The laboratory service provider L.u.P. drives to up to 1,000 physicians, hospitals and alternative practitioners in the Ruhr region and Bergisches Land every day and brings their medical samples to the laboratory. With the digital telematics solution DeDeFleet, L.u.P. was able to make its entire route planning faster, more efficient and more flexible. This significantly simplifies the dispatching of the 28 vehicles and new orders can be integrated in the shortest possible time – a real competitive advantage for L.u.P.!
The challenge: Getting samples safely and punctually from the medical practice to the lab
Those who schedule routes for medical samples must take many factors into account. When are doctor’s offices open or possible hospital pickup times and how many refrigerated containers are needed on a given day? L.u.P. has been a successful laboratory service provider for over 30 years: This includes not only the transportation of samples themselves but also a lot of organizational work. There are specific regulations for the transportation of medical samples, and their compliance must be documented. In addition, restrictions in the opening hours of the medical practices determine the route planning: Couriers who have to wait cannot drive profitably. Depending on the access situation, the existing fleet of cars, vans and bicycles must also be used flexibly.
Disposition also consumes a lot of time with phone inquiries about where each driver is currently located or who can take on an urgently incoming order at short notice. If an order list has to be manually adjusted on paper, for instance due to changes in the order sequence, this translates to more effort and a higher risk of errors.
Against this background, L.u.P. was looking for a solution that would significantly simplify planning by taking into account all the parameters that are important for laboratory logistics. At the same time, the implementation was to be accompanied in everyday life on the road and the entire fleet was to be coordinated at the three locations Bochum, Kamen and Wuppertal. L.u.P. attached particular importance to ensuring that all information is clearly available and that the driving personnel and control center can draw on reliable data. With DeDeNet, L.u.P. found exactly the right partner for this. Telematics hardware and SIM cards are provided by Telekom Deutschland, and the Telekom network is used for data transmission.
The result: Simple dispatching thanks to telematics portal and driver app
With the industry solution DeDeFleet Laborlogistik 4.0 and Telekom’s mobile communications solutions, L.u.P. is able to significantly optimize route planning. Opening hours, access situations or special features on the route: All framework data are stored in DeDeFleet. This means that the predictable part of sample logistics is optimally covered and futile trips or waiting times are a thing of the past. The efficient route planning also takes into account the different vehicles in use for L.u.P. For some trips the bicycle is the best choice, for other trips a car or a van is more suitable. At the forefront of the planning is always the safety of the medical samples and the timely delivery from the medical practice to the laboratory. Optimized scheduling is also not only more economical, but also more sustainable.
When the samples are being transported, the Driver app provides the driving personnel with the necessary tour overview at any time, navigates to the next job and displays all stops already made as well as expected arrival times in the DeDeFleet portal. In this way, the head office maintains an overview at all times and telephone queries become obsolete. Thanks to its intuitive usability, the app is easy and quick to learn for all couriers.
For L.u.P., when selecting the telematics solution, it was important that it took into account the special requirements of sample logistics and that the existing processes could be covered. After DeDeFleet was initially implemented in two branches, the main site followed with all the individual adjustments that had resulted from the initial practical experience.
As a specialist for software around mobility and field service, DeDeNet has more than 25 years of experience with the specifics and needs of different industries. In this way, DeDeNet offers its customers more than just telematics and creates holistic, individual solutions. At the same time, the company ensures that all applications comply with current data protection requirements. Thanks to interfaces to industry-standard systems, customers’ internal processes can be further simplified.
The added value: Efficient and sustainable route planning with simultaneous flexibility for adjustments
Quickly implemented and fully functional after a short training period, DeDeFleet for L.u.P. brings other benefits in addition to efficient and sustainable route planning. Particularly the flexibility with which digital route planning can respond to last-minute changes and emergencies strengthens L.u.P.’s position as a laboratory service provider. Short response times increase customer satisfaction and offer L.u.P. significant competitive advantages. Internally, the telematics solution not only ensures fast and uncomplicated exchange before and during tours; it can also be used to document the operating times of the vehicles, for example as a basis for invoicing or maintenance planning.
