementing Zoho Creator, all the tasks were handled manually. It was impossible to assign permissions to different stakeholders involved in the process using Google Sheets. However, with Zoho Creator, they were able to automate tasks without manual effort. This has not only made their work more efficient but also reduced the chance of errors in the process.

After Duratuf implementing Zoho Creator, they saw benefits including:

• Enhanced confidence: With the automation in place, Duratuf is more confident in their logistics management operations. They no longer need to worry about manual errors.
• Improved efficiency: The team can now process their consignment more quickly, which has resulted in a smoother workflow.
• Time savings: The switch to Zoho Creator has helped them save valuable time that was previously spent on manual tasks. This has allowed them to focus on other critical tasks, contributing to overall productivity and effectiveness.

Looking forward

Duratuf aims to focus on enhancing their supply chain operations by developing applications for supply chain and vendor management and connecting them to their logistics management app. Additionally, they also plan to integrate Zoho Lens and introduce customer portals. The end goal is to optimize their operations and elevate their customer experience through Zoho Creator.