GPS Keeps Small Business Trucking!
D & H Transport, a third generation family business with over 30 years in the transportation industry, employed GPS in order to move the company to the next level.
“We pretty much ran our business, for many, many years, by the seat of our pants,” shared Gregg Howe, President. While this worked during economic boom times, it became a struggle when demand slowed down. “We needed change. We needed some different tools to help us operate more efficiently and effectively.”
The GPS team delivered, first, with a business analysis, which uncovered that the firm’s operating costs had been unknown. “We didn’t know our fixed costs. We didn’t know what it cost to run a truck per mile. It left us vulnerable to the marketplace.” That was when Gregg realized that professional assistance was needed.
To See Where We’re Going
From the GPS business consultants, “I gained some valuable tools. I now have a dashboard in my company that I use daily to operate the company.”
He has metrics that he can review weekly and, most importantly, quarterly reports that show the cash flow for six months, “so I know, pretty much, on a daily basis, where we’re at and where we’re going.”
Gregg says, “Where before, we didn’t have that. We were just hauling loads every day and hoping that, at the end of the month, we had some money left over.”
Tools to Get Ahead
“I now have a look into the future, down the road, where we’re projected to be, three, six months out and I can make better-informed decisions, now, based on the numbers that I have and it’s invaluable,” says Gregg, discussing how he has benefited.
In addition to the dashboard, the GPS consultants helped D&H Transport to set up an incentive program for their management team, which has made them more engaged and involved. “They now know that they’re going to share in the profits, instead of just getting a bonus check at the end of the year. It makes them work smarter. It makes them be more attentive to what they’re doing, every day.”
Describing the incentive program as a “very, very good tool,” Gregg further elaborates, saying, “it has sparked a lot of new life in what they do.”
Clarifying the Bidding Process
Gregg now knows what it costs to operate his business, allowing him to be even more competitive and confident when placing bids. “We know exactly what we have to have to break even and we can play with the profit, a bit.” No longer operating in the dark, he has the knowledge to “go up against the competition and I can beat them almost every time. That has been an amazing change in how we operate.”
Move Forward and Utilize GPS
When asked what he would say to a business owner who is considering using GPS services, such as our analytical and consulting, Gregg says, “Absolutely, move forward. This has changed our operation, changed our business—ultimately, it changed our lives.”
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