5 Things to Consider When Looking for
a Route Accounting Solution

These are the top five things we consider to be most important when searching for a route accounting system. This list was created by us through working closely with current clients, as well as speaking with potential customers to determine their needs from a Route Accounting Solution. Overall, the new system needs to save you money or increase profit margins. If neither is the case, the system is inefficient and simply not a good fit.

1. Speaking to your current process/procedures – do you notice any redundancy, control issues, or costly errors? To further illustrate the redundancy aspect, let us pose these questions:

• Are you writing invoices/orders on paper only to later re-key them into the system?
• Is the Sales Team having to spend time correcting pre-printed invoices on paper, then spend more time entering those corrections into the system?
• Are you receiving orders via email that must be written down on order forms or entered into the system?

Although the manual redundancy may not wear excessively on your business in terms of financial loss, the time that is spent and lost on this process could be better managed by utilizing an electronic solution. Additional areas of loss, both financial and otherwise, can be found in inventory/cash control and customer satisfaction. Theft of inventory and cash are obviously of great concern when it comes to minimizing risk. Implementing and fully utilizing a DSD solution can help you keep accurate electronic records of cash flow and inventory counts, thus offering greater control in minimizing loss.

2. Is your current solution an antiquated legacy solution, or worse – are you still using paper? If so, it likely does not offer you or your customers the information and efficiencies you both need. The efficiency gaps that accompany a paper system are obvious. Most importantly, it can be extremely difficult to accurately report data from a paper trail.

• Tracking trends, price changes, customer history, etc. can be overwhelming to keep track of on paper.
• Additionally, the added pressure of ensuring the correct person in your company receives the data can lead to information getting “lost in transit.” Human errors can occur, leading to further frustrations on not only your end, but your customer’s end as well.
• Lastly, having to capture the customer signature in ink can be a nuisance. With so much of today’s world being digitalized, customers have come to expect the flexibility of an electronic solution.

Whereas you may have an electronic solution in the form of a legacy program, that can also further complicate things. Legacy systems are:

• Older programs, not up to date
• Running on older hardware that is likely not supported or can be hard to find
• The data can be difficult to manage and report on due to the overly simplistic nature of the solution

3. When searching for a Route Accounting Solution it is also important to take into consideration additional avenues for revenue. For example, • Does the system you are considering offer an Ecommerce portal and device app for your customers to self-serve?

• Does the system offer promo tracking? This is especially important for price changes and promotional events throughout the year
• Does the system offer enough flexibility to allow you the freedom of expanding your product line without expanding your team?

A great electronic solution will help you increase revenue, without costing you extra money.

4. Consider the system’s Accounting/ERP Integration factor. One of the main purposes an electronic solution serves is to help streamline your efficiency.

• How long will it take the Executives of your company to get accurate financial data?
• How can you import data into the system, and how detailed can it be?
• How long will it take you to update your financial statements, inventory, and Customer information?

If the electronic solution does not offer integration with your current accounting program, the efficiency gaps will not be remedied, and you will essentially be stuck in a vicious redundant cycle of manual data entry and correcting errors.

5. Lastly, consider the potential partnership with the software provider.

• Are they a Partner or a Vendor?
• Will you receive timely answers to your questions?
• Will they demonstrate how to get the most out of the software?
• What are the technical support hours?
• Are the reps friendly and knowledgeable?

This last point may seem unimportant to some but getting answers to these points can illuminate the type of relationship the company offers its customers.

bMobile Route Software has been helping businesses like yours for over 20 years streamline efficiency, increase profits, and offer solutions to your pain points. We have answers to your problems! To see our software in action, visit www.bmobileroute.com, call (888) 900-5667, or email info@bmobileroute.com to schedule a demo today!