Situation

• Heating products company delivers to all of Vancouver Island
• In 1996, the company decided to implement a wireless dispatch system to five it a significant competitive edge
• As wireless technology evolved, the company was able to choose from a wider range of providers

Approach

• Every Columbia Fuels truck is fitted with an on-board computer and modem
• Initially, TELUS was the only provider able to deliver the wireless connectivity needed
• When CDMA digital wireless became available on Vancouver Island, Columbia Fuels chose to stay with TELUS because of the extensive coverage offered
• During the discovery phase of the migration to CDMA, TELUS and Columbia Fuels worked together to define the company's security needs
• TELUS implemented a private wireless network between the Columbia Fuels database and its trucks

Business Benefits

• Homeowners on Vancouver Island can rely on Columbia Fuels to provide same-day delivery of heating oil, at significant competitive advantage for the company
• When new calls come in, Columbia Fuels can quickly dispatch the nearest truck
• The on-board computer ensures the customer receives exactly the amount of fuel ordered
• An invoice with a built-in mail-back envelope is provided at the end of each delivery, allowing for faster payments
• All customer data is securely transmitted back to the corporate database, reducing errors by eliminating the need for re-entry

Solution

Homeowners on Vancouver Island can allow their heating oil tanks to run dry before ordering a refill.  Thats because they know they can call Columbia Fuels and be sure of same-day delivery.

Columbia Fuels is the largest supplier of home heating products on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.  The company is able to offer this level of service because each of their trucks has an on-board computer, connected by wireless modem back to head office.  "I believe we were the first oil company to use wireless dispatch on the West Coast," says Philip Parsons, Senior Team Leader, IT.

New tickets are transmitted to the truck closest to the call, specifying exactly what the home owner wants:  a full refill, a specified volume or oil worth a predetermined dollar value.  On arrival, the truck driver connects to the homeowner's tank, presses the start button and the system does the rest.  At the end of the delivery, the customer's data is instantly transmitted to the back office systems at Columbia Fuels, eliminating the need for re-entry later and reducing errors.  The truck driver prints an invoice before leaving, assuring the homeowner that there won't be any surprises at the end of the month.  The invoice form also includes a built-in mail back envelope, making it easier for the customer to pay as soon as possible.

TELUS has provided Columbia Fuels with wireless connectivity from the very beginning.  When ODMA digital wireless access became available on Vancouver Island, Columbia Fuels opted to remain a client.  "We deliver to 100% of Vancouver Island," says Parsons.  "We needed a provider that gives us the same coverage."  With 40 trucks each making 100 - 150 deliveries during the heating season, the company also cannot afford downtime,.  It needs to be assured of the kind of network reliability TELUS can provide.

Working together during the discovery phase of the migration to the CDMA network, TELUS and Columbia Fuels agreed on the need for maximum security.  To protect sensitive customer data during transmission between the trucks and head office, TELUS implemented a private wireless network for Columbia Fuels.

The solution provides considerable benefits for both Columbia Fuels and its customers.  "We're the only company offering dame-day delivery," says Parsons.  "Knowing they can rely on us, our customers sometimes run out of oil completely which means their furnace has to be restarted.  By getting there as fast as we can, our driver can help them out, providing an important value-add.  For us, the system is simply easier.  Our drivers just point and click and everything is taken care of."